Official registered users can request the following services via NDL Search: browsing, interfacility request for browsing, reservation for browsing, remote photoduplication, article research service, and reference.
You must login to request these NDL Search services.

In addition, official registered users who reside in Japan can use the Digitized Contents Transmission Service for Individuals to access digitized materials from the NDL via the Internet that are out-of-print or otherwise difficult to obtain. (You need to agree to the terms of service.)
For details, please refer to "14. Digitized Contents Transmission Service".

※Requests by Simple Registered Users
The following online services are available to Simple Registered Users.

• Remote Photoduplication
• Reservation for browsing (request only*)
• Interfacility request for browsing (request only*)
• Article research service

• Patrons must register and obtain a User Registration Card to use materials at the NDL.

7-1 Browsing

Request materials from the closed stacks for browsing on the NDL premises.

• Patrons must be on the NDL premises to request materials for browsing.

How to make a request

Log onto the NDL Search and go to the Bibliographic Record screen. Select the material you wish to browse and click the Browsing button. The material is added to your Cart.

The materials you select are listed in your Cart. Open your Cart and select the materials you wish to browse, then click the Go to Request Procedure button in the Browsing section to display the confirmation screen shown below.

Review the terms of use shown at the bottom of the screen, confirm the pickup location, and click the Confirm and Request button to submit your request.

The message "(No. of) requests for browsing have been accepted" is displayed to indicate that your request has been received.

Requested materials generally arrive at the pickup location within 30 minutes.

• These materials are not available for loan and cannot be taken out of the library.

7-2 Interfacility request for browsing

Request that materials held at the Kansai-kan be sent to the Tokyo Main Library for browsing on the NDL premises or that materials held at the Tokyo Main Library/the International Library of Children's Literature be sent to the Kansai-kan for browsing on the NDL premises.

* Patrons who do not have their Registration Card on their person or who are not registered users must present some identification to browse the materials.

Before making a request

• Required user information
  Registered users must register an email address to make requests online. You can review and change your email address on the User Information screen.

• Limitation on the number of concurrent requests
  Interfacility requests for browsing are limited to five materials at one time.
  Additional interfacility requests are not available until you have returned all currently requested materials. Once your request is accepted, you cannot add or change requested materials, nor can you extend the browsing period.

• Browsing period
  You can specify up to three consecutive business days as the browsing period.
  When making requests via the NDL Search, you can specify any business day from the sixth to the sixteenth business day after the date of your request as the start of the browsing period.
  You cannot specify different browsing periods for different materials.
  * If you submit your interfacility request in person at the NDL, you can specify any business day from the third business day after the date of your request as the start of the browsing period. Thus, it is better to apply in person at the NDL if are in a hurry to use the materials.

Materials not available via interfacility request

• Materials that are not suitable for transport to the Tokyo Main Library

  • Loose-leaf and other materials that are easily scattered
  • Damaged or deteriorating materials that are fragile
  • Materials from the open shelves
  • CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other electronic media
  • Materials held at the Tokyo Main Library or the International Library of Children's Literature
  • Materials that have been digitized

• Materials that are not suitable for transport to the Kansai-kan

  • Periodicals (except for foreign periodicals and reprints (limited to materials with call No. Z79))
  • Newspapers (newspaper microfilms, abridged versions can be ordered)
  • Materials held at the Kansai-kan
  • Materials that have already been digitized and can be viewed electronically at the Kansai-kan
  • Materials from the open shelves of the Tokyo Main Library
  • Special materials (old books and rare materials, modern Japanese political history materials, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, maps, music scores, etc.)
  • Materials that are easily scattered or that are damaged

If you have questions about materials that the NDL considers unsuitable for transport, please ask us via the Contact us webpage.

How to make a request

Open the Bibliographic Record screen of the materials that you wish to request and click the Interfacility request for browsing button at the bottom of the National Diet Library Holdings to add materials you wish to request and display the Interfacility request for browsing screen. If you wish to request two or more materials, please repeat the procedure described above.
* In the Bibliographic Record screen of some of the materials that are not available via interfacility request, the Interfacility request for browsing button is not displayed.
* If necessary, please input Volume/Number/Year of the issue.

