Translation guide
The English word 'library' can refer to a physical building with books, a personal collection of books, or a digital collection of media. In Japanese, the most common word is 図書館 (としょかん) for a public or school library. For a personal collection, 書庫 (しょこ) or 本棚 (ほんだな) are used. Digital libraries are often called ライブラリ (raiburari) or 電子図書館 (でんしとしょかん).
Where is the library?
I went to the library.
A building or room containing collections of books and other materials for reading, study, or borrowing.
The standard word for a library as a public facility. Used for municipal, school, and university libraries.
I often study at the library on weekends.
This library has a large collection of books.
Loanword from English. Often used in names of facilities or for specialized libraries, such as media libraries or private study spaces. Less common for public libraries.
That café has a small library attached.
A room, piece of furniture, or collection of books owned by an individual.
Refers to a room or storage area for books, often in a private home. Can also mean a stack room in a library.
He has a large library in his house.
Bookshelf or bookcase. Used when referring to the furniture rather than a room. Often used to describe a personal library in a casual sense.
One's collection of books. More formal and often used in literary contexts.
A collection of digital resources such as e-books, music, or software libraries.
While ライブラリー is understood, it sounds unnatural for municipal or school libraries. Stick to 図書館 for those contexts.
municipal library
リビングの本棚に小説が並んでいる。
Novels are lined up on the bookshelf in the living room.
My grandfather's library contains many valuable books.
Digital library, often used for services that lend e-books or provide online access to library materials.
You can borrow e-books from the digital library.