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
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 3768 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
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
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 3789 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
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
Year Opened: 14th century
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Poulpy
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
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
Location: Main branches in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Kakidai
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 418 million items in its collection
The National Diet Library’s collection consists of over 1075 million books, 17 million periodicals and newspapers, 9 million microforms, hundreds of thousands of maps, recorded material, manuscripts, and doctoral dissertations
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
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
The Russian State Library’s General Digital Catalogue is open and free for anyone with internet access
Location: Shanghai, China
Source: Wikimedia Commons via Another Believer
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
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
Year Opened: 2004 (year that the National Archives of Canada and the National Library of Canada were combined)
Source:Wikimedia Commons via Padraic Ryan
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
In 2017, the Library and Archives Canada received $149 million of federal funding to preserve and revitalize Canada’s Indigenous languages and cultures
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
It cost $9 million to build the New York Public Library and took 16 years to construct
Year Opened: July 1, 1973
Year Opened: July 1, 1973
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 20th century and has a total floor area of 12,000 square meters (129,16693 square feet)
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Number of Items in Catalogue: 167 million+
Visitors Per Year: about 19 million
Visitors Per Year: about 19 million
Visitors Per Year: about 19 million
Visitors Per Year: about 19 million
Visitors Per Year: about 19 million
Visitors Per Year: about 19 million
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, 36 million recordings, 148 million photographs, 55 million maps, 81 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 US Copyright Office
The Library of Congress has the largest collection of rare books in North America and the largest collection of 15th century books of any library in the Western Hemisphere
A library is simply a collection of resources and valuable information, kept together in a physical or virtual space that can either be accessed by the public
One of the oldest and most historic libraries in the world, the Library of Alexandria, functioned as a major center of research and scholarship in the 3rd century onward
Based on the total number of items (Catalogued size), we have prepared a list of the largest libraries in the world
Library’s reading room at McKim Building | Image Courtesy: Brian Johnson
The Boston Public Library is the third largest and one of the most important libraries in the United States
It receives funds from both the state and private entities and is open for the general public
The library is known for its extensive public programs that include free lecture series, concerts, and various art exhibitions
Many of its rare collections, such as historical maps and manuscripts, are available online
Berlin State Library Fecade | Image Courtesy: Manfred Brückels
The Berlin State Library (SBB) is one of the most prominent academic research centers in Germany and other German-speaking countries
Out of its 234 million collections, more than 12 million are books (out of which 200,000 are extremely rare), 180,000 newspapers, 60,000 manuscripts, and 27 million microfilms
The library is home to some of the world’s most notable books and codexes, such as a 9th-century copy of the Gutenberg Bible and an 8th-century Buddhist text from Japan
A large and rather important collection of music manuscripts can be found here, including the works of Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Johann Sebastian Bach
Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St Petersburg | Image Courtesy: Alex ‘Florstein’ Fedorov
The Library of Russian Academy of Science was established in 1714 by a decree of Peter the Great, the ruler of Russia between 1682 and 1725
It is one of the largest government-funded libraries in the country and is accessible by the employees of the Russian Academy of Science and high education scholars
Since 1783, every research institution and private publishers in the country are obliged to provide a copy of every new publication to the library
National Library of Spain
National Library of Spain in Madrid | Image Courtesy: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra/Flickr
The National Library of Spain, located at Madrid’s Paseo de Recoletos boulevard, is the oldest and largest public library in the country
It was established as Palace Public Library by King Philip V of Spain in 1712
A law made it mandatory for publishers in the country to submit a copy of every printed book to the library
Its responsibilities as a national library are to retrieve and archive scholarly resources valuable to the country’s cultural heritage
The library holds more than 15 million books, 45 million images and graphic materials, half-a-million sound records, and other essential documents
German National Library
The German National Library building in Leipzig | Image Courtesy: Trainspotter/Wikimedia Commons
The German National Library (DNB) was established in 1912 specifically to collect and archive all scholarly materials, including journals and books published in the German language since 1913
It involves all German-language publications in Germany as well as abroad
There was a third facility in Berlin, responsible for archiving audio materials
The Royal Library in Slotsholmen, Denmark | Image Courtesy: Arne List/Flickr
Annual Budget: 3859 million DKK
Denmark’s Royal Library is the largest in the Nordic region (Nordic countries)
Since then, a copy of almost every printed work in the country is kept here
