The Kyoto University Library Network has a leading role in the creation of academic and scientific knowledge; far beyond offering access to essential materials, it actively supports the University's educational and research activities.
The Network is comprised of the Main Library and more than 50 libraries located in faculties and research institutes throughout the University. Its collection contains significant rare books, among them a designated National Treasure and more than 40 Important Cultural Assets. As a whole, the Library Network holds more than seven million items, making it the third largest in Japan.
The Library Network provides access to printed and digital resources, including online journals and databases, e-books, and other materials essential for keeping abreast of real-time developments in all academic disciplines. Beyond being a repository of books, the Library Network also stimulates and inspires independent and interactive discovery through its various services, one of which is provided by the Learning Commons in the Main Library, a space that encourages more conducive and assertive learning experiences.
In bridging with society, the Library Network is engaged in Open Access that promotes equal accessibility to information and facilitates sharing the fruits of research, thus igniting innovation and contributing to the wider community. Specifically, it offers the University's researchers opportunities to share the outcomes of their work through the Kyoto University Research Information Repository, or KURENAI .
The Library Network also digitizes its rare and unique collections and makes these digital images open to the public via the Kyoto University Rare Materials Digital Archive , providing valuable resources for researchers across the world.
Find out more about the Kyoto University Library Network .