Dr. John Taylor Williams Library

The John Taylor Williams Library.

Welcome to the Dr. John Taylor Williams Library (Information Resource Center) in Freetown, Sierra Leone.  We are open:

Mon, Tues and Thurs: 09:00 am to 5:00 pm

Wed: 09:00 am to 3:00 pm

Fri: Closed

The Information Resource Center (IRC) was re-opened in January 2004 as the Dr. Martin Luther King Library.  At the dedication of the New Embassy at Leicester on November 16, 2006, the IRC was renamed "the Dr. John Taylor Williams Library."  Dr. John Taylor Williams was the first African-American to be appointed Consul in Sierra Leone in 1897.  The new IRC has been transformed to take advantage of new technology, including the vast array of resources available on the Internet.  The Internet, which has opened new vistas of knowledge in the third millennium, has become a vital reference tool in our Resource Center.

The core-collection consisting of 1000 titles and 40 periodicals is available to the general public during regular hours. The Information Resource Center provides Internet access to the mission's key contacts and IRC members for research purposes. 

Accessibility to the Information Resource Center:

Library membership is available to program contacts.  First time and casual users are advised to make an appointment ahead of time with the staff. Only card-carrying members can borrow books.  However, all patrons are welcome to the IRC to read or do research. 

Reference Services:

The Information Resource Center provides reference service to IRC members and key contacts. Other patrons may also come to the center during opening hours for reference purposes. Under the guidance of the staff, these patrons will be shown how to find answers to their questions. 

Please address enquiries and questions to the Information Resource Center at the circulation desk or by mail (ircfreetown@state.gov) or by telephone (232) (76) 515000 ext 5360/5363; (232) (76) 515 360

IRC Director: James B. Taylor