10 largest libraries in the world in terms of book stock

*Overview of the best according to the editors of Healthy Food Near Me. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Libraries have existed since time immemorial. The Sumerian tribe had a vault in which archaeologists found the first records on clay tablets.

Initially, the book was a symbol of high prosperity. The rich had personal collections of rare manuscripts and books. Only then did public palaces of knowledge appear so that each person could learn something new through books. It is worth noting that the founders of the first book repositories were directly monarchs or leaders of countries who understood the purpose of education.

Today we will tell you about the largest book houses in the world in terms of the size of the book fund.

The largest libraries in the world in terms of book stock

10th: Canadian Library and Archives, Ottawa

Rating: 4.1

On May 21, 2004, the National Library and Archives merged in Canada. The initiator was former national archivist Ian Wilson. He brought the idea of ​​breaking down the stereotypical boundaries between libraries and archives. In July 2004, Wilson was appointed Canada’s first librarian and archivist.

A Department was created in which people could get the opportunity to find out information not only with the help of a reading room, but also a center with wireless Internet.

The fund is replenished not only with the help of state institutions, but also private donors.

The Library and Archives of Canada today is the main government body responsible for the storage and collection of documents on the country’s heritage. Its head is the Librarian of Canada.

The Library and Archives of Canada holds the entire documentary heritage of the country. Books, documents, old magazines, newspapers, comics. Separately contains works of art, albums, architectural sketches and other artifacts. You can also find all Canadian released films, publications, audio and video recordings, and websites. Visitors are presented with maps, globes, stamps, personal diaries, advertising and trade catalogs.

9th place: National Library of France, Paris

Rating: 4.2

The National Library of France is one of the largest and oldest in Europe. People call it the royal library, as for many centuries it was the personal archive of the French monarchs.

Charles V, who ruled in the XNUMXth century, is considered the founder. He carefully collected rare manuscripts. Being an enlightened man, the king tried to instill a love of reading and his subjects. Charles V gave many manuscripts to scientists for research, controlled the translations of some books.

The library was located in the Falcon Tower of the Louvre Castle. It contained manuscripts on history, philosophy, occult sciences.

After the death of the monarch, the archive was almost empty – many books were never returned to the library by the royal entourage.

The following French monarchs undertook the restoration of the book depository. Louis XI reassembled the collection, and Louis XII moved the library to the castle of Blois, where he combined it with his own.

Francis I made a great contribution to its development, also transferring the collections that belonged to his ancestors. Under this monarch, positions appeared: the chief librarian, his assistant and book binder.

The king purchased Greek manuscripts in Italy, or copies of them. Also, Francis I issued a decree in 1537 on the obligatory contribution of any French publishing house to the collection of the book depository in Blois. Later, due to its size (1500 copies), it was transferred to the Fontainebleau library.

During the reign of Louis XIII, the vault was exclusively at his personal disposal, and only the next monarch, the Sun King, made it public again. During his reign, the collection was replenished with many copies.

Louis XV also contributed with collections from the libraries of the Minister of Finance Colbert and Bishop of Avranches Pierre Huet. Also, thanks to successful relations with China, more than 1800 books from the East came to the book depository.

The library became “national” during the French Revolution.

In 1988, by decree of President François Metterand, the main storage facility was built on the left bank of the Seine. These are four high-rise buildings built in the form of open books.

8th place: National Library of China, Beijing

Rating: 4.3

At the beginning of the twentieth century, in 1909, by order of the government of the Qing Dynasty, the Library for the University “Capital Teachers’ Chambers” was built. It became public after the abdication of the power of the imperial family in 1911. Often its names changed, and only from December 1998 it began to be called National.

To date, the total volume of the collections of the book treasury is more than 35 million copies, including treatises on the study of foreign languages, tomes on history and other literature. Thanks to donations, the number of books increases annually by one million.

The fund also has personal imperial collections of the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, starting from the XNUMXth century.

40% of the entire collection are foreign books in 123 languages.

The National Repository is also a museum of ancient relics. When visiting, visitors can pay attention to oracle bones, musical instruments, early works of famous artists.

Currently, the library management focuses on modern technologies, digitization of book publications. To date, the “electronic catalog” occupies more than 1000 terabytes of information.

The National Library of China is one of the largest in Asia, and one of the three largest in the world in terms of area (after the French and Washington). Its building covers 250 sq. m.

7th place: Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen

Rating: 4.4

In 1648, King Frederick III donated four private collections to the foundation, on the basis of which the library was subsequently founded. Many statesmen contributed by donating collections of books to the treasure of Copenhagen, and at the end of the XNUMXth century. book storage was recognized as the largest in Europe.

At the same time, there was a problem: doublets. So called copies of the same edition from different collections. Subsequently, there was not enough space to accommodate them. It was decided to sell the extra doublets at auction. Copies belonging to the Danish monarchs were left in the fund.

In 1724, the first auction of doublets was held, after which the royal treasury was decently replenished. Many well-known bibliophiles attended the auction, buying up rare editions for personal libraries. However, after their death, many books again returned to the royal book depository.

