1931年在文(wen)津(jin)(jin)街北平圖(tu)(tu)書館(guan)新(xin)館(guan)落成(即(ji)今國(guo)家圖(tu)(tu)書館(guan)分館(guan)),文(wen)津(jin)(jin)街新(xin)館(guan)是(shi)(shi)當時遠東最先進的(de)(de)(de)(de)圖(tu)(tu)書館(guan)之一,共耗(hao)費銀元(yuan)二百四十余萬元(yuan),皆來自退(tui)還的(de)(de)(de)(de)庚子賠(pei)款,占地面(mian)積七十六畝,建筑外(wai)觀是(shi)(shi)華麗的(de)(de)(de)(de)中國(guo)傳統(tong)宮殿式結構,內部設施則全(quan)部為當時最先進的(de)(de)(de)(de)西式設備(bei),較之美(mei)國(guo)國(guo)會(hui)圖(tu)(tu)書館(guan)決(jue)不遜色,有學人記載“單是(shi)(shi)它那中央(yang)大(da)廳兩側下樓梯的(de)(de)(de)(de)衛生間,鋪地六角小瓷(ci)磚,外(wai)面(mian)看不到里(li)面(mian)里(li)面(mian)能看到外(wai)面(mian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)窗玻(bo)璃,一色都(dou)是(shi)(shi)美(mei)國(guo)貨,比北京飯(fan)店的(de)(de)(de)(de)還講(jiang)究”。
北(bei)(bei)平(ping)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)最初(chu)(chu)由原(yuan)京(jing)(jing)師(shi)(shi)(shi)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)分(fen)(fen)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)與京(jing)(jing)師(shi)(shi)(shi)通(tong)(tong)俗(su)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)合(he)并(bing)合(he)而(er)成(cheng)。合(he)并(bing)前,二(er)者均(jun)(jun)為(wei)(wei)(wei)當時北(bei)(bei)京(jing)(jing)政府教育部于1913年(nian)創辦。1926年(nian)5月(yue),奉部令(ling)改京(jing)(jing)師(shi)(shi)(shi)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)分(fen)(fen)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)為(wei)(wei)(wei)京(jing)(jing)師(shi)(shi)(shi)第(di)一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan),改京(jing)(jing)師(shi)(shi)(shi)通(tong)(tong)俗(su)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)為(wei)(wei)(wei)京(jing)(jing)師(shi)(shi)(shi)第(di)二(er)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。1927年(nian)7月(yue)二(er)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)合(he)并(bing),改稱(cheng)京(jing)(jing)師(shi)(shi)(shi)第(di)一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan),館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)址在(zai)宣武門內頭發胡(hu)同22號前翰林院講習(xi)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)舊址。1928年(nian)11月(yue),由北(bei)(bei)平(ping)特(te)(te)別市(shi)(shi)教育局接管(guan),改名(ming)北(bei)(bei)平(ping)特(te)(te)別市(shi)(shi)立第(di)一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。1932年(nian),教育局裁并(bing),圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)改屬社會局。1933年(nian)改稱(cheng)北(bei)(bei)平(ping)市(shi)(shi)立第(di)一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。日偽統治時期(qi)稱(cheng)北(bei)(bei)京(jing)(jing)市(shi)(shi)立第(di)一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。北(bei)(bei)京(jing)(jing)解放(fang)前夕,又(you)稱(cheng)北(bei)(bei)平(ping)市(shi)(shi)立圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan),在(zai)此期(qi)間,1917年(nian)建立于中山公(gong)園(yuan)內的(de)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)閱(yue)覽所(曾改名(ming)京(jing)(jing)師(shi)(shi)(shi)第(di)三普(pu)通(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)、革(ge)命圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)和中山圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan))也合(he)并(bing)過來(lai),成(cheng)為(wei)(wei)(wei)市(shi)(shi)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)的(de)分(fen)(fen)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)和兒童圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。