On August 17 and 18, as part of "Children's Day for Visiting Kasumigaseki" under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, a program "Explore the Biggest Library in Japan" was held in the Tokyo Main Library.
139 applications had been sent in of which 36 (81 children and accompanying adults) were chosen by lot. After visiting the stacks consisting of eight floors in the basement of the Annex to see how the materials are stored and various methods of preservation, they participated in two hands-on programs to experience the work of the library. On the 17th, in the program "Be a librarian: experience of reference service," participants answered model questions of library users' enquiries using dictionaries in the Business, Science and Technology Room in the morning. In the afternoon, they learned how to use a house map and staff showed geographic maps of various countries and maps of the Meiji period in the Map Room. On the 18th, in the program "Let's look at the book hospital" they learned about the structure and preservation of books and tried their hand at making a small pamphlet.
In the anteroom, a miniature book and books of various forms were exhibited, and children's books on natural disaster and disaster prevention were set out so the participants could look through them.
On August 19, study tours were arranged for those who had not been chosen by lot.