The largest library in the world. The largest libraries in the world

Before the advent of gadgets, people obtained the information they were interested in exclusively in libraries. The largest library in the world is the American Library of Congress. Its collection includes 155 million copies of books, manuscripts, maps and other materials. The institution serves 1.8 million visitors annually. It has 3,600 employees. Below are the 5 largest libraries on Earth.

The honorary title of the largest library is held by the US National Library - the scientific library of Congress, serving research enterprises, government agencies, industrial companies, private firms, and schools.

The library was founded in 1800 by order of President John Adams. Only members of the Senate and Congress, the president, and the vice president had access to its resources. At the time of its founding, the library's collection included 745 books and 3 maps of America.

In 1814, the library building burned down. To restore it, Congress purchased from Thomas Jefferson his personal collection of 6,487 books. In 1851, the library survived a second fire. $170,000 was allocated from the budget for its restoration.

After reconstruction, ministers, judges, heads of departments, and some representatives received access to the resources of the Library of Congress political parties, scientists, writers, journalists from reputable media. Since 1870, the library has been required to receive one copy of all public publications published in the United States. In 1930 the library received the title of national.

The Library of Congress occupies four buildings: the Main Building, the John Adams Building, the James Madison Memorial Building (including the Mary Pickford Theater), and the Video and Audio Preservation Center.

The library consists of 18 reading rooms, which can simultaneously accommodate 1,460 visitors. Its fund consists of 156 million items, including: 30 million books in 470 languages, 58 million manuscripts, 12.6 million photos, 4.9 million maps, 500,000 videos, 2.7 million audio recordings, newspapers from all over the world, government publications. The volume of funds in digital form is approaching 20 terabytes. Budget – $130 million.

By merging the libraries of the British Museum, the Patent Office, the National Bureau of Technical and Scientific Information, and the Council for National Bibliography, the British Library was created - the second largest after the Library of Congress. The library has three branches, access to its reading rooms is free, and readers over 18 years of age are allowed to access the resources.

The British Library collection has 152 million items, which occupy 625 km of shelves. The annual increase is 12 km. Total area – 112,000 sq. km. The main building consists of 14 floors, 5 of them underground. The library serves 16,000 visitors every day, and is visited by 2.3 million readers every year. The state employs about 2,000 employees. Budget: £141 million.

The British Library stores unique publications: manuscripts, the first printed map of the New World, Buddhist manuscripts, the Lindisfar Gospel, Codex Sinaiticus, etc.

Since 1895, the library in New York has existed as a private, non-profit public organization. It is considered the most extensive library in the world. Consists of 87 divisions, of which: 77 branches, 4 buildings with reading rooms, 4 buildings providing subscription books, divisions for people with disabilities disabilities. The volume of funds is 53.5 million units, of which more than 20 million are books.

The institution serves 18 million visitors annually. Visiting the halls is free for everyone. The state employs 3,200 employees. The New York Library maintains a special patrol unit that monitors order in its various branches and ensures their safety.

4. Library and Archives Canada

In 2004, through the merger of the National Archives and the National Library of Canada, a government department was founded, responsible for collecting and storing the country's documentary heritage. The library building is located in Ottawa on an area of 52.6 square meters and occupies 5 floors. 13.2 million Canadian dollars were allocated for its construction.

The library's collection includes 48 million items. It houses 350,000 works of art, 22 million photographs, 72,000 hours of video footage, and Canada's largest collection of folk music. The institution's electronic database occupies 3.2 million MB.

The director of the Library and Archives of Canada is Daniel Caron, who occupies the chair of deputy minister. He was also awarded the title of Archivist and Librarian of Canada.

On the basis of the Moscow Public and Rumyantsev Museums, the National Library of the Russian Federation was created in 1862, which is also a leading research enterprise in the field of book science, bibliography, library science, a methodological center for Russian libraries, and a center for recommendatory bibliography. Modern name Has been worn by the RSL since 1992.

