The National Library of Rwanda on Monday, December 22, 2025, hosted a media breakfast at its headquarters in Kigali to officially unveil its services for 2025, as part of its Open Day activities. The event also marked the institution’s first-ever launch of audiobooks.
The gathering brought together journalists to highlight the continued role of the National Library in preserving, protecting, and promoting Rwanda’s documentary cultural heritage, with a strong focus on the integration of modern technology to expand access.
During the presentations, participants were taken through the history of the National Library, which was officially established on December 23, 1971, with a mandate to conserve and promote Rwanda’s literary heritage. In 1973, the institution was temporarily relocated to Orléans, France, before returning to Rwanda and being granted legal status through Presidential Decree No. 174/06 of March 28, 1989.
Since then, the National Library has played a central role in collecting, conserving, and safeguarding documents of national importance, contributing significantly to the preservation of Rwanda’s history, culture, and collective memory.
Operating today within the framework of Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, the Library continues to prioritize innovation aimed at making books more accessible and extending the reach of documentary heritage, particularly to young people and children.
First-Ever Launch of Audiobooks
A key highlight of the event was the launch of audiobooks for the first time, an initiative designed to promote inclusive reading while strengthening the preservation and dissemination of Rwanda’s cultural heritage.
The audiobooks launched include:
Rwandan Cultural Values: A Guiding Book (2018, MINISPOC)
Traditional Rwandan Attire: An Exploration Through Cultural and Development Paradigms (National Cultural Heritage, 2023)
Traditional Rwandan Marriage (RALC, 2018)
Commenting on findings from the 2025 Cultural Heritage Assessment Study conducted by the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy and released in September, Ambassador Robert Masozera, the DG of Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy noted that children and adolescents were identified as the most active readers and early adopters of technology.
“This is why we have prioritized the digitization of books available at the National Library, so they can be accessed by many Rwandans in ways that align with contemporary reading habits,” he said.
Journalists were also briefed on the range of services offered by the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy, the scope of its collections, which include books and documents of national significance, and the various ways users can access them both physically and online.
Claude Nizeyimana, in charge of National Library Services, explained that members of the public who own books may approach the Library for consultation, after which the materials may be accepted and preserved.
He further addressed concerns regarding preservation standards, assuring the public of secure physical and digital storage systems. “Digitization enables readers to access books through our online platform from different parts of the country,” he said. “However, physical books can only be consulted on-site, as the Library does not lend materials due to limited copies.”
Currently, the National Library preserves more than 16,330 books and documents.
The management reaffirmed that the Library’s services are open to everyone, including children, parents, students, researchers, and teachers, and that access remains free of charge. Members of the public were encouraged to explore the Library’s digital resources through the official website of the National Cultural Heritage institution.
The initiative falls under the SomaAndika Programme, which aims to nurture a culture of reading and writing by leveraging technology to safeguard and promote the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy.
Alice DUSABIMANA