Nepal National Library

Overview

The Nepal National Library (Nepali: नेपाल राष्ट्रिय पुस्तकालय) is the legal deposit and copyright library of Nepal, operating under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. It is located at Harihar Bhawan, a historic Rana palace at Pulchowk, Lalitpur, near Kathmandu.

History and Founding

The library was formally established on 2 January 1957 by the then-His Majesty's Government of Nepal. Its founding collection was built around the personal library of Rajguru Hem Raj Pandey, the spiritual advisor to King Mahendra, which had been purchased for the nation in 1956. The collection was initially housed in SikriDhoka, a building within Singha Durbar, the vast Rana Palace modeled on Versailles and once considered the largest palace in Asia. The Central Secretariat Library was also merged into the new institution, bringing the total initial holdings to 34,292 books and periodicals.

In 1961 the library relocated to its current site, the southern wing of the first floor of Harihar Bhawan in Pulchowk, Lalitpur, where it has remained. In the early 1960s the library published a significant series of works making ancient handwritten Nepali manuscripts available in printed form. International support, including a UNESCO/DANIDA project, later brought modernization of equipment and publication of a Nepal National Union Catalogue.

Collections and Holdings

The library currently holds approximately 84,000 volumes of books, journals, and other materials in multiple languages including Nepali, Sanskrit, English, Hindi, and other regional languages. The collection is particularly strong in Nepali literature, history, religion, and the humanities. The library also holds materials in Sanskrit manuscripts reflecting Nepal's heritage as a center of ancient manuscript culture.

Access and Usage

The library is open to the public for reference and reading purposes during government office hours. Borrowing is not permitted; visitors may use materials on-site. The library provides a quiet study environment with internet connectivity.