The characteristics of the Forbidden City Library include publicity and openness. The establishment of the Palace Museum is based on the nature and business needs of the Palace Museum. Among many departments in the museum, the library is not only a business department, but also a professional and characteristic library serving the museum. The Palace Museum is a professional library of cultural relics museum based on the royal collection of Qing Dynasty. Its collection is an important part of the existing ancient books in China.

Main responsibilities of the Palace Museum Library: 1. Carry out literature collection and preservation, collection and selection, classification and cataloging, reading and circulation, restoration and protection, research and development, and digitization. Rare books, ordinary ancient books and court books in Ming and Qing Dynasties. 2. Carry out book preservation and utilization and library science research, implement classified and branch library management according to the types and levels of cultural relics and documents, and regularly display and publicize characteristic collections. 3. Undertake to provide information consultation, document retrieval, reading and copying services for the staff of scientific research and publication, exhibition and exhibition, cultural relics research and ancient building maintenance of the Palace Museum, regularly provide book cataloging information, carry out in-depth development of characteristic documents, and take into account the leisure literature needs of staff. 4. On behalf of the Palace Museum, carry out literature exchange and cooperation with domestic and foreign cultural, archives, books and information institutions. Complete other tasks assigned by superior departments and hospital leaders.