The public library became in 1793. At the end of the XNUMXth – beginning of the XNUMXst century, its fund was merged with the funds of three more libraries.

All four buildings are located on the island of Slotsholmen. And the main attraction is the old and new buildings, combined with each other. The latter is called “Black Diamond” because of its appearance. The building was built in the form of an irregularly shaped cube, the walls of which are made of black granite and glass.

At the moment, the size of the book fund of the Royal Library of Denmark is 35,4 million copies, among which are stored ancient manuscripts and manuscripts in Danish, drafts and records of famous people, historical and modern publications, old photographs, maps and atlases, literature of the East, etc.

Also in the building there is a restaurant, a bookbinding shop and a photographic studio.

The Royal Library in Copenhagen is one of the largest in Scandinavia, and its new building is a work of modern art.

6th place: National Library of Russia, St. Petersburg

Rating: 4.5

In the XVIII century, the tradition of collecting books began to gain momentum, the origins of which come from Ancient Rus’. Despite the presence of departmental and private libraries, the formation of the intelligentsia developed slowly.

Catherine II, who ruled in those years, could not but pay attention to this problem. The aim of the Empress was to create a library – a symbol of education in Russia.

On May 16, 1795, the Empress approved the idea of ​​the architect Yegor Sokolov – the Imperial Public Library. Work began in June. For the building, they chose the center of the capital at the intersection of Sennaya Street and Nevsky Prospekt. The fund of the book depository was formed very scrupulously. Catherine II made the first “donation”: her own collection of Voltaire’s collections. Also, on her orders, 400 folios were delivered from Poland – from the personal library of the scholars-enlighteners of the Załuski brothers; personal collection of Korf – President of the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg; the works of Diderot. With the help of patron Alexander Stroganov, the ancient Ostromir Gospel got into the archive.

Catherine’s goal was to collect in one place all Russian books that were written both at home and abroad.

After the death of the queen, Paul I came to the throne, whose reforms were aimed more at the army than education, so the arrangement of the library progressed slowly, until 1814. The situation was saved by count and philanthropist Alexander Stroganov. It was he who undertook the speedy discovery of the symbol of the Russian Enlightenment. Under Alexander I, the affairs of the library improved – the monarch was interested in its development.

In the XX century. The library is having a hard time. In 1917, foreign publications ceased to arrive, and in 1941 the blockade of Leningrad began. Despite the famine, people continued to come and take books.

The heyday came in the 60s. The fund received 600 publications annually. To date, its size is 000 million copies.

The name of the book depository has changed several times. In March 1992, on the basis of the decree of the President B. N. Yeltsin, the State Public Library. Saltykov-Shchedrin was renamed the Russian National.

5th place: National Diet Library of Japan, Tokyo, Kyoto

Rating: 4.6

The book depository was formed as a result of the merger of the library of the House of Peers, the House of Representatives and the Imperial. Prior to this, the powers of libraries were limited. Peers could not obtain information on many documents – the executive branch prevented this, especially during the war years.

After the end of the Second World War, the reform of the Parliamentary Library system began, to which the previously imprisoned Marxist historian Goro Hani made a great contribution. He believed that the vault could become a symbol of the country’s sovereignty.

The occupying troops of the United States provided great assistance in the development of the National Parliamentary Library.

The grand opening of the treasury of the country of the Rising Sun took place in the summer of 1948 in the Palace of Meetings.

The main branch of the library is currently located in the capital of Japan, the Nagatacho area. The other is in Kyoto.

4th place: Russian State Library, Moscow

Rating: 4.7

Count Rumyantsev Nikolai Petrovich was highly revered in the XNUMXth century. Statesman, philanthropist, collector. It was he who became the “father” of the Russian State Library.

Rumyantsev had a huge collection of rare books, ancient manuscripts and maps. After his death, brother Sergei Petrovich sent a letter to Emperor Nicholas I with a request to create a museum named after Rumyantsev, which was subsequently founded in St. Petersburg in 1831.

But he was not particularly popular, so he was transported to Moscow, where he became part of the Moscow Public Museum.

From this moment begins the history of the formation of the Russian State Library, in the development of which many famous scientists participated.

Later, Tsar Nicholas II became the true patron of the book depository. The royal family made a great contribution to the book fund of the Imperial Moscow and Rumyantsev Museum – this is the name that was timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty.

After the October Revolution, everything changes. Now it is the V. I. Lenin Republican Public Library. It will receive its final name only in 1992.

Before the start of the war, the book depository was also popular among writers. Maxim Gorky was a frequent visitor. The Central Literary Museum was also established.

Despite the difficult war years, a children’s reading room was opened.

In the post-war period, the library takes on a “second” wind. Exhibitions, editions of the complete collections of works by the authors of the classics. Excursions are also organized, during which employees will surely tell about the ghost of the book specialist Nikolai Rubakin, who helps to find the right book.

