List of largest libraries

This sortable list of largest libraries includes libraries that, as measured in 2008 or subsequently, store 10 million or more items. All figures are based on data published by the libraries themselves. As there are no universally accepted standards for measuring stock, libraries may have counted their holdings in different ways, and the figures given may not be directly comparable.

List

Name Country Location and notes Catalogued size(number of items) Visitors per year Budget Staff
British LibraryUnited KingdomLondon and Boston Spa[1]_0180000000200 million+[2][3][4]_00017500001.75 million[5]_01625000000£162.5 million[6]_019771,977[6]
Library of CongressUnited StatesWashington, D.C._0168000000178 million+[7]_00017500001.9 million[8]_19523722680US$875.4 million[8]_036243,149[8]
Nation's LibraryTurkeyAnkara_0180000000141.7 million[9]_00017500001.9 million[10]_19523722680US$24.25 million_019771,389
Russian State LibraryRussiaMoscow_0044400000126.1 million[11]_0001170000498,000[12]_01640000000₽2.7 billion[12]_019721,613[12]
Shanghai LibraryChinaShanghai_005000000058 million[13]_0001170000_01640000000_01972
New York Public LibraryUnited States92 locations in the New York City boroughs of Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island(2nd largest number of locations in North America).[14]_00550000055 million[15]_001800000018 million[15]_07546275000US$250 million[15]_029373,000[15]
National Library of ChinaChinaBeijing_003770000044.24 million[16]_00052000005.2 million[17]_013651,365[17]
National Diet LibraryJapanTokyo and Kyoto_004190000044.1 million[18]_0000654000791,370[18]_07128927000¥21.8 billion[18]_00908908[18]
German National LibraryGermanyLeipzig and Frankfurt_003420000043.7 million[19]_000029973350,713[19]_01834033100€57.6 million[19]_00622639[19]
Royal Library, DenmarkDenmarkCopenhagen and Aarhus_003540000042.5 million(physical items, excl. digital)[20]_00008503011.45 million[20]_02249892000523.8 million kr[20]_00492800+[21]
Bibliothèque nationale de FranceFranceParis_004000000041.66 million[22]_00013000001.3 million[23]_11038967000€254 million[24]_026682,668[25]
University of California LibrariesUnited StatesBerkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz.Restricted to students, faculty or visitors who buy a membership.[26]40.8 million[26]US$295 million[26]2,000+[26]
University of Illinois LibraryUnited StatesUrbana, Illinois, restricted to students and faculty. _004000000038 million[27]US$48.7 million_07546275000[28]
National Library of RussiaRussiaSaint Petersburg_003650000036.5 million[29]_00009660001 million[29]₽569.2 million 1,850
Bavarian State LibraryGermanyMunich_003420000034.4 million _0000299731.1 million _01834033100€59.1 million_000029973805
Biblioteca Nacional de EspañaSpainMadrid_003310000033.1 million[30]_02299060450€29.2 million[31]_01090482[31]
Library and Archives CanadaCanadaOttawa, Halifax, Winnipeg, Vancouver. Largely a free reference library. 27 million CAD165 million 853
Library of the Russian Academy of SciencesRussiaSaint Petersburg_002650000026.5 million[32]
Berlin State LibraryGermanyBerlin_002340000023.4 million[33]_00014000001.4 million[33]
Boston Public LibraryUnited StatesBoston, Massachusetts at 26 locations.[34]_002240000022.4 million[35]_01174200390US$38.9 million[36]
New York State LibraryUnited StatesAlbany, New York at 1 location. _002000000020 million[37]
Harvard LibraryUnited StatesCambridge, Massachusetts, restricted to students and faculty or their guests. _001890000018.9 million[38]_00922922[38]
National Library of SwedenSwedenStockholm_001800000018 million[39]364.5 million kr[40]
University of Michigan LibraryUnited StatesAnn Arbor, Michigan, at one location largely. Free borrowing for staff, students, and native and indigenous people.All others may purchase borrowing rights.[41]_001520000016.1 million[42]
University of Toronto LibrariesCanadaToronto, at 40 locations largely restricted to university staff and students. 16 million[43]CA$125 million[44]
Vernadsky National Library of UkraineUkraineKyiv_001500000015.5 million[45]_0000500000500,000[45]_0018860991050.3 million ₴[46]_00900900[45]
Yale LibraryUnited StatesNew Haven, Connecticut, one location for students, staff and no free borrowing access to the public. _001520000015.2 million[47]
National Library of IranIranTehran_001500000015.0 million[48]
University of Chicago LibraryUnited StatesChicago14.2 million[49]1.1 million[49]
National Library of ScotlandScotlandEdinburgh and Glasgow14 million
Bodleian LibraryUnited KingdomOxford13.8 million printed items, plus special and digital collections[50]1.7 million readers[51], 865,191 visitors[52]. £57.8 million[51]562.76 (FTE)[51]
Hong Kong Public LibraryHong KongHong Kong_001136000011.36 million[53]_00776200000HK$776.2 million[54]
Toronto Public LibraryCanada100 locations in Toronto[55]10.5 million[55]13.4 million[55]CA$252,300,000[56]2,500[57]
National Library of Poland PolandWarsaw10.6 million[58]81,043[59]502[60]

See also

References

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