Library Map of the World

ZimLA is run by a National Executive Council (NEC) whose members are elected for two-year terms. There are five branches covering all ten provinces. Branches are supported by Special Interest Groups. The business of ZimLA is guided by a Constitution and Rules of the Association. Major activities carried out by the association include workshops and an Annual Conference.

The National Library and Documentation Service (NLDS) was established through an Act of Parliament in 1985 and was implemented in 1988. The National Library serve as the national centre for the collection, conservation and appreciation of Zimbabwe's published national heritage and a national reference collection. The National Library will also facilitate the sharing and supply of resources through access to international electronic bibliographic and information networks, databases and resources.

The Ministry is responsible for the National Library and Documentation Service (NLDS).

The Ministry supervises university, polytechnic and college libraries in Zimbabwe.

ZULC was established in 2001 with an initial membership of six university libraries. It was formed to provide leadership in access to knowledge and to promote information resource sharing and networking in support of 'human capital development'. The consortium is keen to expand membership beyond the traditional university and college members to include NGOs, research institutions and government departments. It is working on a recruitment strategy in order to grow over the coming years.

CARLC was formed at a workshop for librarians held at Mont Clair, Nyanga, Zimbabwe in 1999. The members include Polytechnics, Teachers Colleges, and libraries of the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development. The goal of the consortium is to promote Library cooperation and resource sharing among member institutions.

The Public Library Consortium is made up of public libraries and is yet to be officially launched. The consortium will provide a platform for public libraries to interact and share resources.

The Act provides for the establishment of the National Library and Documentation Service (NLDS) and the establishment of a Council to advise on the administration of the NLDS. The Act also applies to affiliate libraries which are registered with the NLDS as well as to constituent libraries which are staffed by public officers and which the NLDS administers; these include government ministerial and deparmental libraries, government educational libraries, and other libraries. The act aims at (i) promoting the widespread enjoyment in Zimbabwe of publications of an educational, scientific, cultural, recreational or sporting value; (ii) ensuring, maintaining and developing a high standard of library facilities; (iii) operating a documentation facility and an inter-library loan facility; and (iv) training librarians and to ensure, maintain, co-ordinate and develop a high standard of librarianship.
There are plans to have the Act reviewed or replaced with the National Library Council Bill.

Three copies of each printed or published material are to be deposited. One copy each to the National Archives, National Library and Documentation Service, and Bulawayo Public Library. Newspapers, periodicals or other printed publications published at a regular or irregular intervcals, and every part or division of a book, pamphlet, sheet of printing, map, plan, chart or table separately published are covered by legal deposit. Digital materials are not covered by the Act.

The Act has a provision that covers basic library activities i.e. lending, copying and preservation. The copyright law has provisions for the copying and preservation of materials. A provision for copying and preservation is only given for librarians and archivists under set conditions i.e. to replace a copy that the institution may not be able to afford, and under the express permission of the author etc. The reforms or planned changes will be done in line with the Constitution and the Marrakesh Treaty.

The professional qualification requirements in Zimbabwe are largely dependent on the Private, Public and Academic sector one wishes to work in. The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa launched the Zimbabwe National Qualifications Framework (ZNQF) on Tuesday, 11 July 2018. The ZNQF seeks among many objectives, to provide a mechanism to harmonise national qualifications, enable vertical and horizontal mobility of learners and graduates. There is an ongoing discussion by information professionals on the impact of the ZNFQ in relation to work qualification requirements.

There are a number of library schools in Zimbabwe that offer courses in librarianship. The library schools include: Bulawayo Polytechnic, Gweru Polytechnic, Harare Polytechnic, Kushinga Phikelela Polytechnic, Mutare Polytechnic, National University of Science and Technology, and Zimbabwe Open University. A person with five 'O' level subjects may start studying for a National Certificate (1 year) in Library Management and Information Science and pursue a National Diploma (3 years including attachment year) and then study for a Higher National Diploma (1 year). A person with a Higher National Diploma may apply to study for a Bachelor of Science Honours in Library and Information Science (2 Years) at the Zimbabwe Open University. The National University of Science and Technology offers a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Library and Information Science (BSc. Hon. LIS) (4 Years); a Master of Science Degree in Library and Information Science (MSc LIS) (2 Years) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Science (PDLIS).

"The Zimbabwe Librarian" is the official journal of the Zimbabwe Library Association (ZimLA) and was formerly published as 'The Rhodesian Librarian'. The association suspended the print copy in 2004 and plans to resume publishing in the near future. The publication shares information on the professional association, information sector and global trends in librarianship.

The Zimbabwe Library Association holds an annual four day conference in July and a Pre-Conference for schools libraries. The Library Association extends its invitation to Library and Information Professionals, Publishers, Authors, Book Distributors, Academics, Researchers, Policy makers and relevant stakeholders with vested interest in the library and information services sector. The main goal of the annual event is to create opportunities for local, regional and international practitioners, suppliers and policy makers in the library and information services sector to convene, discuss, share ideas aspirations; and learn from each other.

The Zimbabwe International Book Fair Association (ZIBFA) hosts a five day event each year. The first two days are for an Indaba Conference, the third is the opening day, the fourth day is for the Publishers Workshop and the fifth day is for the Librarians Workshop.