National Libraries: Mission and Ministerial Sponsorship

Abstract

There is no ‘international standard’ for national libraries; indeed national libraries exist in an infinite variety of forms. Schemas that focus on the functions of national libraries tend to emphasize the areas of conformity between institutions while a focus on role, including mission and target audiences, would tend to accentuate the differences between institutions. The British Library has a uniquely broad mission. While its positioning in UK government is under the sponsorship of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the BL also makes major contributions to the objectives of the Department for Education and Skills and to the Office of Science and Innovation within the Department for Trade and Industry. This paper summarizes the findings of a survey by the BL of 30 national libraries related to which government ministry in their country currently had policy and funding responsibility for their national library in the context of: their origin; their mission; the core target audiences they served; the functions they undertook as part of their remit; and other related provision in their countries. The paper also describes two interdepartmental mechanisms introduced in 2006 to improve communications and strategic alignment in recognition of the complex pattern and cross-cutting nature of the British Library's contribution to UK government policy objectives.