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1. About NDL Online 2. Search 3. Search Results 4. Bibliographic Records 5. Cart 6A. Individual Requests 6B. Institutional Requests 7. Request Status/Request History 8. User Information 9. Login/Online User Registration 10. My List 11. Digitized Contents Transmission 12. Other1 Browsing |2 Interfacility request for browsing|3 Reservation for browsing at the Kansai-kan|4 Remote photoduplication| 5 Article research service| 6 Reference
Official registered users can request the following services via NDL Online: browsing, interfacility request for browsing, reservation for browsing, remote photoduplication, article research service, and reference.
You must login to request these NDL Online services.
・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.
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 Online 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.
6A-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 Online, 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 or newspapers (except for some materials)
- 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
Use the Bibliographic Record of the materials that you wish to request to find the NDL call number, title, volume/number/year of issue.
* Please do not request materials that are not available via interfacility request.
Open your Cart and click the Go to Request Procedure button for Interfacility Request for Browsing to display the input screen shown below.
※ If you are using a tablet/smartphone, please switch to the desktop version of the website.
Input the necessary information in each field and select the appropriate options, then review the terms of use shown at the bottom of the screen and click the Agree and Request button to submit your request.

Selection of materials (2-a) |
Select multiple materials by clicking the arrow button or the number. |
NDL call number, Title, |
Input the necessary information from the bibliographic record of the material. |
Select library (2-c) |
Select either "Deliver materials from the Kansai-kan to the Tokyo Main Library" or "Deliver materials from the Tokyo Main Library or the ILCL to the Kansai-kan" to display the Scheduled Period of Use selection form and your registered email address. |
Scheduled period of use (2-d) |
Input your preferred period of use and up to two optional periods. * The browsing period should start no earlier than six business days and no later than sixteen business days from the date of application. * Materials are only available for browsing when the library is open. |
Email address (2-e) |
Displays your registered email address, to which we send messages regarding interfacility requests. |
Cancel this material (2-f) |
This button is displayed after you click the Request Another Material button. Click the Cancel This Material button to delete the information that was entered or selected in this screen. |
Request another material (2-g) |
Click this button to display another form for requesting additional materials. Up to five different materials can be requested at one time. |
On the confirmation screen, review the content of your request and click the Submit This Request button.
The message "(No. of) requests for interfacility browsing have been accepted" 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.
6A-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 6A-4 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 Online and go to the Bibliographic Record screen. Select the material you wish to reserve and click the Reservation 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 Go to Request Procedure button in the Reservation for Browsing (Kansai-kan only) section 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 Confirm and Request 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 Confirm and Request button.
The message "(No. of) requests for onsite browsing have been accepted" is displayed to indicate that your requests has been received.
Check accepted and failed requests shown below.
* 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.
You can request photocopies without visiting our library and receive them by postal mail or courier.
Please refer to Remote Photoduplication Services on our website before making a request.
* Requests for this service are not available from your mobile phone and laptop as well as computer terminals while visiting the NDL.
Before making a request
・User information (Required)
Patrons are required to register both a physical address (Contact information) and an email address. This information can be reviewed and revised on the User Information screen.
・Number of requests that may be submitted at once
Each article from a periodical or a portion of a book counts as one request. If you request a series of articles, each article counts as one request.
・Shipping of copies
In general, all requests that are submitted together will be shipped together in a single package. Requests, however, cannot always be processed at a single facility. Thus, requests are shipped to patrons from the faculty at which they were processed.
Also, requests that are submitted separately are shipped separately, even if the submissions were made on the same day.
・Limitations on the number of concurrent requests
Individual patrons may submit up to 30 requests for remote photoduplication services at a time.
Once you have reached this limit, you may not submit additional requests until after you have received previously requested copies.
・Photoduplication methods
Please refer to Photoduplication Methods on our website. We do not offer enlargements or reductions.
・Digitized materials
Printouts of materials in the NDL Digital Collections are made from the digitized image rather than from the original material.
Materials that have been made available via the Internet may be printed out freely at your own convenience.
How to make a request
・Enter the portion to be copied
Log onto the NDL Online and go to the Bibliographic Record screen. Select the material you wish to copy and click the Remote Photoduplication button to display the input screen shown below.
Input as much information as possible in Article Title, Author, and Volume/pages fields to specify the portion of the article to be copied.
*If there are multiple volume numbers, select the volume number you wish to copy and click the "Remote photoduplication" button.

After inputting the information, click the Add to Cart button.

