To operate a centrally administered network of public libraries throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to enable individuals wherever they may be:

• to have access to information;
• to advise the Minister on all matters pertaining to the national library and information services system;
• to collect by legal deposit (minimum two copies), by purchase or by any other means, the nation's literary and cultural heritage wherever and in whatever form it exists;
• to formulate standards and guidelines by which libraries in the system should operate;
• to provide consultancy and management services to the public and private sectors, in respect of matters for and in relation to the establishment and conduct of a library;
• to coordinate the organization of information in libraries so that it is easily accessible for the purpose of consultation through any branch of the system;
• to act as a national depository and resource for material published by the Government;
• to provide access to technical services for the system, as necessary, by centralized purchasing and processing, cataloguing, and distributing of materials;
• to prepare and publish essential catalogues, print and electronic databases, web-sites, indexes, including a national bibliography and a national union catalogue;
• to formulate standards and guidelines by which libraries in Government should operate;
• to provide consultancy and management services to the public and private sectors, in respect of matters for and in relation to the establishment and conduct of a library;
• to provide reference and referral services throughout the system;
• to coordinate inter-library loan services at local and international levels;
• to promote information literacy skills and awareness in the use of library material and information services within the community;
• to provide a national information service for the benefit of the physically disadvantaged and persons in institutions;
• to provide for the training of staff in all branches of the service;
• to supervise and evaluate staff performance;
• to preserve and promote the national heritage information of The Bahamas;