List of national libraries. A national library is specifically established by the government of a nation to serve as the pre-eminent repository of information for that country. Unlike public libraries, they rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include numerous rare, valuable, or significant works; such as the Gutenberg Bible. National libraries are usually notable for their size, compared to that of other libraries in the same country. Some national libraries may be thematic or specialized in some specific domains, beside or in replacement of the 'main' national library. Some national entities which are not independent but who wish to preserve their particular culture, have established a national library with all the attributes of such institutions, such as legal deposit.
The list below is organized alphabetically by country, according to the list of sovereign states, including, at its end an 'other states' section for non-sovereign states. National Libraries[edit] A[edit] B[edit] C[edit] D[edit] E[edit] Public Libraries International Network. Libraries – Government and Public: USA.gov. Duke University Libraries - Home. Yale University Library. The Library. Purdue University Libraries. American Libraries Magazine | The magazine of the American Library Association. University of Texas Libraries. Harvard Libraries. MLibrary Homepage.