The National Library was established in the late 1960s primarily to conserve the literary treasures which form a significant part of Bhutan`s cultural heritage. It now houses an extensive collection of Buddhist literature mostly in block-printed format, with some works several hundred years old. There is also a small Foreign Books Collection, stock of which mainly comprises works written in English, with subject interest on Buddhist studies, Bhutan, the Himalayan region and neighboring countries. The largest book in the world about Bhutan is on display.