3rd place: New York Public Library

Rating: 4.8

It is one of the largest in the world. Residents of New York are involved in its development. It is one of the most important book depositories in the United States.

It was founded in 1895. New York at that time had already become one of the largest cities in the world. Governor and philanthropist Samuel J. Tilden, as well as businessman Robert Watts, supported the building of the library.

Before the advent of the public depository, there were already two libraries named after James Astor and James Lenox. Astor, a German immigrant and the richest man in America, donated $400 to improve the library. Lenox donated a private collection of ancient and rare manuscripts to the city.

But in 1892, financial difficulties did not pass by these institutions. It was decided to build the main Public Library. Its construction is also connected with the competition between New York and London. According to the British, a large city is not such if it does not have a decent book depository.

On May 23, 1911, the city’s treasury opened its doors for the first time to its inhabitants. A million books are on the shelves, waiting for their readers.

The public library is a real cultural monument, consisting of 89 departments, 4 central and 4 specialized libraries.

Anyone who lives or studies in New York and pays taxes can become a reader.

Here you can borrow up to 50 books for a whole month, look at manuscripts and manuscripts in the closed section, hold old editions of world classics in your hands. The personal archive of Vladimir Nabokov is also kept; you can see the drafts of Mark Twain, Washington Irving, Walt Whitman.

For admirers of Russian classics there is a “Slavic” section.

The library has a room for writers, which can only be used by a select few. Once a year, certain people are given access there, leaving the creators in complete silence.

The “visiting card” are two marble lions lying at the entrance – Fortitude and Patience.

The public repository is famous not only for the size of the book fund, but also for erudite staff who are always ready to answer any questions from readers.

1st place: Library of Congress, Washington, USA

Rating: 4.9

One of the largest libraries in the world. April 24, 2020 celebrates its 220th anniversary. In the US, this cultural institution is the leader in terms of age.

It is not only national, but also serves the US Congress. It was founded on April 24, 1800. This date was a turning point in the fate of America, not only for the future national symbol of the country. The capital was moved to Washington DC from Philadelphia.

President John Adams provided a large amount of money for the construction of the book depository.

Books were scarce at first until Thomas Jefferson took over as President. He can be considered both the “godfather” of the palace of knowledge, and the guardian angel. Thanks to his initiative, the library fund began to expand rapidly.

Initially, the institution was built directly for the Congress. The Foundation was located in the Capitol, but was destroyed in 1814 during the Anglo-American War. The books died with him.

The situation was saved by Jefferson (at that time already a former president), who donated a significant part of his rare collection to the library. Since then, the main building bears his name.

In 1851 there was a fire that claimed the lives of almost all the books given away by the former leader of America. After that, a long restoration of book resources began.

In 1870, the chief librarian, Ainsworth Rand Spofford, sought the issuance of a decree according to which any public publication was obliged to transfer one copy to the fund.

In 1907, the library received the personal collection of the Russian bibliophile GV Yudin, which consisted of 81 materials on the history of Russia.

Becomes national in 1930.

To date, the symbol of knowledge of America consists of three buildings named after Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and James Madison. All of them are interconnected by underground passages.

Also in 2007, the National Center for the Preservation of Audiovisual Materials was additionally established, which houses a cinema that screens films for free several times a week.

To date, the National Library of Congress is the largest in terms of the size of the book fund. It is 162 million copies.

British Library, London, UK

Rating: 5.0

In the XVIII century. England becomes the leading country in the world. Education is reaching a high level, the growth of erudite citizens is increasing. To support education, book depositories are being built, one of which is the Library of the British Museum, built in 1793. It was she who was the basis of the current Palace of Books in London. It contained manuscripts and manuscripts – a collection of a member of the Royal Society, Sir Hans Sloan.

George II also contributed, transferring the collections of Edward IV there. In 1823, the store was replenished with books by George III.

In 1850, a reading room was opened, which was visited by many statesmen from different countries.

The library funds are scattered throughout the country, and only in 1973 did a unified library system appear, which operates to this day.

The construction of the main building took many years. On June 25, 1998, a grand opening ceremony took place for the London Treasury of Knowledge. Its size was impressive. The area is slightly inferior to the US Library of Congress. The shape is reminiscent of a spaceship. Inside, the reader can feel like a person from the distant future. Huge halls, glass shelves, unusual interior – the atmosphere is amazing! In addition to all this, there are cafes, restaurants, a shop, a wardrobe, a Royal Mail office and free Wi-Fi.

The fund is amazing. More than 150 million copies, ranging from ancient oriental relics dating back thousands of years to modern prints. True bibliomaniacs from all over the world come to visit the London Book Depository.

You can find everything in it, including books by the first printers Ivan Fedorov and Francysk Skaryna.

Most of the specimens are located underground. Special conveyors need to overcome a distance of 24 meters to deliver materials to the reading room.

Despite the huge attendance, each reader will be able to find a place for solitude to read the desired book, to be inspired by the atmosphere.

Attention! This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.