After adding all materials you wish to request, check the box at the bottom of the the Interfacility request for browsing screen and click the Specify a time and date for your interfacility request button.
* The Interfacility request for browsing screen can also be accessed via the Proceed to Interfacility request for browsing button at the bottom of your Cart.

Please input necessary information to the form and click the Agree to the terms and proceed to review button.

On the confirmation screen, review the content of your request and click the Interfacility request for browsing button.
The message "Interfacility requests for browsing have been received." is displayed to indicate that your request has been received. Also, you will also be automatically sent a confirmation email.

After your request is reviewed, you will receive an email explaining which requests were accepted and how to browse the requested materials as well as an explanation of which requests could not be accepted. Please understand that some materials could be unavailable for any number of reasons.

7-3 Reservation for browsing at the Kansai-kan

You can make advance reservations to browse materials from the closed stacks on the Kansai-kan premises.

• Please refer to 7-2 Interfacility request for browsing or inquire at the Kansai-kan Material Counter of the Tokyo Main Library for information on browsing these materials on the Tokyo Mail Library premises.

• Patrons who do not have their Registration Card on their person or who are not registered users must present some identification to browse the materials.

How to make a request

Log onto the NDL Search and go to the Bibliographic Record screen. Select the material you wish to reserve and click the "Add to Cart (Reserve for browsing)" button. The material is added to your Cart.

The materials you select are listed in your Cart. Open your Cart and select the materials you wish to browse, then click the "Proceed to the application for Reserve" button in the Reservation for browsing (Kansai-kan only) sectio to display the input screen shown below.

Review the terms of use shown at the bottom of the screen, select the date you wish to browse the materials, and click the "Agree to the terms and proceed to confirmation" button to submit your request.

• Browsing Date: Any single day from the third to the eighth business day after the date of your request.

Confirm the content of your request and the terms of use in the confirmation screen and click the "Request reservation for browsing" button.

The message "(No.) requests for reservations for browsing have been accepted." is displayed to indicate that your requests has been received.

• Once a reservation is made, the browsing date cannot be changed.

• If a particular material is unavailable for any reason, we will send a notification email to registered email address by the day before scheduled date of use.
  Your registered email address can be reviewed on the User Information screen.

7-4 Remote photoduplication

You can request photocopies without visiting our library and receive them by postal mail or courier.
For details, please see "Remote Photocopy Service".

7-5 Article Research Service

Article Research Service is useful when you are unable to submit a request successfully using remote photoduplication services, because even though you know the title of the article or thesis you wish to copy, you don't know the issue of the periodical containing the article.

Responses to research requests can be reviewed via the NDL Search. Please submit a request for remote photoduplication using information from the response you receive.

• This service is not available from your mobile phone and laptop as well as computer terminals while visiting the NDL.

Before making a request

• User information
  A notification is sent to your registered email address whenever we reply to an research request. Your registered email address can be changed in the User Information screen.

• Concurrent requests and limitations on the extent of the search
  You may only request one research at a time. Additional requests are not available until you receive a response.
  We verify up to a maximum of 12 volumes (roughly one year of monthly magazines or three month of weekly magazines) in periodicals and books having multiple volumes under a single NDL Call No.

• Repeating a request
  You may submit up to three requests for any single article.

• Time to response
  In general, we respond to most requests within five business days after the day of the request. More time is sometimes needed, depending on the content of the request.

• Search methods
  We verify for articles using indexes. We cannot accept a request that would require reading full-text.

• Scope of materials
  We accept requests to find materials that are available for remote photoduplication service and which have an index.
  "If you do not know the copy part" button is displayed on the remote photoduplication request page when this service is available.
  Not all materials have an index. Thus, it is possible that we will decline your request even though "If you do not know the copy part" button is displayed on the remote photoduplication request page.
  Article Research Service is not available for following materials:

  • Newspapers
  • Residential maps
  • Electronic resources and audio-visual materials (CDs, DVDs, etc.)
  • Materials in the NDL Digital Collections that are marked "Available via the Internet."

