History of construction of the Kansai-kan

Based on the report of the Research Committee, "The Second NDL (provisional name) Project Headquarters" (Project manager: Deputy Librarian) was established on May 18, 1987 to draw up plans for the establishment of the Second NDL (provisional name). This headquarters reviewed the issue and submitted the "First Basic Plan for the Establishment of the Kansai-kan (provisional name) of the NDL" on July 21, 1988 to the Librarian. In August, the headquarters reported its plan to the Committees on Rules and Administration of both Houses, and distributed it to related organizations to seek opinions from both inside and outside the library.

In principle, The Tokyo Main Library and the Kansai-kan each would have unique functions but would complement each other and act as a single body. The Tokyo Main Library would have overall control and not only serve the National Diet but also act as the National Library of the last resort, responsible for the whole process from collecting domestic publications to providing them to the public. The Kansai-kan would act as an information processing center, maintaining the databases of bibliographic information developed by the Tokyo Main Library, and providing various bibliographic information. It would also provide various information supply services and also track the location of materials nationwide in cooperation with various libraries throughout Japan.
In addition, in order to reduce the risk of losing documents in case of disaster and to preserve them permanently, publishers and distributors would be required to deposit two copies of each of their publications (one to the Tokyo Main Library and one to the Kansai-kan). With foreign documents added to the latter, the Kansai-kan would also serve as the document supply center, collecting and providing publications in the form of electronic media, thus acting as the NDL's center for library cooperation.

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