National Diet Library

Japan’s national library, established in 1948 to support the National Diet and preserve and provide access to the country’s publications.

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National Diet of Japan: Japan’s bicameral legislature, consisting of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. The library was established to support the work of this legislature.
National Diet Library Digital Collections: The National Diet Library’s online service for searching and accessing digitized materials and digital publications. It provides online access to materials held or managed by the library.
Imperial Library of Japan: Japan’s former national library, which operated from 1872 until its functions passed to the National Diet Library. It was a principal predecessor in Japan’s national library history.
Bibliography of Japanese books: A systematic record of books published in Japan, used to identify and describe publications. The library’s cataloging and national bibliographic work help document Japanese publishing.
Legal deposit: A legal requirement that publishers submit copies of works to a designated library or public institution. Deposit requirements are a principal means by which the library collects Japan’s publications.
National Diet Library Search: The library’s online search service for books, periodicals, digital materials, and other resources. It brings discovery across the library’s collections and related institutions together.
Diet Library of Japan: The parliamentary library established in Japan in 1890 to serve the Imperial Diet. It supplied the parliamentary-library tradition inherited by the new institution.
National Diet Library Digital Archive: A National Diet Library program that digitizes and provides access to materials from its collections. Digitization makes selected collection materials available without visiting a library facility.
National library: A library established to collect, preserve, and provide access to a nation’s documentary heritage. This broader institution type situates the library’s national preservation role.
National Diet Library Research and Legislative Reference Bureau: A National Diet Library bureau that conducts research and provides reference services to members of the National Diet. It converts the library’s information resources into research support for legislators.