Located in the cultural centre of Thimphu, the capital of the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, National Library of Bhutan is a major scriptural repository and research facility dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the rich literary, cultural and religious heritage of country. The scripture and document collection held in the library and archives is a national treasure and a fundamental source for Bhutanese history, religion, medicine, arts and culture.

The history of Bhutan lies imprinted in archaic texts, which are preserved here. Besides thousands of manuscripts and ancient texts, the library also has modern academic books and printing blocks for prayer flags.

The National Library of Bhutan has the goal that all Bhutanese, wherever they are, will have access to both Bhutan's documentary heritage and to the information resources of the world. To achieve this, the National Library builds up and maintains a national collection of Bhutanese materials with the aim to provide an effective gateway to national and international resources of information in the near future.

National Library of Bhutan

The Library was established in 1967 and merged with the National Commission for Cultural Affairs in 1985. The National Library carries out the collection and preservation of ancient Bhutanese Literature on religion, cultural, history & social traditions. It has provision of facilities for research and other academic pursuits. Old, rare books & manuscripts, traditional xylographic blocks are found.

Research and documentation of literary works and stories inherited through traditional and oral communication methods are followed here. It looks after the promotion and publishing of literary works on traditional and contemporary themes. The National Archives solicits co-operation from all concerned in its effort to create the National Memory Bank. Hence, individuals and institutions, inside and outside the country holding important documents and other material related to Bhutan which may be of interest to future generations, to provide copies for the National Archives.