Humanities Room

Location and Hours

• Location: South side of the 2nd floor, Tokyo Main Library
• Opening Hours:
  　- Monday - Friday: 9:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
  　- Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Excluding library closing days)
• Closed-Stack Material Request Hours:
  　- Monday - Friday: 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
  　- Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Available Materials

The open shelves contain reference materials (dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories, yearbooks, catalogs, and bibliographies) in the fields of Generalities and Humanities (General Academics, Journalism, Philosophy, Religion, History, Geography, Art, Language, and Literature), as well as major periodicals in the field of Library and Information Science.
The following collections are housed in the closed stacks: Makoto Kato Collection of art exhibition catalogs, Verner W. Clapp Collection, Nunokawa Collection, and Documents of the Imperial Library. A part of the Nunokawa Collection and Imperial Library Documents are available through the National Diet Library Digital Collections.
For tips on how to search for materials and information in the fields of Generalities and Humanities, please refer to Research Navi

*Please note that the following types of materials are located in other reference rooms:
　- Reference materials in the field of Music: Music and Audiovisual Materials Room
　- Reference materials in the fields of Education, Sports, and Psychology: Business, Science and Technology Room

How to View Materials

• Open-shelf materials can be viewed freely within this room.
• Materials cannot be taken out of the room, except in the case of a photocopy application.
• Closed stacks materials are available only to registered users. An application via a material request slip is required at the room's counter. Requests cannot be made through the user terminals.
• Viewing the Nunokawa Collection requires filling out an application Form.
• The Online Edition of the Siku Quanshu (Wenyuange Edition) can be accessed using a dedicated terminal within the room.

How to Make Copies (Photocopying)

• Materials from the Humanities Room can be photocopied within the limits listed below, separately from materials received at the Book Counter or other locations.
  　- Up to half of each work.
  　- Up to 5 items per application (no limit on the number of applications). The total number of pages per application, including materials received at other counters or other rooms, is 150 pages.
• Please complete the necessary procedures at the counter inside the room before applying at the Photocopy Counter.
• Be aware of the deadline for applications at the Photocopy Counter (6:00 p.m. Monday - Friday, 4:00 p.m. Saturday).
• Open-shelf materials are available for same-day photoduplication only.
• Materials that are deteriorated (e.g., risk of damage) cannot be photocopied.
• As a rule, the Nunokawa Collection cannot be photocopied for the purpose of preserving the original binding.
• For details on the photocopy service, please refer to the Photoduplication service.