• Exchange of official publications
• Exchange of commercial publications
• Acceptance of deposit materials
• Exchanging materials using the Exchange List

The NDL exchanges publications internationally, as a national exchange institution, which is stipulated by two conventions of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): the Convention concerning the International Exchange of Publications (6th treaty in 1984) and the Convention concerning the Exchange of Official Publications and Government Documents between States (7th treaty in 1984).

Currently, the NDL registers more than 900 institutions in most countries and regions in the world, and international organizations for international exchange.

Under the National Diet Library Law, official publications published by central government agencies, local public bodies, independent administrative institutions, the NDL, and national university corporations are delivered to the NDL.These publications are the most important resources for the NDL in exchanging materials with foreign organizations. The NDL sends these publications to foreign institutions and in return receives their official publications, which account for the vast majority of acquired foreign materials - a distinctive feature of the library's holdings.

The exchange of official publications by the NDL is classified into three categories in terms of purpose and method: blanket, specified and selective exchanges.

1. Blanket exchange

In blanket exchange, key official publications are inclusively exchanged, based on the agreements reached between Japan and its counterparts or between the NDL and foreign institutions concerned.

At present, the NDL exchanges official publications by this method with the following four libraries abroad:

• U.S. Library of Congress
• Berlin State Library - Prussian Cultural Heritage (Germany)
• Library and Archives Canada (addressee: University of British Columbia Library)
• National Central Library (Taiwan)

2. Specified exchange

Specified exchange is a method for exchanging the principal official publications specified under agreements between Japan and its counterparts and between the NDL and foreign institutions concerned.

Currently, the NDL exchanges official publications on this basis with the following six libraries overseas:

• United Nations Library (Geneva)
• British Library
• Russian State Library
• Bibliothèque Nationale de France
• Royal Library of Belgium
• National Library of Australia

3. Selective exchange

In selective exchange, the NDL discusses bilaterally with foreign entities, such as libraries, universities and research institutes, about which materials are to be exchanged. The materials the NDL offers in this category are publications issued by the NDL, central government agencies, independent administrative institutions, and national university corporations.

The NDL exchanges commercial publications with foreign institutions based on agreements reached through bilateral negotiations.

We actively exchange commercial publications with institutions in China, Russia and Republic of Korea, particularly with the National Library of China, the Russian Academy of Science (St. Petersburg) and the National Assembly Library (Republic of Korea).

As the central library of the nation, the NDL is always striving to acquire materials relating to Japan, through international exchange. We have therefore agreed with national libraries in Sweden, Czech Republic, Poland and Republic of Korea to send them domestically issued publications related to their country, in return to receive their publications related to Japan.

The NDL is designated as a depository library by the United Nations (UN), special organizations of the UN and other institutions, and receives publications issued by these institutions, as deposit materials.

Major designators are: UN, International Labor Organization (ILO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), World Trade Organization (WTO/GATT), World Bank, European Union (EU), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The NDL makes an Exchange List and provides it to exchange partners several times a year. The list consists mainly of publications of the NDL, the national and local governments, independent administrative institutions and national university corporations. Exchange partners can freely select any material from the list up to the limit and request them from the NDL within a certain time.

If your organization is interested in the NDL Exchange List and wishes to be our exchange partner, please contact us at the address below.

Exchange List (ID and Password Required)

Foreign Materials Division
Acquisitions and Bibliography Department
National Diet Library
1-10-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 100-8924 JAPAN

Fax: +81-3-3581-1330