It was built in 1904 by Tomoito Sumitomo, the 15th head of the Sumitomo family, which had been based in Osaka since the Edo period, and donated the library building and funds to purchase books. library. Initially, the name was ``Osaka Library,'' but the name was later changed to ``Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library.'' In 1922, the left and right wings were also donated and added to the building (nationally important cultural properties). It is a stately building with a three-story stone structure and a copper-roofed dome, and was designed by architects Magoichi Noguchi and Akira Hidaka of the Sumitomo Temporary Architecture Department. The Nakanoshima Library has a collection of ancient documents, Osaka-related literature, and business-related books. Thanks in part to its quiet and convenient location, it is still popular among researchers and book lovers nearly 100 years after its completion.