In order to make library services affordable to Kenyans and to encourage book borrowing, membership fees has been scrapped and the annual membership renewal fee.

Below are the applicable fees for various services and publication’s prices.

Details/Requirements Amount (KSH) Timelines
Individual Annual Membership/ Subscription Adults Free / No Charge
Secondary School Students Free / No Charge
Junior Membership Free / No Charge
Non-East African Nationals Free / No Charge
Institutional Annual Subscription Primary School and Secondary Schools Ksh 3,000
Colleges Ksh 7,500
Community/Religious Institutions Ksh 1,000
Universities and NGO’s Ksh 10,000
Daily Library Access Executive Ksh 100
Adults Ksh 20
Secondary School Students Ksh 20
Junior Readers Free / No Charge
Book Loan Adults & Secondary School Students Ksh 20 per book 14 days
Junior Members Ksh 5 per book 14 days
Overdue Charges All Ksh 10 per book per book per day
Lending of books and other and other information materials to both registered junior and adult library members.
  • knls membership card.
  • Borrowing pockets.
  • To return the borrowed item in two weeks.
2-5 minutes upon presentation of the required items.
Bulk Lending of books and other information materials to member institutions.
  • Membership card
10 minutes
Access to online database
  • Basic computer literacy.
Immediately subject to availability of an unoccupied computer.
Reference services
  • Placement of an inquiry.
5 – 10 minutes.
Consultancy services / Technical assistance on library development to interested public and private institutions. Formal request to the Director, knls expressing the customer’s area of interest. As per consultancy manual. Feedback within one week.
Kenya National Bibliography (Print Edition)
  • Fill subscription form.
  • Can purchase at knls branches.
  • Ksh. 450 within Kenya.
  • USD 25.00 in other African countries.
  • USD 30.00 outside Africa.
  • Copy is posted upon receipt of payment.
  • Available over the counter at knls headquarter and branches.
Kenya Periodicals Directory
  • Fill subscription form.
  • Can purchase at knls branches.
  • Ksh. 350 within Kenya.
  • USD 8.00 in other African countires.
  • USD 9.50 outside Africa.
Issuance of International Standard Book Number (ISBN) o Kenyan Publishers.
  • Must be Kenyan publishers.
  • Duly completed online form.
  • 1 number – Ksh. 1,500.
  • 10 numbers – Ksh. 10,000.
  • 100 numbers – Ksh. 50,000.
  • 1,000 numbers – Ksh. 100,000
2 -5 minutes after meeting all the requirements.