10 Largest Libraries in the World

Libraries have been some of the world’s greatest institutions of knowledge for thousands of years. Throughout history, libraries have always amassed large collections of books, government documents, and other media and the libraries on this list currently have some of the biggest collections in the world today.

Instead of arranging this list by the size of the library’s building, we chose to focus on the size of their collections. As of the time of this writing, these are the 10 largest libraries in the world and their collections continue to expand every year.

10. National Library of China

Source: Wikimedia Commons via  維基小霸王

While it may not be the country’s largest library, as its name suggests, the National Library of China is the official library of the People’s Republic of China. The National Library of China is located in the capital city of Beijing and has over 37.68 million items in its collection.

Not only does the National Library of China serve as the country’s main repository for the nation’s publications, it is also a national bibliographic center, a national center for preservation and conservation of ancient books, as well as China’s national museum of ancient books. The National Library of China also collects and preserves foreign publications.

Did You Know?

The National Library of China has about 280,000 volumes of rare books, which include over 1,600 rare works from the Song and Yuan Dynasties.

9. National Library of Russia

Source: Wikimedia Commons via giggel

The National Library of Russia in Saint Petersburg is the second largest library in the country. By the end of 2016 (the most recent year of statistics), the National Library of Russia had about 37.89 million items in its collection. On average, the National Library of Russia receives about a million visitors, but only saw 820,000 people in 2016.

Established on May 27, 1795, the National Library of Russia contains documents covering the last two centuries of the country’s history. The National Library of Russia was initially established as the Imperial Public Library by Catherine II.

Did You Know?

Some of the greatest treasures of the National Library of Russia include a map of the world from 1707 and the St Petersburg Codex, which is page of the Old Testament in Hebrew from 1010. Some of these treasures can be seen online at the National Library of Russia’s website.

8. Bibliothèque nationale de France

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Bibliothèque nationale de France is the national library of France and the largest library in the country. In total, there are over 40 million items in the Bibliothèque’s collection, including 15 million books and printed documents, manuscripts, prints, photographs, maps and plans, scores, coins, medals, sound documents, video and multimedia documents, scenery elements. Each year, the Bibliothèque nationale de France acquires 150,000 new items.

The Bibliothèque nationale de France is one of the oldest libraries on this list and traces its history to the royal libraries kept by France’s kings since the reign of Charles V (1364 – 1380). Over the centuries, France’s book collection grew and the current Bibliothèque nationale de France buildings were opened in the late 1990s.

Did You Know?

The Richelieu Library houses Bibliothèque nationale de France’s special collections and is currently undergoing an extensive renovation that is set to be completed in 2020.

7. National Diet Library

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The National Diet Library, which has its main branches in Tokyo and Kyoto, is the national library of Japan. The main role of the National Diet Library is to assist members of the National Diet of Japan (Japan’s bicameral legislature) with their research. However, the National Diet Library is also open to the public and over 650,000 people visit the library each year.

During the last statistics update from 2016, it was reported that the National Diet Library had over 41.8 million items in its collection. The National Diet Library’s collection consists of over 10.75 million books, 17 million periodicals and newspapers, 9 million microforms, hundreds of thousands of maps, recorded material, manuscripts, and doctoral dissertations.

Did You Know?

The Hall of the Main Building of the National Diet Library has an engraving of the phrase “The Firm Conviction that Truth Makes Us Free” – it is written in both Japanese and Greek.

6. Russian State Library

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Russian State Library is the largest library in the country as well as Eastern Europe. Founded in 1862 as part of the Moscow Public and Rumyantsev Museums, the Russian State Library currently has over 47 million items in its collection. About 800,000 people visit the Russian State Library every year and every citizen of the Russian Federation or other state can obtain a library card when they turn 14.

In recent years the Russian State Library has been updating and expanding its collection with e-books and digital copies of printed publications and dissertation theses. Currently more than 90% of dissertation abstracts, early printed books, documents from the Cartographic collection and the Universal collection, and more than 80% of the Music collection housed by the Russian State Library are in the public domain.

Did You Know?

The Russian State Library’s General Digital Catalogue is open and free for anyone with internet access.

5. Shanghai Library

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The Shanghai Library is China’s largest public library with a collection of more then 50 million items (both Chinese and Western). In addition to being a public library, Shanghai Library is also offers SciTech and industry information research functions. In 1995, Shanghai Library merged with the Institute of Scientific and Technological Information of Shanghai (ISTIS) and became the first library in China to offer extensive research functions.

After the merger, a new building was built for the Shanghai Library in 1996 and it is now one of the city’s greatest landmarks. In addition to traditional services, the Shanghai Library has a digital personalized service system with interfaces in Chinese, English, and Japanese.

Did You Know?

Shanghai Library has an extensive digital collection, consisting of 300,000 e-books, 10,000 completed online books, 1,000 serial online novels, 8,000 electronic journals, and 60 electronic newspapers.

4. Library and Archives Canada

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Library and Archives Canada is the largest library and research center in Canada. The National Library of Canada was originally founded in 1953 and the National Archives of Canada have been in operation since 1872. In 2004, the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) combined the functions of the National Archives of Canada and the National Library of Canada.

Today, the Library and Archives Canada preserves the documentary heritage of Canada and ensures that the material is available to the public. The Library and Archives Canada has a collection of over 54 million items.

Did You Know?

In 2017, the Library and Archives Canada received $14.9 million of federal funding to preserve and revitalize Canada’s Indigenous languages and cultures.

3. New York Public Library

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The New York Public Library is the second largest library in the United States with over 55 million books and other research materials. Although the New York Public Library’s collection is significantly smaller than those of the British Library and the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library receives nearly eight times as many visitors – on average, about 17 million people visit the New York Public Library annually.

Unlike some of the other libraries on this list, the New York Public Library is made up of several different branches throughout New York City and the surrounding areas. There are 92 New York Public Library locations in areas such as the The Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island.

Did You Know?

It cost $9 million to build the New York Public Library and took 16 years to construct.

2. British Library

Source:Wikimedia Commons via Andrew Dunn

The British Library in London, England is the largest library in Europe and the second largest library in the world with a slightly smaller collection than the Library of Congress. Currently, the British Library has more than 150 million items in its catalogue and 3 million new items are added every year.

Not only is the British Library’s collection large, the actual building is also quite impressive. The British Library is the largest public building constructed in the United Kingdom in the 20^th century and has a total floor area of 12,000 square meters (129,166.93 square feet).

Did You Know?

The basement of the British Library is over 24.5 meters (80.4 feet) deep, which is equivalent to an eight-story building.

1. Library of Congress

Source:Wikimedia Commons via David Wilson

With over 167 million items in its collection, the Library of Congress is the largest library in the world. The Library of Congress is the official national library of the United States and houses some of the country’s most important documents. The collection includes over 39 million books and other printed materials, 3.6 million recordings, 14.8 million photographs, 5.5 million maps, 8.1 million pieces of sheet music, and 72 million manuscripts.

In addition to being a center for research and storing books, the Library of Congress also issues copyrights through its U.S. Copyright Office. In 2017, the Library of Congress registered more than 450,000 copyright claims.

Did You Know?

The Library of Congress has the largest collection of rare books in North America and the largest collection of 15^th century books of any library in the Western Hemisphere.