1949年(nian)前,該館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)藏(zang)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)約10萬余冊,分(fen)(fen)類方法均(jun)(jun)采(cai)用劉國均(jun)(jun)中國圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)分(fen)(fen)類法,借(jie)(jie)(jie)閱(yue)方式為(wei)(wei)(wei)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)內閱(yue)覽與館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)外(wai)借(jie)(jie)(jie)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)。閱(yue)覽室初(chu)(chu)時分(fen)(fen)公(gong)眾閱(yue)覽室、新聞閱(yue)覽室、兒童閱(yue)覽室,借(jie)(jie)(jie)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)有(you)機關保證與押(ya)金借(jie)(jie)(jie)書(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)(shu)兩種(zhong)方式
當(dang)時的北(bei)平圖書(shu)館下設二會八部(bu),分別為:購書(shu)委員(yuan)會、編纂委員(yuan)會、總務部(bu)、采訪部(bu)、編纂部(bu)、閱覽(lan)部(bu)、善本(ben)部(bu)、金石(shi)(shi)部(bu)、輿圖部(bu)和期(qi)刊部(bu),館藏書(shu)籍(ji)包括中文、滿(man)文、蒙(meng)文、日文、西文普通書(shu)籍(ji)逾(yu)四十(shi)萬(wan)冊;宋元(yuan)明清刊本(ben)、寫本(ben)、抄(chao)本(ben)古籍(ji)逾(yu)三萬(wan)冊;金石(shi)(shi)拓片(pian)逾(yu)八千幅(fu);輿圖八千余(yu)幅(fu);此(ci)外還有寄存圖書(shu)六千余(yu)種(zhong)三萬(wan)余(yu)冊。其中包括了《四庫全書(shu)》等珍(zhen)貴收藏。
值得一提的(de)是(shi),當時(shi)的(de)北平圖書(shu)館(guan)是(shi)免(mian)費面向(xiang)社會(hui)公(gong)眾開放的(de),市民無需交納任(ren)何費用,只需每(mei)次在圖書(shu)館(guan)入口(kou)處領取具有借(jie)書(shu)證性質的(de)門牌就(jiu)(jiu)可(ke)(ke)以(yi)在圖書(shu)館(guan)中任(ren)意借(jie)書(shu)閱(yue)覽,但并不提供(gong)外借(jie)。另外,圖書(shu)館(guan)對進(jin)館(guan)讀(du)者的(de)衣著(zhu)有著(zhu)嚴格的(de)要(yao)求,讀(du)者必(bi)須著(zhu)中式長衫(shan)或者西式襯衫(shan)西褲并衣著(zhu)整潔方(fang)可(ke)(ke)入內,否(fou)則就(jiu)(jiu)要(yao)被擋在圖書(shu)館(guan)的(de)大(da)門之外。
1942年1月2日,華北政務(wu)委(wei)員會教育總署接管國(guo)立北平圖(tu)書(shu)館(guan),并更(geng)名為國(guo)立北京圖(tu)書(shu)館(guan)。1945年抗日戰爭結束(shu)后,該館(guan)復名國(guo)立北平圖(tu)書(shu)館(guan)。
中華人民共(gong)和國(guo)(guo)成(cheng)立(li)(li)(li)后,于1950年(nian)(nian)3月(yue)6日(ri)(ri)(ri)國(guo)(guo)立(li)(li)(li)北(bei)(bei)平圖(tu)(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)更名為(wei)國(guo)(guo)立(li)(li)(li)北(bei)(bei)京圖(tu)(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan),1951年(nian)(nian)6月(yue)12日(ri)(ri)(ri)更名為(wei)北(bei)(bei)京圖(tu)(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan),成(cheng)為(wei)中華人民共(gong)和國(guo)(guo)唯一的國(guo)(guo)家圖(tu)(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)。1987年(nian)(nian),北(bei)(bei)京圖(tu)(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)新館(guan)(guan)在白石橋路(今(jin)中關(guan)村南大街)落成(cheng),該建筑(zhu)還曾被評(ping)為(wei)“八十年(nian)(nian)代北(bei)(bei)京十大建筑(zhu)”榜(bang)首(shou),館(guan)(guan)名由鄧(deng)小平題(ti)寫。1998年(nian)(nian)12月(yue)12日(ri)(ri)(ri)北(bei)(bei)京圖(tu)(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)更名為(wei)中國(guo)(guo)國(guo)(guo)家圖(tu)(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan),1999年(nian)(nian)4月(yue)16日(ri)(ri)(ri)由當時的中共(gong)中央(yang)總書(shu)(shu)記、國(guo)(guo)家主席江澤(ze)民題(ti)寫館(guan)(guan)名。