The Russian State Library consists of 8 departments and 2 editorial divisions:

fund system management;
management of specialized departments;
information management for the Khimki complex;
directory system management;
automation management;
information resources management;
Information Technology Department;
technical support department;
magazine "Oriental Collection";
editorial and publishing department.

The volume of the library's collections is 44.8 million items. Its resources are used annually by 1.5 million visitors, who are served by 38 reading rooms with a capacity of 1,746 people. The RSL publishes its own scientific publications. Open to everyone.

The RSL carries out book exchange with 550 partners in 63 countries. Since 1956 it has been the depositary library of UNESCO. In 1992, the RSL became the headquarters of the Eurasian Library Assembly. In 2009, she received gratitude from the President of Russia for her contribution to the restoration and preservation of the heritage of Russian culture and history.

Since 1995, on May 27, our country has celebrated the All-Russian Day of Libraries and Their Workers. However, such holidays are not only here, because famous book depositories are valued all over the world. This date was not chosen by chance, but is tied to the founding in 1795 of the first state public library in Russia.

This library, which has now become the Russian National Library, is known to every one of our compatriots, but we don’t know much about the main libraries of other countries.

Meet the world's ten libraries, known for their size, age, artistic value and unique architecture.

Russian State Library (formerly Lenin Library) in Moscow

In 2008, Russians celebrated the 180th anniversary of the country's main library, created on the basis of the Rumyantsev Museum. More than forty million books, manuscripts, and magazines stored there make Leninka one of the largest in the world.

New York Public Library

The famous library-museum, storing within its walls forty million scientific works and more than fifteen million art books, also owns a unique collection of paintings and prints donated to the library by the authors themselves and private owners.

Philadelphia Public Library

The library, which has 55 branches throughout the country and contains more than five million books, was opened in late XIX century under the motto “a general library should be accessible to everyone” and became the first of the free ones.

National Library in Paris

Founded in 1480, this library is one of the oldest in the world. Its peculiarity also lies in the fact that only a person with higher education, who received a recommendation from his supervisor. Together with the Sorbonne Library, it catalogs all printed publications in France.

National Library in Belarus

The famous giant diamond, which attracts millions of tourists, is located in the east of Minsk. Its glass sides, matte gray during the day and shimmering with a thousand lights at night, hide more than thirteen million books on a variety of media. And on the roof of this library there is an observation deck and a cafe, making it interesting for people who are far from literature.

Cambridge University Library

The papers of Isaac Newton, the Guttenberg Bible, Darwin's letters, the archives of the Royal Observatory of Greenwich and seven million more books are contained in this library, the first mention of which dates back to 1416. Perhaps such a number of unique works cannot be found in almost any world collection.

Royal Danish Library

Fans of Hans Christian Andersen are especially fond of the Danish library, because it is where all of his manuscripts are stored. There is also a storage facility for several million books, a gigantic concert hall where famous orchestras perform, there are six reading rooms, a huge bookstore and even a restaurant.

Fisher Library in Sydney

The largest collection of books in the Southern Hemisphere is stored in the Fisher Library at the University of Sydney. In addition, her building may please connoisseurs of unusual architecture, since it was created from two unusually combined parts.

Vatican Library

Founded in the 15th century by Pope Nicholas V, it was replenished by the rulers of the Vatican, century after century. It is worth noting that it contains not only religious literature (although this is, of course, the majority), but also works of art. This is due to the fact that many Popes were great connoisseurs of the works of their contemporaries and replenished the library collection with everything that they considered worthy.

Laurentian Library in Florence

Built during the Renaissance and designed by Michelangelo Buonarroti, the Florentine library became famous not only for its paintings, books and manuscripts, but also for its unique design and luxurious decoration. Appearance This temple of knowledge attracts tourists and photographers who seek to capture its exquisite beauty and grace.

