Dag Hammarskjöld Library

Dag Hammarskjöld Library
Gryffindor · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Dag Hammarskjöld Library
Established	1961
Location	United Nations Headquarters, New York City
Type	Research library
Collection size	over 1 million volumes

Dag Hammarskjöld Library is the research library of the United Nations located at the United Nations Headquarters, New York City. It supports the work of the United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Security Council, United Nations Secretariat, United Nations Economic and Social Council and other specialized agencies by providing reference, archival and information management services. The Library collects materials in the six official United Nations languages and offers access to documents related to international affairs, multilateral diplomacy and global policy, serving Member States, delegations and the public.

History

The Library was established in the period following the post‑World War II expansion of international institutions, reflecting precedents set by the League of Nations Library and the bibliographic ambitions of early United Nations officials such as Trygve Lie and Dag Hammarskjöld. Its formal opening coincided with construction and diplomatic activity at the United Nations Headquarters complex on Manhattan and followed models of international documentation advanced by the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization. Over decades the Library adapted to major events including the Cold War, decolonization waves following the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV), and crises addressed by the United Nations Security Council such as the Suez Crisis and the Korean War legacy, expanding collections to support newly independent Member States. Technological transitions during the administrations of successive UN Secretaries‑General like U Thant, Kurt Waldheim, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, and Boutros Boutros‑Ghali saw the Library integrate computerized catalogues, paralleling initiatives at the Library of Congress and the British Library. Renovations in the late 20th and early 21st centuries responded to interoperability needs highlighted by events involving the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the establishment of tribunals such as the International Criminal Court.

Collections and Services

Collections emphasize official United Nations documentation, including records of the United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Security Council resolutions, and publications from United Nations Economic and Social Council sessions. The Library maintains multilingual holdings in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish and acquires materials from Member States such as United States, China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and Brazil. Special collections include archives related to leaders and envoys like Dag Hammarskjöld, materials from international conferences such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and documentation on treaties like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Services comprise reference assistance for delegations including those from Small Island Developing States, interlibrary loan relationships with institutions such as the New York Public Library and digitization collaborations with organizations like UNESCO and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Research support extends to topics covered by bodies including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Human Rights Council, the Security Council sanctions committees, and the International Maritime Organization.

Architecture and Facilities

Located within the United Nations Secretariat Building complex, the Library occupies purpose‑designed spaces influenced by architects associated with the Headquarters project, including Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer stakeholders, and complements built environments like the General Assembly Building and the Conference Building. Facilities include reading rooms, microform centers, audiovisual studios, and archival stacks designed for preservation standards akin to those at the National Archives and Records Administration and the Smithsonian Institution. Infrastructure upgrades have addressed environmental controls, fire suppression and security coordination with the United Nations Security and Safety Service and facilities management teams tied to the United Nations Office at Geneva and the United Nations Office at Nairobi. Public spaces within the Library mirror diplomatic circulation through lobbies used by representatives from delegations led by countries such as India, Japan, Germany, and South Africa.

Role in United Nations Research and Documentation

The Library functions as a hub for documentation supporting activities of organs like the International Court of Justice when issues intersect with Secretariat research, and for specialized initiatives such as the work of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. It curates legal deposit‑style collections on multilateral instruments—covering conventions, protocols and General Assembly resolutions—and provides bibliographic control aligned with international standards set by bodies including the International Organization for Standardization and the Conference of European National Librarians. The Library contributes to knowledge management across peace operations, electoral assistance missions and humanitarian responses coordinated with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Food Programme. It also supports academic research connected to universities such as Columbia University, New York University, Harvard University and think tanks like the Council on Foreign Relations.

Leadership and Administration

Administratively the Library reports through the United Nations Secretariat to the Secretary‑General of the United Nations and coordinates with chiefs of information and documentation across UN offices including the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and the Department of Global Communications. Leadership has included directors and chiefs drawn from international library communities and partners such as the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and national institutions like the Library of Congress and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Governance involves liaison with Member State missions, formal reporting to committees of the United Nations General Assembly and compliance with financial oversight mechanisms exercised by the United Nations Board of Auditors and the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services.

Access, Digitization and Outreach

Access policies balance privileges for diplomats from Member States including missions of Canada, Mexico, Italy and Australia with public research access reflecting mandates similar to those of the United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library—while remaining careful to external naming conventions. Digitization projects prioritize United Nations documents, photographic archives from sessions of the General Assembly, and audiovisual records of events featuring figures such as Kofi Annan, Ban Ki‑moon, António Guterres, Nelson Mandela and Mikhail Gorbachev. Outreach programs engage with educational partners like United Nations Associations, student groups from institutions including Princeton University and Yale University, and collaborate on exhibitions with museums such as the United Nations Visitors Centre and cultural partners like the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations. The Library participates in open access initiatives, metadata sharing with repositories such as WorldCat, and preservation consortia alongside the International Internet Preservation Consortium.

Category:United Nations