Next Digital Library (English)
The Next Digital Library is an experimental search service that implements functions developed based on research conducted by the Research and Development for Next-Generation Systems Office in the National Diet Library. Its purpose is to verify the technical effectiveness of the full-text search function, automatic processing using machine learning, International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) API, and more.
The "Keyword search" allows users to search from the full text, and the "Illustration search" allows users to search for similar images and illustrations automatically extracted from each material.
Digitalized materials of books including old and rare Japanese books (about 350,000 items) with expired copyright protection available on the internet in The National Diet Library Digital Collection can be searched.
Operation checks are performed with the latest Chrome and Firefox. It does not work with Internet Explore.
The functions offered are as follows: 1. Full-text search, 2. Image search using automatic image extraction, 3. Background whitening of offered materials, 4. Automatic generation of table of contents in materials, 5. Automatic image processing for smartphone display, 6. Automatic detection of page turning direction, 7. Utilization of IIIF, and 8. Adding tags related to the content using image recognition and faceted search by tags.
For more details, please see the documents listed on NDL Lab related literature (Japanese).
Also, related programs and learning datasets used for machine learning are released on GitHub (https://github.com/ndl-lab).
Please note that the text data have been produced automatically to enable searching, therefore we will not accept any requests for correction.
Terms of Use
Although the copyright protection period has expired for the materials included in the Next Digital Library and the data (text data and image data) are Public Domain Mark, we ask for your cooperation in considering the following points when making secondary use of these data.
- When editing or processing data, etc. and using it, please document that you have done so. Please do not publish data that you have edited or processed, etc. in a manner which makes the providing organization appear to have created said data.
- Please do not remove any CC0 or public domain mark or notice that have been applied.
- Please do not make use of the work in a manner that could create a misleading impression, such as how the work should be used, etc., that clearly contradicts the intention of the author. In case the work includes culturally sensitive elements, please do not use it in ways that might be derogatory other cultures or communities.
- Please pay attention to rights other than the copyrights (author's moral rights, neighboring rights, portrait rights, publicity rights, privacy rights, trademark rights, etc.) and comply with related laws and regulations.
- The National Diet Library disclaims all responsibility for any acts performed by users using the data in the Next Digital Library.
- The data in the Next Digital Library and information contained in this page may be changed or deleted without notice.
The Next Digital Library comprises historical materials, some of which include derogatory expressions concerning ethnicity, nationality, religion, sex, social status, family, disability, illness, or sexuality. While such expressions are inappropriate in modern society, we regard them to be a reflection of the social mores of the age in which they were published and have digitized them in unexpurgated form so that they are available for public reference and research. Please use these materials wisely and with respect for contemporary laws intended to eliminate discrimination.
Screenshots and search results can be freely reproduced without application. The API may also be freely available without application, except for commercial and continuous use. For other uses, please contact us.