Due to several high-profile donations over the years, the library now has almost every known publication in Denmark’s history, including the very first printed book (sometime in 1482) by Johann Snell
As of 2015, the library’s collection totaled 354 million items, of which nearly 20 million were documents and images, 64 million books and journals the remaining were historical pamphlets, corporate publications, and other artifacts
The library’s digital collection has reached 791 terabytes
9 National Library of Russia
9 National Library of Russia
The new building of National Library of Russia | Image Courtesy: Alex “Florstein” Fedorov
Annual Budget: 570 million Rubles
The National Library of Russia, located in St Petersburg, is the first and oldest public library in the nation (though it’s not the largest)
It, along with the Russian State Library (Moscow) and Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences, serves as the legal deposit for publications in the country
The library holds an extensive amount of documents, journals, and manuscripts concerning the nation’s cultural and national heritage
Of the 36 million items, 15 million are just books
Other collections include magazines, newspapers, official documents, sound recordings, databases, maps, and other media
8 National Library of China
8 National Library of China
South side view of National Library of China
Cataloged Size: 377 million items
The National Library of China (NLC) is the largest in Asia (by catalog size) and one of the largest in the world
Though the library was initially established in 1909 under the Qing dynasty, it was formally inaugurated three years later in 1912
In 1928, its name was changed to National Peiping Library before being officially renamed to the National Library of China in 1987
Most recent publications include the works of the United Nations and other foreign governments in more than one hundred different languages
As the national library of France, the BnF is entitled to a copy of every single publication in the country
It also features an extensive collection of historical materials
The library’s digital repository, Gallica, provides its users access to more than 42 million documents, 500,000 books, and close to 2 million newspaper articles and magazines
6 National Diet Library
6 National Diet Library
One of the two main facilities of National Diet Library, Tokyo | Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
The National Diet Library or NDL is the national library of Japan
As the largest library in the country, NDL maintains a vast collection of national and international publications in foreign languages
It accommodates a staggering 30 million documents from the post-war occupation of Allied forces in Japan, about half-a-million advanced science books, and close to 500,000 maps
The library has two main facilities, one in Tokyo and another in Kyoto
The Russian State Library, situated in Moscow, is the largest in the country
Founded on July 1, 1862, it is also the oldest library in the Russian capital
This historic library accommodates an astonishing 44 million items, of which 17 million are books, 13 million are journals, and documents in over 247 different languages
Library and Archives Canada Headquarters | Image Courtesy: Padraic Ryan
Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is a Canadian national institution responsible for preserving its cultural heritage and making it easily accessible
It was established after the merger of the National Archives and the National Library of Canada under the Library and Archives of Canada Act in 2004
LAC houses more than 20 million books, 24 million images, and a staggering one petabyte of digitized content
Some of the most significant collections available on the library’s online repository are the proclamation of the Canadian Constitution Act and the British North America Pact
3 New York Public Library
3 New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (Stephen A
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a chain of public libraries operating in the City of New York
Based on the total number of cataloged items, the NYPL is the third largest library in the world and second-largest in the United States
Due to its open nature, about 18 million people visit the library each year, making NYPL the most visited library in the world
It also has four open access research libraries
NYPL’s digital collection contains more than 700 thousand images digitized in recent years
Perhaps one of the world’s most iconic libraries, the Library of Congress, is the national library of the United States
It is situated in Capitol Hill, a historic neighborhood in Washington, DC The library’s collections are universal – more than 168 million items that include 39 million books are in 470 different languages
Each year, the library receives $6-8 million funding specifically for the digitization of its most significant collections
About 15 million library items are digitized so far; they, however, represent less than 10% of the library’s total items
Catalogue: 170 million items
Catalogue: 170 million items
Catalogue: 170 million items
Catalogue: 170 million items
Catalogue: 170 million items
Catalogue: 170 million items
Catalogue: 170 million items
Catalogue: 170 million items
Annual Budget: £141 million
Annual Budget: £141 million
Annual Budget: £141 million
Annual Budget: £141 million
Annual Budget: £141 million
Annual Budget: £141 million
Annual Budget: £141 million
Annual Budget: £141 million
The British Library, situated on Euston Road in London, is currently the largest in the world
Before 1973, the library was part of the much renowned British Museum and was separated only after the Library Act of 1972
For a few years after that, all its collections were located in different facilities around central London before finding its current location
Some of the most important collections of the library include rare manuscripts of Sir Robert Cotton and Sir Hans Sloane
It also features the King’s Library (a collection of books and scholarly articles assembled by King George III) as well as other Royal manuscripts
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The British Library has a significant online presence as well
Its online image gallery gives you access to more than 30,000 pictures from ancient and medieval books, including a unique “turn the virtual pages” facility of a few famous books and documents like Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks