1931年在(zai)文(wen)津(jin)街北平(ping)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書館(guan)(guan)新(xin)館(guan)(guan)落成(cheng)(即今國(guo)家(jia)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書館(guan)(guan)分館(guan)(guan)),文(wen)津(jin)街新(xin)館(guan)(guan)是當時(shi)遠東最先進(jin)的(de)(de)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書館(guan)(guan)之(zhi)(zhi)一,共(gong)耗費銀元二百四十余(yu)萬元,皆來自退(tui)還的(de)(de)庚子(zi)賠款(kuan),占地(di)面(mian)積七十六畝,建筑外(wai)觀是華(hua)麗(li)的(de)(de)中(zhong)國(guo)傳統宮殿式(shi)結構,內部(bu)設施則全部(bu)為當時(shi)最先進(jin)的(de)(de)西式(shi)設備,較之(zhi)(zhi)美(mei)國(guo)國(guo)會(hui)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書館(guan)(guan)決不(bu)遜色,有學人記(ji)載“單是它那中(zhong)央大廳兩側下(xia)樓梯的(de)(de)衛生間,鋪地(di)六角小瓷磚,外(wai)面(mian)看(kan)不(bu)到(dao)里面(mian)里面(mian)能看(kan)到(dao)外(wai)面(mian)的(de)(de)窗(chuang)玻璃,一色都是美(mei)國(guo)貨,比北京飯店的(de)(de)還講究”。
北(bei)(bei)(bei)平圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)最(zui)初(chu)由原(yuan)京(jing)(jing)(jing)師(shi)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)分館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)與京(jing)(jing)(jing)師(shi)通(tong)(tong)(tong)俗(su)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)合并(bing)合而成(cheng)。合并(bing)前,二者(zhe)均(jun)為(wei)(wei)當(dang)時北(bei)(bei)(bei)京(jing)(jing)(jing)政府教(jiao)育(yu)部于1913年(nian)(nian)創辦。1926年(nian)(nian)5月(yue),奉(feng)部令(ling)改(gai)京(jing)(jing)(jing)師(shi)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)分館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)為(wei)(wei)京(jing)(jing)(jing)師(shi)第一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan),改(gai)京(jing)(jing)(jing)師(shi)通(tong)(tong)(tong)俗(su)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)為(wei)(wei)京(jing)(jing)(jing)師(shi)第二普(pu)通(tong)(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。1927年(nian)(nian)7月(yue)二館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)合并(bing),改(gai)稱京(jing)(jing)(jing)師(shi)第一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan),館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)址在宣武門(men)內(nei)(nei)(nei)頭發胡同22號前翰林院(yuan)講(jiang)習(xi)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)舊(jiu)址。1928年(nian)(nian)11月(yue),由北(bei)(bei)(bei)平特別市(shi)(shi)教(jiao)育(yu)局(ju)接(jie)管,改(gai)名北(bei)(bei)(bei)平特別市(shi)(shi)立(li)第一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。1932年(nian)(nian),教(jiao)育(yu)局(ju)裁并(bing),圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)改(gai)屬社會局(ju)。1933年(nian)(nian)改(gai)稱北(bei)(bei)(bei)平市(shi)(shi)立(li)第一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。日偽統治時期稱北(bei)(bei)(bei)京(jing)(jing)(jing)市(shi)(shi)立(li)第一(yi)普(pu)通(tong)(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。北(bei)(bei)(bei)京(jing)(jing)(jing)解放前夕,又稱北(bei)(bei)(bei)平市(shi)(shi)立(li)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan),在此期間(jian),1917年(nian)(nian)建立(li)于中(zhong)山公園(yuan)內(nei)(nei)(nei)的圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)閱覽(lan)(lan)所(曾改(gai)名京(jing)(jing)(jing)師(shi)第三普(pu)通(tong)(tong)(tong)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)、革命圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)和中(zhong)山圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan))也合并(bing)過來,成(cheng)為(wei)(wei)市(shi)(shi)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)的分館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)和兒童(tong)圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)。1949年(nian)(nian)前,該館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)藏(zang)書(shu)(shu)(shu)約(yue)10萬余冊,分類方法均(jun)采用劉國均(jun)中(zhong)國圖(tu)(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)分類法,借(jie)閱方式(shi)為(wei)(wei)館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)內(nei)(nei)(nei)閱覽(lan)(lan)與館(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)(guan)外借(jie)書(shu)(shu)(shu)。閱覽(lan)(lan)室初(chu)時分公眾閱覽(lan)(lan)室、新聞閱覽(lan)(lan)室、兒童(tong)閱覽(lan)(lan)室,借(jie)書(shu)(shu)(shu)有機關保(bao)證與押金(jin)借(jie)書(shu)(shu)(shu)兩種(zhong)方式(shi)
當(dang)時的(de)北(bei)平圖書(shu)館下設二會八(ba)部(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu),分(fen)別為(wei):購書(shu)委(wei)員(yuan)會、編(bian)纂委(wei)員(yuan)會、總務部(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)、采訪部(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)、編(bian)纂部(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)、閱覽部(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)、善本部(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)、金(jin)石部(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)、輿圖部(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu)和(he)期刊部(bu)(bu)(bu)(bu),館藏書(shu)籍(ji)包括(kuo)中文、滿文、蒙文、日文、西文普(pu)通(tong)書(shu)籍(ji)逾四十(shi)萬冊(ce);宋元明清刊本、寫本、抄(chao)本古籍(ji)逾三萬冊(ce);金(jin)石拓片逾八(ba)千(qian)(qian)幅;輿圖八(ba)千(qian)(qian)余幅;此外還(huan)有寄存(cun)圖書(shu)六千(qian)(qian)余種三萬余冊(ce)。其中包括(kuo)了《四庫全書(shu)》等珍貴收藏。
值得一提的是,當時的北平(ping)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)是免費面向社會公眾開(kai)放的,市民無(wu)需(xu)交納任(ren)何(he)費用(yong),只需(xu)每次在圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)入(ru)口處領取具有借書(shu)(shu)證性質(zhi)的門(men)牌就(jiu)可以在圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)中(zhong)任(ren)意借書(shu)(shu)閱(yue)覽,但(dan)并不提供外借。另(ling)外,圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)對(dui)進(jin)館(guan)(guan)讀者(zhe)(zhe)的衣著(zhu)(zhu)有著(zhu)(zhu)嚴格(ge)的要求,讀者(zhe)(zhe)必須(xu)著(zhu)(zhu)中(zhong)式長衫或者(zhe)(zhe)西(xi)式襯衫西(xi)褲并衣著(zhu)(zhu)整潔方可入(ru)內,否則就(jiu)要被擋(dang)在圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)的大門(men)之外。
1942年1月2日(ri),華北政(zheng)務(wu)委(wei)員會教育總署接管國(guo)立(li)北平圖(tu)書(shu)館(guan),并更名為國(guo)立(li)北京圖(tu)書(shu)館(guan)。1945年抗日(ri)戰爭結束后,該館(guan)復名國(guo)立(li)北平圖(tu)書(shu)館(guan)。
中(zhong)(zhong)華人(ren)民共和(he)(he)國(guo)成立(li)后,于(yu)1950年(nian)3月(yue)6日國(guo)立(li)北(bei)(bei)平(ping)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)更(geng)(geng)名(ming)為國(guo)立(li)北(bei)(bei)京圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan),1951年(nian)6月(yue)12日更(geng)(geng)名(ming)為北(bei)(bei)京圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan),成為中(zhong)(zhong)華人(ren)民共和(he)(he)國(guo)唯一的國(guo)家(jia)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)。1987年(nian),北(bei)(bei)京圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)新館(guan)(guan)(guan)在白石(shi)橋路(今中(zhong)(zhong)關村南大(da)街)落成,該建筑(zhu)還曾被(bei)評為“八十(shi)(shi)年(nian)代北(bei)(bei)京十(shi)(shi)大(da)建筑(zhu)”榜首,館(guan)(guan)(guan)名(ming)由鄧小平(ping)題寫(xie)。1998年(nian)12月(yue)12日北(bei)(bei)京圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan)更(geng)(geng)名(ming)為中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)國(guo)家(jia)圖(tu)(tu)書(shu)(shu)館(guan)(guan)(guan),1999年(nian)4月(yue)16日由當時的中(zhong)(zhong)共中(zhong)(zhong)央(yang)總書(shu)(shu)記、國(guo)家(jia)主席江澤(ze)民題寫(xie)館(guan)(guan)(guan)名(ming)。