This sortable list of the world's largest libraries includes libraries that (as of 2008[update]) 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

NameCountryLocation and notesCatalogued size (number of items)Visitors per yearBudgetStaff
British LibraryUnited KingdomLondon and Boston Spa200 million+1.75 million_01625000000£162.5 million1,977
Library of CongressUnited StatesWashington, D.C.178 million+1.9 million_19523722680US$875.4 million3,149
Nation's LibraryTurkeyAnkara141.7 million1.9 million_19523722680US$24.25 million1,389
Russian State LibraryRussiaMoscow126.1 million498,000_01640000000₽2.7 billion1,613
Shanghai LibraryChinaShanghai58 million
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).55 million18 million_07546275000US$250 million3,000
National Library of ChinaChinaBeijing44.24 million5.2 million1,365
National Diet LibraryJapanTokyo and Kyoto44.1 million791,370_07128927000¥21.8 billion908
German National LibraryGermanyLeipzig and Frankfurt43.7 million350,713_01834033100€57.6 million639
Royal Library, DenmarkDenmarkCopenhagen and Aarhus42.5 million (physical items, excl. digital)1.45 million_02249892000523.8 million kr800+
Bibliothèque nationale de FranceFranceParis41.66 million1.9 million_11038967000€254 million2,668
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.40.8 millionUS$295 million2,000+
University of Illinois LibraryUnited StatesUrbana, Illinois, at 30 locations.38 millionUS$48.7 million_07546275000
National Library of RussiaRussiaSaint Petersburg36.5 million1 million₽569.2 million1,850
Bavarian State LibraryGermanyMunich34.4 million1.1 million_01834033100€59.1 million805
Biblioteca Nacional de EspañaSpainMadrid33.1 million_02299060450€29.2 million482
Library and Archives CanadaCanadaOttawa, Halifax, Winnipeg, Vancouver. Largely a free reference library.27 millionCAD165 million853
Library of the Russian Academy of SciencesRussiaSaint Petersburg26.5 million
Berlin State LibraryGermanyBerlin23.4 million1.4 million
Boston Public LibraryUnited StatesBoston, Massachusetts at 26 locations.22.4 million3.2 million_01174200390US$38.9 million
New York State LibraryUnited StatesAlbany, New York20 million
Harvard LibraryUnited StatesCambridge, Massachusetts Restricted to students, faculty, or visitors who buy a membership.18.9 million922
National Library of SwedenSwedenStockholm18 million364.5 million kr
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.16.1 million
University of Toronto LibrariesCanadaToronto and Mississauga at 40 locations. Restricted to students, faculty, or visitors who buy a membership.16 millionCA$125 million
Vernadsky National Library of UkraineUkraineKyiv15.5 million500,000_0018860991050.3 million ₴900
Yale LibraryUnited StatesNew Haven, Connecticut at 12 locations.15.2 million
National Library of IranIranTehran15 million
University of Chicago LibraryUnited StatesChicago14.2 million1.1 million
National Library of ScotlandScotlandEdinburgh and Glasgow14 million
Bodleian LibraryUnited KingdomOxford13.8 million printed items, plus special and digital collections1.7 million readers, 865,191 visitors.£57.8 million562.76 (FTE)
Hong Kong Public LibraryHong KongHong Kong11.36 million_00776200000HK$776.2 million
National Library of PolandPolandWarsaw10.6 million81,043502
Toronto Public LibraryCanada100 locations in Toronto10.5 million13.4 millionCA$252,300,0002,500

See also