National libraries, those repositories of information which are established by the governments of countries around the world, are different from public libraries in that they do not usually allow book borrowing, but instead allow people to look at items or facsimiles of items, within the building.
Recommended Resources
This gallery is provided by the British Library. The site showcases thousands of interesting items from the Library's broad collections. The site also has medieval maps and plans. The site also has a collection on British accents and dialects.
http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/
Official site of the National Library of Canada. Extensive information about collections and services. Digital collections. Numerous on-line research tools include AMICUS and ArchiviaNet.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/
The National Agricultural Library is an information service provided by the United States Department of Agriculture. Whether you are interested in livestock, marketing and trade, agricultural laws and regulations, or other subjects, you can find an answer here. You can also submit your questions to a librarian, to help you find the resources you want.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/
National First Ladies' Library
The National First Ladies' Library has a wealth of information on the wives of American presidents. One of the site's most useful features are the biographies of all these women. You can find a bibliography on these famous women to continue your research once you have exhausted the website.
http://www.firstladies.org
National Gallery of the Spoken Word
Learn about the NGSW’s project to maintain a large collection of 20th century audio recordings. You can find out details about how the project has been organized. You can access radio recordings, interviews, political speeches and more. The site is focused on American recordings but it has other information as well.
http://www.ngsw.org/
The website of the National Library of Australia provides information about this major Australian cultural institution. You can contact a librarian at the institution to get help with your research. The website also has a catalogue that helps you find Australian books.
http://www.nla.gov.au/
The electronic collection of the National Library of Canada provides access to a variety of cultural resources about Canada. Available in English and French, you can search the collections in a number of different ways. The site also has advice on how to archive online publications.
http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/
The National Library of Medicine is a major scientific reference institution based at the US National Institutes of Health. The website has sections designed for the general public, librarians, health care professionals and researchers. You can find information on the human genome, health information technology and many other medical subjects here.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
National Library of New Zealand
The National Library of New Zealand website provides information about all the books published in this pacific country. The site has special sections to meet the interests of librarians, publishers, researchers, school staff and students. You can also access the library's catalog from this site.
http://natlib.govt.nz
The National Library of Scotland is a cultural organization based in Edinburgh that collects books and other cultural items created in Scotland. You can search the Library's catalogue or get expert help from one of the institution's librarians. The website also has a section to help people with disabilities get the most out of the library.
http://www.nls.uk
The National Library of Wales is a major cultural institution that preserves Welsh culture. You can search for Welsh books using the Library's catalogue. If you are interested in searching for your Welsh ancestors, you may want to make use of the website's family history section. You can also buy fine prints and other items from the Library's online store.
http://www.llgc.org.uk
The library service of the Smithsonian Institution. You can find books, images and search the Institution's large website. The website also has considerable scientific education resources and information on American history as well.
http://www.sil.si.edu/
Major United Kingdom library. Website contains comprehensive information about the library, the scope of its collections and how to use its services. Gives access to journals, manuscripts, web services, virtual exhibitions, documents, images, newspapers and sound archives.
http://portico.bl.uk/
The Library of Congress, a cultural institution, provides resources of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts for librarians, kids and families, publishers, researchers, teachers and visitors. Read articles on highlights, news and events and view popular topics and collections.
http://www.loc.gov/
