The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo had its beginnings in the Institute of Art Research, which was the first institution to specialise in research in fine art in Japan. The library at the Institute played a central role from the very start, acquiring and making accessible its large collection of material related to fine art, with an emphasis on books and photographs. In recent years, we have also begun to play a role as an archive and information centre. What were the original aims and objectives behind the establishment of the library, and how have its activities changed? Amidst the many developments in recent years – the role of the internet, now a major information tool, the organisational changes at the Institute itself – it is essential that we continue to do the work for which we have long been recognised in art history research and the preservation and utilisation of cultural properties, and at the same time find ways to collaborate with related institutions.