Impressed? Well, if you yourself want to touch the reasonable, kind, eternal, book your rooms and hit the road - seeing the miracle of miracles with your own eyes is not so difficult.

The list of 10 items below includes the most large libraries in the world. The largest book repositories have at their disposal millions of paper publications, both in native and foreign languages. In addition to printed publications, these world book giants also have information media in electronic form. The determining criterion for the scale of book depositories was the size of the fund that is at their disposal.

National Library of France(Paris) opens a ranking of the largest book depositories in the world, which contains the richest collection of literature in French. It is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, which for a long time was at the personal disposal of the rulers of France. Its foundation occurred in the 14th century by Charles 5 the Wise. Currently, the reading room includes six buildings, and its book stock is 31 million items. About 1.5 million people visit this place every year.

National Library of China(Beijing) ranks ninth on the list. The Beijing reading room was opened at the beginning of the last century and was known as the “Library of the Capital Teachers' Chambers”. The book depository received its modern name closer to the beginning of this century. The area occupied by the institution is 170 thousand square meters. The library has a rich collection of rare books that are not found anywhere else in the world. The book depository was located in three buildings. The institution's stock contains more than 31 million items. More than 5 million people visit the reading room every year.

Royal Danish Library

Royal Danish Library(Copenhagen) is the largest reading room in Scandinavia, one of the ten leaders in the world in terms of the number of books and other publications stored in it in printed and electronic form. This book depository dates back to the mid-17th century, with general access to it only appearing at the end of the 18th century. Currently, the institution includes several buildings, the main one of which is located on the island of Slotsholmen. Over 33 million items are stored here. More than a million readers visit the walls of the reading room every year.

National Parliamentary Library(Tokyo) is in seventh place. The reading room was founded in the middle of the last century. It includes two largest branches, which are located in Tokyo and Kyoto. There are about 30 smaller subsidiary branches. The library collects all books published in Japan. The collection of the book depository contains books not only in Japanese, but also in other languages. Eight collections are considered especially important, including foreign books about Japan, ancient publications, etc. The reading room’s collection exceeds 35 million items.

Russian National Library(St. Petersburg) is located in sixth position in the library top. The unofficial name of the book depository, which was given to it by St. Petersburg residents, is “Publichka”. The library is recognized as a particularly valuable national heritage site, containing the largest collection of books in the Russian language. It was founded in 1814. Currently, in addition to the main building, “Publichka” includes six branches, which act as a repository of unique publications and ancient handwritten books. The national treasure has a fund of about 37 million units. About a million people visit the reading room every year.

Russian State Library(Moscow) is located in the middle of the ranking of the largest book depositories in the world. It was founded in the mid-19th century and is located in a historical area called Old Vagankovo. The institution includes a complex of buildings, the main one of which is a nineteen-story book depository. Its total area is 85 thousand square meters. The lattice mesh laid between the tiers helps the building to withstand the full weight of the books. The number of seats in the reading room is more than 1,700, and the volume of the fund is close to 47 million items.

Library and Archives Canada

Library and Archives Canada(Ottawa) are responsible for the collection and preservation of Canada's documentary heritage. The materials that are in the institution’s fund come from others government agencies, national communities and private donors. The majority of the library's collection consists of materials that are directly related to the history and culture of the country. In addition to fiction and historical literature, the book depository contains artifacts, architectural sketches, works of art, etc. The institution's fund is approximately 48 million items.

New York public library (New York) opens the three largest book depositories in the world. It is a private non-profit organization that operates between private and public financial security. The institution has several branches located in Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx. In total, the library has more than 80 departments. The general library collection includes over 50 million items, of which almost half are books. About 18 million people visit the walls of this reading room every year.

British Library

British Library(London) ranks second in the top three. It was founded in the 70s of the 20th century. The institution is financed by the British state. The library includes three branches located in different areas London. All London residents over 18 years of age with library cards have the right to visit. The reading room stock today is about 150 million units.

