The National Library of Haiti (BNH; French: Bibliothèque nationale d'Haïti) is Haiti's legal deposit library, with a collection of approximately 26,000 volumes.[1] It is located in the capital, Port-au-Prince and is the principal library of the city. The current head of the library is Monsieur Emmanuel Ménard.
The first Haitian National Library was established in 1825, during the presidency of Jean-Pierre Boyer (1818-1843).[2] A cabinet was purchased for the library for 75 gourdes (one Haitian gourde=approx. $20).[citation needed] Later that year about 936 gourdes were spent for the purchase of 444 volumes ordered by Dr. François Fournier de Pescay.[3] This library may have been destroyed during the 1860s, when political clashes saw the destruction of many items of cultural significance in Haiti.[4]
Current libraryedit
The current National Library was established in 1939. In the 1950s, then director Max Bissainthe listed the holdings at 8,300 books and pamphlets.[5] In a brief article, M. Bissainte described the Library's purchase of collections of Haitian historical and cultural materials. These included some rare colonial-era books, maps and lithographs, and several important Haitian journals such as La Ronde and Haïti Littéraire. However, sometime later three-fourths of the collection "mysteriously" disappeared, possibly during the government of François "Papa Doc" Duvalier (1957–1971).[6]
Today the Library oversees a network of smaller libraries elsewhere in the country. The Library also functions as the country's bibliographic agency. The first Haitian national bibliography was published in the mid-1950s under Max Bissainthe, and the Library has since produced a number of bibliographies and supplements.
2010 earthquakeedit
The most important recent development affecting Haiti was the devastating earthquake of January 2010. While the National Library did not suffer major structural damage, an unknown number of items from the collection were lost or damaged. The Library closed for repairs and subsequently re-opened, with a number of improvements and additions to the facilities, such as a new meeting room, which has been made available to young people.[7]
Referencesedit
^ abJanson, M & Opitz, H. (EDs.) (2011). "Haiti" World Guide to Libraries. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG.
^Bertrand, J.W. (1981). "Plea for a reorganization of Haitian Libraries" UNESCO Journal of Information Science, Librarianship, and Archives Administration, vol. 8, p. 117.
^Bertrand, J.W. (1981). "Plea for a reorganization of Haitian libraries" UNESCO Journal of Information Science, Librarianship, and Archives Administration. vol.8, p. 118.
^Bissainthe, Max (1957). "National Library of Haiti" UNESCO Bulletin for Libraries, 11, 87, 55
^Bertrand, J.W. (1981). "Plea for a reorganization of Haitian Libraries" UNESCO Journal of Information Science, Librarianship, and Archives Administration, vol. 8, p. 122
^Petit-Frère, D. (2013, March 7). "La Bibliothèque nationale d’Haïti en quête de repères." Le Nouvelliste
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bibliothèque nationale d'Haïti.
national, library, haiti, french, bibliothèque, nationale, haïti, haiti, legal, deposit, library, with, collection, approximately, volumes, located, capital, port, prince, principal, library, city, current, head, library, monsieur, emmanuel, ménard, location19. The National Library of Haiti BNH French Bibliotheque nationale d Haiti is Haiti s legal deposit library with a collection of approximately 26 000 volumes 1 It is located in the capital Port au Prince and is the principal library of the city The current head of the library is Monsieur Emmanuel Menard National Library of HaitiLocation193 rue du Centre Port au Prince HaitiTypeNational library Public library and Bibliographic AgencyEstablished1939CollectionItems collectedBooks historical documentsSizeApprox 26 000 vols 2009 Legal depositSince 1984Access and usePopulation served2 143 million 2010 Other informationDirectorM Emmanuel MenardReferences 1 Contents 1 Early history 2 Current library 3 2010 earthquake 4 ReferencesEarly history editThe first Haitian National Library was established in 1825 during the presidency of Jean Pierre Boyer 1818 1843 2 A cabinet was purchased for the library for 75 gourdes one Haitian gourde approx 20 citation needed Later that year about 936 gourdes were spent for the purchase of 444 volumes ordered by Dr Francois Fournier de Pescay 3 This library may have been destroyed during the 1860s when political clashes saw the destruction of many items of cultural significance in Haiti 4 Current library editThe current National Library was established in 1939 In the 1950s then director Max Bissainthe listed the holdings at 8 300 books and pamphlets 5 In a brief article M Bissainte described the Library s purchase of collections of Haitian historical and cultural materials These included some rare colonial era books maps and lithographs and several important Haitian journals such as La Ronde and Haiti Litteraire However sometime later three fourths of the collection mysteriously disappeared possibly during the government of Francois Papa Doc Duvalier 1957 1971 6 Today the Library oversees a network of smaller libraries elsewhere in the country The Library also functions as the country s bibliographic agency The first Haitian national bibliography was published in the mid 1950s under Max Bissainthe and the Library has since produced a number of bibliographies and supplements 2010 earthquake editThe most important recent development affecting Haiti was the devastating earthquake of January 2010 While the National Library did not suffer major structural damage an unknown number of items from the collection were lost or damaged The Library closed for repairs and subsequently re opened with a number of improvements and additions to the facilities such as a new meeting room which has been made available to young people 7 References edit a b Janson M amp Opitz H EDs 2011 Haiti World Guide to Libraries Berlin Walter de Gruyter GmbH amp Co KG Bertrand J W 1981 Plea for a reorganization of Haitian Libraries UNESCO Journal of Information Science Librarianship and Archives Administration vol 8 p 117 Bertrand 1981 Bertrand J W 1981 Plea for a reorganization of Haitian libraries UNESCO Journal of Information Science Librarianship and Archives Administration vol 8 p 118 Bissainthe Max 1957 National Library of Haiti UNESCO Bulletin for Libraries 11 87 55 Bertrand J W 1981 Plea for a reorganization of Haitian Libraries UNESCO Journal of Information Science Librarianship and Archives Administration vol 8 p 122 Petit Frere D 2013 March 7 La Bibliotheque nationale d Haiti en quete de reperes Le Nouvelliste nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bibliotheque nationale d Haiti 18 32 48 N 72 20 32 W 18 54667 N 72 34222 W 18 54667 72 34222 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title National Library of Haiti amp oldid 1141927319, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