Article title (4-a) |
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Author (4-b) |
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Volume/pages (4-c) |
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Note (4-d) |
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Checkbox (4-e) |
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Enter another portion (4-f) |
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* When you select Articles as the material type, the title of the article, name of the author, and number of volumes or pages are automatically filled in the appropriate fields. Please check to be sure that the portion you wish to be copied is indicated correctly. This is important, because sometimes the information is truncated when the number of characters exceeds the limit.
* Be sure to enter the number of the volume or issue in the Volume/Pages field, especially when selecting material specified as "一覧に表示されない資料を所蔵しています" or "Digital," which often include periodicals or other materials containing more than one volume or issue. We cannot copy the portion you want unless it is specified clearly.
・Confirm and request
The materials you add are listed in your Cart. Open your Cart and select the materials and click the Go to Request Procedure button in the Remote Photoduplication section.
Click Change button to modify your request.
Click the Go to Request Procedure button to open the input screen shown below.
Fill out the form, read the precautions listed at the bottom of the screen, indicate the Purpose of Photoduplication, and then click the Agree and Confirm button to submit your request.

Requests shipped from: ______ (4-g) |
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Shipping address (4-h) |
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Email address (4-i) |
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Phone number (4-j) |
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Fax number (4-k) |
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Notes on shipment (4-l) |
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Purpose of photoduplication (4-m) |
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When the Confirm Request screen is displayed, review the content of your request and click the Submit this Request button.
The message "(No. of) requests for remote photoduplication have been accepted" is displayed to indicate that your requests has been received.
How to cancel a request
A request can only be cancelled while its status is shown as "Specifying the portion to be copied" or "Holding."
Once cancelled, the materials in question may not be available until they are returned to the stacks.
Click the All Requests button in the upper right corner of the screen to display the Request Status screen and then click the Details button in the Remote Photoduplication section.
To cancel a request, click the Cancel this Request button associated with the request you wish to cancel.
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 article research requests can be reviewed via the NDL Online. 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 article 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 article research at a time. Additional requests are not available until you receive a response.
We search 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 search for articles using indexes. We cannot accept a request that would require reading text.
・Scope of materials
We accept requests to find materials that are available for remote photoduplication service and which have an index.
The Article Research Service button is displayed on the bibliographic record of the material.
Not all materials have an index. Thus, it is possible that we will decline your request even though the Article Research Service button is displayed on the bibliographic record.
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 Online 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 National Diet Library Online. 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 the Article Research Service button in the Bibliographic Record to display the dialog shown below. Fill in the form and click the Add to Cart button.

Article title (5-a) |
Please enter the title or author of the article you are searching for, providing as much detail as possible up to 3,000 characters. |
Scope of research (5-b) |
Please enter the year or issue that you would like us to search. Searches are limited to 30 volumes (roughly two years of monthly magazines or half a year of weekly magazines). (Up to 1000 characters) |
Additional information (5-c) |
It is often helpful for our search when you provide information about the resource from which you obtained information about the article you want. (Up to 1000 characters) |
・Confirm and request
Materials you have added are listed in your Cart. Select a material and click the Go to Request Procedure button in the Article Search Service section. If you would like to modify your request, please click the Change button.
Click the Go to Request Procedure button to display the confirmation screen. After checking your request and reading terms and conditions, click the Confirm and Request 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 article research request can only be cancelled while its status is shown as "Received."
You can review the status of your requests by clicking the All Requests button in the upper right corner of the screen to display the Request Status screen. Click the Details button in the article search service section and then click the 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 Online and view the response to your request.
Click the Details button to display the response, as shown below.

Response (5-d) | Our response |
User Guide (5-e) | Information about using the material |
Detailed information on the material (5-f) |
Bibliographic record and the location of the articles Select the check box to request remote photoduplication for the article. |
Request remote photoduplication (5-g) |
Select the Volume/Pages check box in the Detailed Information section and click the Request Remote Photoduplication to add the request to your Cart. Open your Cart to complete the request. You can edit the request in your Cart to request copies of the cover, index, and colophon. For more information, please refer to the section entitled "How to make a request (6A-4 Remote Photoduplication)." |
Contact us
100-8924, Japan
National Diet Library, Reference Service Section, Service Planning Division, Readers Services and Collections Department
TEL:03-3581-2331
(Reception time:9:30-17:00 in the open days of the Tokyo Main Library)
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" 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.

Title (6-a) |
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Question (6-b) |
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Resources already consulted (6-c) |
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Name of contact person (6-d) |
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Purpose (6-e) |
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Attachment (6-f) |
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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 the All Requests button in the upper right corner to display the Request Status screen.
Click the Details button displayed on the right of the reference title.
・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 Online and view the response to your request. Click the Details button on the Request Status screen.
Questions about the response
If there is any part of our response that you find unclear, please ask additional questions.
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.