Library of Congress

Library of Congress(Washington) - the largest library in the world, which serves both the average school and more global institutions involved in scientific, political and research activities. It was founded at the very beginning of the 19th century, when the reins of government of the United States of America still belonged to John Adams, who allocated the first funds for the development of the institution. The initial fund was just over seven hundred books, which gradually began to increase. However, during the fighting in Washington, the library was completely destroyed. The restoration of the library began by order of the next president, Thomas Jefferson, who sold his personal collection, including more than 6 thousand volumes, to different languages. Currently, the library's collection is 155 million units, and it occupies three buildings located on Capitol Hill.

Libraries reflect man's most successful attempt at transmitting knowledge. IN modern world these majestic institutions have become important social structures, which offer not only reading books, but are also meeting places different people, different ideas, discussions and debates. Libraries, and especially those presented below, are epicenters of activity in the areas where they are located. Here is a list of the 10 best libraries in the world where we would love to spend our days if they were just a little closer to us.

Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library consists of 3 different buildings and is largest library in the world. The library is open to the public, but only members of Congress and other government officials have access to the books. The library also serves an important function as the "library of last resort" in the United States, confirming the availability of certain books to other libraries throughout the country.

The library's collection is simply astounding - it contains 32 million books, 61 million manuscripts, an advance version of the Declaration of Independence, a perfect parchment version of the Gutenberg Bible (1 of 4 in the entire world), more than 1 million newspapers from the last 3 centuries, more than 5 million maps, 6 million musical works and more than 14 million photographs and prints.

Bodleyn Library- this is the library Oxford University. Founded in 1602, it is considered the oldest library in Europe. The library contains more than 11 million titles historical significance, among them 4 copies of the Magna Carta, the Gutenberg Bible, Shakespeare’s “First Folio” (from 1623).

The library consists of many buildings, the most interesting of which is perhaps the Radcliffe Library. This is the very first round-shaped library in England. She also appeared frequently in a variety of films: Young Sherlock Holmes, Saints, The Red Violin and The Golden Compass.

British Museum Reading Room is located in the center of the Great Court of the British Museum. It has a domed roof with a ceiling made of different types papier-mâché. For most of its history, only registered researchers were admitted here, and during this period, many notable figures studied here, such as Karl Marx, Oscar Wilde, Mahatma Gandhi, Rudyard Kipling, George Orwell, Mark Twain, Vladimir Lenin and H.G. Wells.

In 2000, the library's collection moved to the new British Library, and the Reading Room now houses an information center and a collection of books relating to history, art, travel and other subjects relevant to the British Museum.

By the way, the British Museum is one of.

After opening in 1848 Boston Public Library became the first library in the United States to be supported by public funds. Since then, it has grown to its current size and has 22 million units, which allows it to occupy the 2nd largest place in the United States.

The McKim Library Building was built in 1895 and contains many beautiful murals, most famously Edward Abbey's, depicting the legend of the Holy Grail. The main room of the McKim building, Bates Hall, is known for its spherical ceiling. McKim's research collection consists of 1.7 million rare books, including many medieval manuscripts, incunabula, early works Shakespeare, such as the First Folio, colonial Boston records, the main collection of Daniel Defoe, as well as the libraries of many famous historical figures such as John Adams, William Lloyd Garrison and Matthew Bowditch.

If you're in these parts, don't forget to visit one nearby - Somerset Lighthouse.

Incredible Seattle Central Library opened in 2004. Her modern design made of glass and steel, it was designed by architects Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prinz-Rasmus. The purpose of this design was to create an inviting open and free space and break the stereotype that libraries should be drab and drab to attract the younger generation and new target audience. The library has a capacity of 1.45 million books and receives more than 2 million visitors annually.

Famous New York Public Library is awe embodied in its layout, scale and size. It is the third largest library in North America, which has more than 50 million items in its collection. It, in turn, consists of 87 libraries that serve 3.5 million people.

