is the metropolitan public library system for

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

Libraries

The Tokyo Metropolitan Library has two branches. The Hibiya Library, a third branch, was closed on April 1, 2009. Both branches provide access to free public Wi-Fi, printing and photocopying services, and public computer access. Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Library

The Metropolitan Central Library is located in the

Minami-Azabu is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Literally meaning "Southern Azabu", Minami-Azabu was named so because it was situated in the southern portion of the former Azabu Ward. The area's postal code is 106–0047. Tokyo Metropolitan Library, Tok ...

section of Minato. The library was founded in 1973 at the current location of the central branch. The library is free and open to the public, although not all collections are available to all people at all times. The library also has arrangements with over 300 smaller local public libraries allowing interlibrary lending privileges. The Central Branch seats up to 900 people and provides access to wireless Wi-Fi and online databases. The Hibiya Library was located in the

Hibiya is a colloquial name for a neighborhood of Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo. The area along Hibiya Street ( National Route 1) from Yūrakuchō to Uchisaiwaichō is generally considered Hibiya district. Administratively, it is part of the Yūrakuchō dist ...

section of Chiyoda, prior to its closure. The Tama Library is located in

Tachikawa 250px, Showa Memorial Park is a city located in the western portion of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 184,383 in 93,428 households, and a population density of 7600 persons per km2. The total area of the ci ...

Western Tokyo Western Tokyo, also known as the , or , in the Tokyo Metropolis consists of 30 ordinary municipalities (Cities of Japan, cities (市 shi), Towns of Japan, towns (町 machi) and one Villages of Japan, village (村 mura)), unlike the eastern part ...

. The library opened in 1987 to relieve municipal libraries.

Holdings

Although not as deep as the collection of the

National Diet Library The is the national library of Japan and among the largest libraries in the world. It was established in 1948 for the purpose of assisting members of the in researching matters of public policy. The library is similar in purpose and scope to ...

, which houses 44,187,016 items, The Tokyo Metropolitan Library houses a large collection of books, periodicals, and audio-visual materials. The Central Branch holds 240,000 volumes, including a large collection of rare materials, showcasing over 40,000 documents pertaining to the history of Tokyo ( Edo), some of which date back over 400 years. Books are divided by subject - Reference, Social Science, Humanities, Natural Science. Of note is the opening of a "regional history research center". The Hibiya Branch holds 130,000 volumes, including 4,000 foreign volumes. It also maintains holdings of over 1,000 different magazine periodicals and nearly 200 different newspapers. Total holdings (including volumes in storage) of the Metropolitan Library are estimated at approximately 1,480,000 volumes.

Locations and access

Central Branch: 5-7-13 Minami-Azabu Minato, 106-8575. It is located in the Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial Park. Accessible by foot from

Hiroo Station (officially Hiro-o Station) is a subway station on the in Minato, Tokyo operated by the Tokyo subway operator Tokyo Metro. The station is named after the adjacent Hiroo neighborhood in Shibuya ward, though the station is entirely located in M ...

on the Subway

Hibiya Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by Tokyo Metro. The line was named after the Hibiya area in Chiyoda's Yurakucho district, under which it passes. On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color silve ...

, Azabu-Juban Station on the Subway Namboku Line, and the Azabu-Juban Station on the Toei Subway

Oedo Line Oedo is an island of Geoje city, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. It is a marine western-style botanical garden in Hallyeohaesang National Park, built by Lee Chang-ho and his wife when they settled on the island in 1969. It was the setting of th ...

. (Coordinates: ) Hibiya Branch (Closed in 2009): 1-4

Hibiya Koen is a colloquial name for a neighborhood of Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo. The area along Hibiya Street ( National Route 1) from Yūrakuchō to Uchisaiwaichō is generally considered Hibiya district. Administratively, it is part of the Yūrakuchō dis ...

, Chiyoda, 100-0012. Accessible by foot from Kasumigaseki Station on the Subway Hibiya Line,

Marunouchi Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by Tokyo Metro. The line runs in a U-shape between Ogikubo Station in Suginami and Ikebukuro Station in Toshima, with a branch line between Nakano-Sakaue Station and Hōnanchō Station. The offic ...

, and Chiyoda Line,

Shinbashi Station is a major interchange railway station in Tokyo's Minato Ward, located centrally and a 10-minute walk from the Ginza shopping district, directly south of Tokyo station. Station layout JR East The JR East station consists of three surface platf ...

on the JR

Yamanote Line The Yamanote Line ( ja, 山手線, Yamanote-sen) is a loop service in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important lines, connecting most of Tokyo's major stations and urban ...

, and

Uchisaiwaichō Station is a railway station on the Toei Mita Line in Uchisaiwaichō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Its station number is I-07. History * November 27, 1973: Station opened Station layout The station consists of a single island platform serving two tracks. ...

on the Subway

Mita Line The is a subway line of the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei) network in Tokyo, Japan. The line runs between Nishi-Takashimadaira in Itabashi and Meguro in Shinagawa. Trains continue with direct service into the Meguro Line o ...

. Tama Branch: 6-3-1 Nishiki-cho,

, 190-0022. Accessible by foot from

Tachikawa Station is a junction passenger railway station located in the city of Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Lines Tachikawa Station is served by the Chūō Main Line, and is located 37.1 kilometers from the ...

on the JR Chūō Line and

Nishi-Kunitachi Station is a passenger railway station located in the city of Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Lines Nishi-Kunitachi Station is served by the Nambu Line, and is situated 34.3 km from the terminus of the li ...

on the

JR Nambu line The Nambu Line ( ja, 南武線,) is a Japanese railway line which connects Tachikawa Station in Tachikawa, Tokyo and Kawasaki Station in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. For most of its length, it parallels the Tama River, the natural border between Tokyo and ...

. (Coordinates: )

References

External links

*Tokyo Metropolitan Library English page: http://www.library.metro.tokyo.jp/english/ *Online catalog of TML (restricted hours): http://catalog.library.metro.tokyo.jp/winj/opac/search-detail.do?lang=en {{Tokyo Libraries in Tokyo Government of Tokyo

Libraries

Holdings

Locations and access

See also

References

External links