• Identify the material you are looking for
  Search for articles in books or magazines via NDL Search or make a request using the bibliographic information.
  If you do not know the title or are otherwise unable to identify the material, please consult the reference desk at your local public or university library.

• This service is not for ordering photocopies
  To order photocopies, please make a request for photocopies after identifying what it is you wish to copy.

• We do not provide cost estimates for photocopying via this service.
  If you would like to request a cost estimate, please indicate so in the "Notes (Additional information)" column of your request for photocopies. We will inform you by telephone or email of the estimated cost prior to making copies. We do not provide cost estimates without first receiving a request for photocopies.

• Use Remote Photoduplication Services whenever possible, even if the exact pages are unknown.
  Use Remote Photoduplication Services whenever you know the title of the article, the name of the author, or other information that is sufficient to specify which pages to copy. Please review the Requirements for Requests before making a request.

• Search index information
  Indexes to some parts of our collection are available from the NDL Searcn. You might be able to find the article you are looking for by searching for the title of the article.

How to make a request

Fill in the research form

Click "If you do not know the copy part" button on the remote photoduplication request page. Then, click "Request Article Research Service” button to display the dialog. Fill in the form and click the “Add to the Cart” button.

Confirm and request

Materials you have added are listed in your Cart. Select a material, check your request and read terms and conditions,and then click the “I agree to the terms and submit my request” button in the Article Research Service section. If you would like to modify your request, please click the “Change” button.
The message "1 request for Article Research Service has been accepted" is displayed when your request is accepted.

Also, a notification that your request was accepted will be sent to your registered email address.

How to cancel a request

An research request can only be cancelled while its status is shown as "Received."

You can review the status of your requests by clicking "Details" button of the request on the Request Status screen and click "Cancel This Request button".

Response confirmation

A notification either that your request has been completed or that we are unable to complete your request will be sent to your registered email address.

Click the link in the email to log in to the NDL Search and view the response to your request.

Click the Details button to display the response, as shown below table.

For more information of remote photoduplication, please refer to the section entitled "How to make a request."

7-6 Reference

Reference services are available to individuals as well as to libraries and other institutions overseas. Patrons living in Japan cannot request reference services via this form. If your country of residence is shown incorrectly as Japan, please use the Contact Us webform to send your ID and your country of residence with the title "Please correct my country of residence." Be sure to choose Others from the Description of Your Inquiry list.

For more information on reference services, please refer to the "Reference Service" or "Handbook for Library Support (in Japanese)" sections of the NDL website.

Before making a request

• User Information
  A notification is sent to your registered email address whenever we reply to your request. Your registered email address can be changed in the User Information screen.
• Limitations on the number of concurrent requests
  Reference requests for overseas residents are limited to one request at a time. Additional requests are not available until you receive a response.
• Time to response
  In general, we respond to most requests within two weeks from the date of the request. More time is sometimes needed, depending on the content of the request.

How to make a request

In your Cart, click the Go to Request Procedure button to display the input dialog shown below.
After entering the necessary information in each field and reading the terms and conditions, click the Agree and Confirm button.

Click the Confirm button to display the confirmation screen, as shown. After reviewing the content of your request, click the Submit This Request button.

The message "One reference request has been accepted" is displayed when your request is accepted.

How to cancel or to modify a request

A reference request can only be cancelled or modified while its status is shown as "Received."
You can review the status of your requests by clicking "Details" button of the request on the Request Status screen.

• Click the Cancel This Request button to cancel a reference request.
  Click the OK button after the "Are you sure you want to cancel this request?" dialog is displayed.
• Click the Edit This Request button to modify a reference request.
  After modifying the reference request, click the Agree and Confirm Request button.
  Click the Confirm button when the confirmation dialog appears.

Response confirmation

A notification either that your request has been completed or that we are unable to complete your request will be sent to your registered email address.

Click the link in the email and log in to the NDL Search and view the response to your request.
Click the Details button on the Request Status screen.

Inquiry about the contents of response

If you have any questions about the answer, please check here.

Click the Details button on the Request Status screen to display the Details of the Reference Request.
Input your questions (up to 500 characters) in the Comment field at the bottom of the dialog and click the Send Message button.
Our response to your questions will be displayed on this same screen.