The main reading room of the library cannot but please the eye. The library's special collections include the first Gutenberg Bible to appear in America. She is also one of the most recognizable libraries in the world, thanks to her appearances in many Hollywood films, in the films “The Day After Tomorrow” and “Ghostbusters”, in which she played the main role.

Library of the Abbey of St. Gall- the oldest library in Switzerland, contains about 160,000 works. This is one of the oldest monastery libraries in the world, containing manuscripts dating back to the 8th century. Since 1983 it has also been included in the World Heritage List. Many of the library's rare manuscripts can be accessed through an online portal. The library is always open to visitors, but for books published earlier than 1900, they can only be read on the website.

Jay Walker is an American inventor and businessman who used his funds to develop an expensive private library. Walker calls his creation " Walker Library of the History of the Human Imagination" The library is located in his home in Connecticut and contains more than 50,000 books, including many early works and books, thanks to which it can be considered one of the main museums in the world.

The surreal architecture of the building is inspired by the work of Mariuc Cornelis Escher. Wired magazine called the library "the most amazing library in the world." The only reason it is so low on our list is because it is not open to the public.

George Peabody Library is a research library at Johns Hopkins University. The library was part of the Peabody Institute from 1878 until 1967, when it came under city control, and was transferred to Johns Hopkins University in 1982 and now houses the university's special collections of books.

The library is famous for having the largest collection of Don Quixote editions, as well as many other works that date back to the 19th century. Very often the library premises are described as a “monastery of books” - the interior consists of an 18 m high atrium, the floor is black and white marble, as well as many balconies and golden columns. The library is open to both readers and visitors.

Library of Alexandria was the largest library of antiquity and one of the wonders of the world. It is hoped that the new library, once refurbished, will one day live up to its famous predecessor. Construction of the library cost $220 million and was completed in 2002. The library functions as a cultural center that includes a planetarium, a manuscript restoration laboratory, art galleries and exhibition halls, museums, a conference center, and libraries for children, youth, adults and the blind.

Today the library boasts a collection of about 500,000 books, but in general there is enough space to accommodate 8 million books.

These libraries are a treasure trove of history, culture, a global heritage that we must preserve, cherish and pass on to our descendants. Which one would you like to visit?

23.03.2013

Large libraries. Library comes from the French word Librarie and the Latin word Liber which means books. For many centuries before the advent of modern gadgets, people received various information of interest from libraries. Nowadays, information can be obtained in sufficient quantities from various sources, including the Internet, libraries have become less popular, but true connoisseurs of books and useful, historical information would still rather go to the library than read from a monitor. Large large libraries They preserve simply a huge number of books, both modern and very ancient. This top 10 rating largest libraries in the world, which store within their walls a huge number of books and historical documents.

10. Library of the Institute of Scientific Information of the Russian Academy of Sciences

(Moscow, 14.2 million storage units)

It has the status of a library of federal significance. Designed for library and information and reference and bibliographic services for scientific workers of the Russian Academy of Sciences, other scientific institutions, higher education teachers, graduate and undergraduate students. The repository contains materials on various scientific disciplines, the largest collection of books on Slavic languages, collections of documents of the League of Nations, others international organizations, parliamentary reports of the USA, England, Italy and other countries. Conducts an international book exchange with 874 partners in 69 countries.

9. Harvard University Library

(Cambridge, 16 million items)

Created in 1638 The main goal is to support scientific research and organize student training. The largest academic library in the United States. In addition to the central book collection, it has separate branches: a library of rare books and manuscripts, a medical library, and a Chinese-Japanese library. Funds multiple scientific projects mainly by university teachers and students.

8. German National Library

(Frankfurt am Main, Leipzig, Berlin, more than 25 million storage units)

This large library founded in 1912 by the Kingdom of Saxony, Leipzig, as the venue for the annual book fair, and the Association of German Booksellers. The main task of this institution is the collection, archiving and storage of all available materials on German from all over the world. Playing big role in the development of international library standards. The annual budget is 42.2 million euros. The most high technology storage of printed materials. It is distinguished by a wide variety of collection items. The Berlin branch specializes in collecting musical works. Reading rooms open to the public.

7. Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences

(St. Petersburg, more than 26 million storage units)

Founded by decree of Peter I in 1714. The first state public library of Russia. The fund was based on the collections of the Kremlin Royal Library in Moscow, the personal collections of Peter I, the libraries of the Dukes of Holstein and Courland, and gifts from the Tsar’s associates. She was and is the initiator of various scientific expeditions. Such valuable manuscripts as the Ipatiev and Radziwill Chronicles are kept here. The library suffered enormous damage from a fire in 1988. More than 400 thousand books were lost. In the first 10 years after the fire, only about 900 volumes were restored.

6. National Library and Archives of Canada

(Ottawa, over 26 million units)

Large library created by the Parliament of Canada in 2004. First of all, materials related to the history, culture, social and political life of the country are accepted for storage. In addition to traditional materials, it contains indigenous magazines, scrapbooks, architectural sketches, comics magazines, trade catalogs. Known for its collection of musical scores and sound recordings. The Library Director holds the rank of Deputy Minister and holds the title of Librarian and Archivist of Canada. The library building is recognized as a historical heritage.

5. National Library of China

(Beijing, over 27.8 million units)

Founded by the Qing Dynasty in 1909. This is the main library of the People's Republic of China and the largest library in Asia. Located in three buildings with a total area of 250 thousand sq.m. It is geographically divided into the “Northern Region of the National Library of China” and the “Southern Region of the National Library of China”. Is the container itself large number Chinese books in the world and the largest number of foreign publications in the country.

4. Russian State Library

(Moscow, more than 44 million storage units)

Year of foundation: 1862. Largest public library countries. It is a place for storing legal copies of printed materials. Headquarters of the Eurasian Library Assembly. In addition to the general fund, it has many specialized collections. Unique copies: the Arkhangelsk Gospel, the Khitrovo Gospel, editions of the first Slavic printers, collections of incunabula and paleotypes, first editions of Russian classics. The annual budget is 1.64 million rubles. Open to visitors, including foreign citizens.

3. New York Public Library

(New York, 53 million units)

The Great Library was founded in 1895. Private non-profit organization with a public mission. Attracts both private and government funding. Its branches are located in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island. Central Fund – Library of the Humanities and Social Sciences. In addition, it includes the Library of Science, Industry and Business, the Library of the Performing Arts, the Center for African American Studies and Culture, the Library for People with Disabilities and others. Serves approximately 18 million visitors annually.

2. British Library

(London, 150 million items)

Created by the British Parliament in 1972. The library's rich collection is constantly growing, as it is automatically replenished with every copy of printed material published in the country. In terms of the number of storage units, it is second only to the US Library of Congress. It has such unique copies as: Buddhist manuscripts from Dunhuang, the Lindisfar Gospel, the world's only manuscript of the epic "Beowulf", manuscripts of Leonardo da Vinci, Codex Sinaiticus, the first printed map of the New World and many others. Serves up to 16 thousand people per day.

1. Library of Congress

(Washington, over 155 million items)

Holds the title the largest library peace. This scientific library is intended for government and scientific organizations, research centers, private firms, industrial companies, and schools. Founded on April 24, 1800 by decree of US President John Adams. Initially, only the President, Vice President, members of the US Senate and the House of Representatives (Congress) could access the collections, hence the name of the library. Funds are universal. The materials on law, history, politics, natural and technical sciences and reference literature are most fully presented. Contains more than 30 million books and other printed materials in more than 470 languages, 58 million manuscripts, 4.8 million maps, 12 million photographs. Since 1987, James Billington has been the director of the library. Currently, access to storage facilities has been expanded, but still has serious limitations.