Nepal National Library

The Nepal National Library (Nepali: नेपाल राष्ट्रिय पुस्तकालय) is the national library of Nepal and the legal deposit and copyright library under the Government of Nepal. It serves as the country’s principal repository for published materials, provides reference and bibliographic services, and acts as the ISSN and national bibliographic center for serial publications. nnl.gov.np +1

History

The Nepal National Library was established by His Majesty’s Government of Nepal on 2 January 1957. Its initial collection was formed by merging the private library of Rajguru Hem Raj Pandey with the holdings of the Central Secretariat Library, giving the new institution a foundation of several tens of thousands of volumes at its founding. The library was made a public institution to support education, research, and national bibliography. National Diet Library +1

Location and buildings

Historically the library has been housed in government premises in the Kathmandu Valley; one of its principal locations is Harihar Bhawan, Lalitpur (Pulchowk area). Over time the library has operated reading rooms, stacks and archival storage in government-owned buildings; plans and proposals for purpose-built national library facilities have appeared periodically in government planning documents. National Diet Library +1

Collections

The Nepal National Library holds books, periodicals, government publications, manuscripts, maps, theses, and other documentary materials in Nepali and several foreign languages. Published figures of the library’s holdings have varied across reports; government and international reports from the 2000s–2010s place the collection in the range of tens of thousands to over 100,000 items, reflecting ongoing acquisitions, transfers, and cataloguing updates. The library also maintains reference series, newspapers and periodical subscriptions to support research and public reading. National Diet Library +1

Functions and services

Key functions of the Nepal National Library include:

Acting as the legal deposit and copyright library for Nepal (collecting copies of publications produced in the country). nnl.gov.np

Serving as the national ISSN centre and contributing Nepal’s serial bibliographic records to the international ISSN register. issnnnl.org

Providing reference services, bibliographic access, interlibrary cooperation, and short training programs for library professionals. archive.nnl.gov.np +1

Digitization and national union catalogue

The Nepal National Library has participated in national efforts to digitize and preserve Nepalese library resources and to develop a national union catalog. The institution has implemented digital library software (including Greenstone and WIN/ISIS in earlier projects) and maintains an online digital collection and institutional repository to provide access to selected electronic documents, newsletters, and digitized materials. National Diet Library +1

Governance

The library operates under the Ministry responsible for education and culture (government portfolio names have varied over time). It is staffed by professional librarians and administrators who manage acquisitions, cataloguing, reference, preservation, and outreach programs aimed at strengthening library services nationwide. nnl.gov.np +1

Preservation challenges

Reports by the library and international partners have documented challenges common to many heritage institutions: the need for improved storage and conservation for older volumes and manuscripts, modernization of cataloguing and digital infrastructure, and stable funding for a purpose-built national library facility and preservation programs. Periodic government proposals for new buildings and improvements have been discussed to better safeguard the nation’s published and documentary heritage. National Diet Library +1

Access

The Nepal National Library is open to researchers, students, and the general public; services include reading rooms, reference assistance, access to periodicals, and digital materials available through its online portals and DSpace repository. The library also undertakes outreach and training for community and school libraries. nnl.gov.np +1