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Tokyo Metropolitan Library

Japanese Name: 東京都立図書館
Online: http://www.library.metro.tokyo.jp \\ English: http://www.library.metro.tokyo.jp/1b/index.html (Also info in Korean and Chinese)
Database Search: http://catalog.library.metro.tokyo.jp

There are three locations for the Tokyo Metropolitan Library: Central, Hibiya and Tama libraries.

Central Library

General Information

Japanese Name: 中央図書館
Address: Minami Azabu 5-7-13 Minato-ku Tokyo-to 106-8575
Japanese Address: 106-8575 東京都港区南麻布５−７−１３
Phone Number: 03-3442-8451
Fax Number:
Email Address:
Online: http://www.library.metro.tokyo.jp/12/index.html English: http://www.library.metro.tokyo.jp/1b/1b100.html
Database Search: http://catalog.library.metro.tokyo.jp
Entry Fee: Free
Opening Times: M-F, 10-21 (Copy requests until 19:45). Sat-Sun 10-17:30 (16:15) Special Collections: 10-17:30
Closed: see calendar on its home page.
Information Last Confirmed: March 29th, 2004

Directions

Take the Hibiya subway line (You can catch this in Ebisu for example) to Hiroo. Take the exit where the main intersection of Hiroo is located. There is a Tokyo-Mitsubishi on one corner of this intersection. Facing it, follow the road to the left until you see the park. The library is located on the opposite side of the park. Walk through it, up a hill. It takes in total about 8 minutes from the subway station.

Usage

When you enter you are given a metal card. Return this when you leave. Leave your large belongings in the locker room near the entrance. Some materials are located in the open stacks. When they are not, request the materials by filling out a form and submitting the cover of the metal card you were given. It will be returned to you when to you return the requested item. Items from the open stacks can be photocopied on the first floor yourself. Items from the closed stacks can have copies requested at the copy counter on the first floor.

Facilities

There are 5 floors, with a cafe and shop at the top floor. There is also wireless internet in some areas for those who have accounts with BizPortal, NTT's Hotspot.ne.jp and JReast.co.jp/musenlan services. History, philosophy, and other humanities books are on the 3rd floor, social sciences on the 2nd floor.

Card Catalogs: 1st floor, separate catalog for Chinese language materials.
Computers: Around 40 on the first floor, a few on the second and third floors. CD database search machines.
Reading Room: There are areas for study on the first, second, and third floors. Some seats are reserved for "career people" (社会人) or for those who want to type loudly on computers or calculators (plugs for computers).
Photocopy Machines: Open stack materials can be photocopied in the photocopy area after filling out a slip on the first floor. Use the copy request system on the first floor for closed stack materials.
Photocopy Prices: 20 yen self-copy, 25 per page for copy requests. 70 yen for microfilm materials, and 250 for color pages.
Bathrooms: Every floor
Vending Machines: 5th floor.
Nearby Food: Cafe on 5th floor. Around Hiroo subway station lots of choices.

Collections of Note

Other Related Links

Other Notes, Comments and Experiences

I have been told that this library has a lot of materials you might otherwise only find at the Diet library and that the lines for copies are shorter here. You might want to try this as an alternative. Use their online OPAC search system to check. K. M. Lawson Date Last Visited: March 29th, 2004

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