ABSTRACT
The national library is almost entirely a reference library.
Being deposit libraries (see p. 116) where every book in the country is housed, there are necessarily extensive book stacks. As they need to accommodate all new books published, national libraries pose particular problems of
physical growth. Although acquisition policy varies between countries, national libraries are a distinct type characterized by scale, distinctive readership and frequently grandeur of
building. The national library is essentially a reference and research
library. Books are not borrowed but referred to. Although
scholars may make notes from books, journals and historic documents, most resort to having copies made of relevant sections. The reader therefore requires general reading space, access to photocopying and service rooms, and
areas dedicated to research. The distinction between open reading rooms and closed research rooms is a particular feature of national libraries. At the British Library in
London, for instance, the various research libraries are arranged around a central open library space. By way of
contrast, the National Library in Paris places the research
libraries below a floor of open reading rooms. In both cases, the research libraries are secure rooms dedicated to specific subjects. A central reading room is a feature of national libraries.
