National library

A national library is a library specifically established by the government of a nation to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books. Often, they include numerous rare, valuable, or significant works; such as the Library of Congress's Gutenberg Bible. Some of the first libraries were national libraries; for example, the Library of Alexandria was the national library of Greco-Roman Egypt.

Related Topics:
Library - Government - Public libraries - Library of Congress - Gutenberg Bible - Library of Alexandria - Greco-Roman Egypt

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National libraries are usually notable for their size, compared to that of other libraries in the same country. Some states 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.

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