The Legislative Library's primary mandate is to serve the information needs of the Members of the Legislative Assembly and their caucus staff. As a secondary mandate, the Library's collection is also available to members of the provincial civil service, and for use by the general public who may borrow through interlibrary loan.

• Information Assistance

At all times when the House sits, and during regular library hours when the House is not in session, experienced, professionally trained librarians are available to respond to questions on any topic from Members, staff, and caucus researchers. The librarians aim to provide timely and complete responses to all requests. All requests are treated with impartiality, objectivity, and strict confidentiality.

• How to Request Information

Requests may be made in person, by telephone, fax, e-mail or mail. Voice mail is available on both the general library line (424-5932) and at the information desk (424-5625).

• Electronic Information Services

The Library has access to full-text databases covering a wide range of topics including law, government, education, science and technology, business, energy, economics, and the environment. Many Canadian and international newspapers are also available online.

• Newspaper Clippings Service

Selected national and provincial newspapers are clipped and indexed on a daily basis by Legislative Library staff so that materials pertaining to the historical, political, economic, social, and local issues and events of Nova Scotia may be made available to members, staff and caucus researchers. The newspaper files are housed in the Legislative Library Reading Room.

• Current Issues

Every two weeks, the Library provides the Members of the Legislative Assembly and caucus offices with photocopies of the tables of contents from a broad range of magazines in the Library's collection. Copies of articles are available to Members upon request.

• Legislature Web Site

The Legislature Web site distributes current information pertaining to Nova Scotia legislative materials. Information of particular interest to Members, staff, and caucus researchers includes full-text of the current Speech from the Throne, the Status of Bills, Publications of the Province of Nova Scotia: Monthly Checklist, as well as full-text of current statutes, debates, and committee proceedings. In addition, this site provides users with contact information for the provincial constituencies, Members of the Legislative Assembly, and the Legislature offices.

The Legislature Web site can be found at: http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature

• Orientation

After each general election, the Legislative Librarian meets with the new Members of the Legislative Assembly to introduce them to the Library collection. Members can receive further instruction at any time by making an appointment with the Legislative Librarian or Library staff.

• Photocopying

Members of the Legislative Assembly, caucus staff, and provincial civil servants may photocopy library materials without charge. Members of the public must purchase a photocopy card at the Library.

The Library prepares a number of publications to assist Members and their staffs with their information needs.

• Bookcase

Bookcase is a list of the Library's recent titles, which is distributed monthly to Members of the Legislative Assembly, caucus offices, and other Canadian legislative libraries.

• Members' Manual: House of Assembly of Nova Scotia

This manual is intended to provide the Members of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia with general information on the House of Assembly and its services. Also included are copies of statutes and regulations of particular interest to the Members.

• Publications of the Province of Nova Scotia: Monthly Checklist

Each month, Legislative Library staff compiles a comprehensive checklist of Government of Nova Scotia publications. Publications, in this instance, refers to all items of information, including pamphlets, brochures, and flyers as well as reports, studies, books and periodicals, which are available for public distribution. The checklist is available via the Internet at http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/library/checklist.html or upon request at the Legislative Library.

• Annual Checklist of Provincial Government Publications

Publications: Province of Nova Scotia is compiled annually from the monthly publication checklist.

The Library staff devotes considerable time to maintaining a collection that provides comprehensive subject coverage for an array of interests and public policy concerns. This is done so that the Members are provided with the prompt, accurate and in-depth information that they require to perform their duties effectively.

• General Collection

The Library has extensive holdings of government publications, books, periodicals, newspapers, business and commercial legal services, as well as microforms, maps, videotapes, audiocassettes, and other materials to meet the information and research requirements of Members of the Legislative Assembly. The Library maintains a core collection of materials on many subjects. The primary subject areas of the collection are: Law, Economic and Social Issues, Novascotiana, Parliamentary Procedure, Politics and Government, Public Administration, Public Speaking, and Statistics.

The Library maintains a collection of approximately 2000 serials, including newspapers, magazines and annual reports.

Recommendations for books and other materials to add to the Library's collections are welcomed.

• Reference Materials

The Reference collection contains a variety of quick information sources such as almanacs, parliamentary guides, directories, books of quotations, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and newsletters that detail federal and provincial government activities.

• Government Publications

The Legislative Library is the official depository for Nova Scotia government publications and maintains as complete a collection as possible. Through depository arrangements, the Library has acquired a strong collection of federal documents as well as publications from other provinces. There is an extensive collection of legislative materials (i.e., debates, journals, bills and statutes) from the federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions.

• Special Collections

The Novascotiana collection is the pride of the Legislative Library because of its comprehensiveness. It is composed of materials by Nova Scotians or about Nova Scotia. It represents approximately 20,000 volumes of the Library's catalogued collection, not including the Library's extensive holdings of Nova Scotia government annual reports. Among the finest gems in this collection are the approximately 100 early and first edition works by Thomas Chandler Haliburton. To the delight of historical researchers, the Library has directories and almanacs dating back as early as 1790. The Library also houses a complete collection of the Nova Scotia Journals of the House of Assembly since the first Assembly in 1758.

Other special collections include such items as Army Lists from 1759 to 1901 and Great Britain legislative materials such as the Statutes at Large, the Debates of the House of Lords and the Debates of House of Commons.

Members of the Legislative Assembly, their staff, and government employees may borrow books from the Library for two weeks. The Library issues notices for materials that are overdue. Renewals may be made over the phone.

The general public may borrow from the Library through interlibrary loan.

Reference materials and legislative documents cannot be taken out of the library except by Members of the Legislative Assembly, for use in the House, during the session.

• During the Session

The Library is open from 8:30a.m. until the House rises for the day and as directed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

• Regular Hours

Monday to Friday 8:30a.m. - 4:30p.m.
When the Legislature is not in session.