National Library of Vietnam Thư Viện Quốc Gia Việt Nam (NLV)

Overview

The National Library of Vietnam (Thư viện Quốc gia Việt Nam, NLV) is the national library of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, located in Hanoi. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and serves as the country's main repository of published materials, rare documents, and the national legal deposit library.

History and Founding

The NLV was established by decree on November 29, 1917, as the Central Library of Indochina under the French colonial administration. The library opened to the public in September 1919. Over subsequent decades it underwent several name changes, including Pierre Pasquier Library (1935), Bibliothèque Nationale (1945), and Bibliothèque Centrale de Hanoï (1947), before receiving its current name in 1958. In 1954 the library was upgraded and its collections were supplemented by 180,000 books from northern Vietnam. By 1957 it was officially designated as the National Library of Vietnam preserving domestically printed books.

Collections and Holdings

The NLV holds a monograph collection of over 2.5 million items and a digitized collection of nearly 5 million pages. Significant collections include the Han-Nom Collection (rare Sino-Vietnamese manuscripts), materials dating from the 17th century, Vietnamese newspapers and periodicals, maps, sheet music, and documents in Vietnamese, French, and other languages. The library serves as Vietnam's legal deposit institution and receives copies of all publications printed in the country. It also maintains an online catalogue and participates in international library exchange programs.

Journalism and Media Collections

The NLV's holdings include an extensive collection of Vietnamese periodicals and newspapers, making it a key resource for researchers studying the history of the Vietnamese press and media.

Access and Usage

The library is open daily from 08:00–20:00. A library card is required for borrowing services. The library website is available in Vietnamese, English, and French.