The Library of the University of Zimbabwe is by far the largest research and the only academic library in the country. From its tiny beginnings in the original Baker Avenue (City Centre) premises, the Library has progressed through the temporary tenancy, first of lecture rooms in the Faculty of Arts block and then, for some time occupied the basement areas in the same block. It was not until 29th February 1960, when the Library achieved the occupation of the present building constructed specifically to house it. The Library building was built from a grant given by the Anglo-American Corporation, the Rhodesian Selection Trust and the British South African Company. The foundation stone was laid on 18 September 1958 by the late Lord Robins of Chelsea. It was designed to house 350,000 volumes and to seat 500 readers in two large reading rooms and five stack floors. It also had 26 private study carrels and a micro reader room.

Zimbabwe has a rather old-fashioned British air about it to one arriving from England. One of the most common cars is still the Ford Anglia, and Woolworths in Harare has the distinctive shop front and the island counters from behind which assistants serve their customers, so familiar to those who can remember the store in the 1950s. Many street names and the names of suburbs reflect the names of people and places with English connections, so one feels very much at home.

The libraries are under-resourced and have to improvise, but they are not old-fashioned. The National Archives is the national library, having the right of copyright deposit, and the public records office as it keeps the archived records of central government, local authorities and parastatals. It also houses splendid displays of documents illustrating the history of the country and includes statues of important leaders.