[1] The library headquarters is on the corner of Aitken and Molesworth Streets in Wellington, close to the New Zealand Parliament Buildings and the Court of Appeal.

The General Assembly Library was founded from money voted by Parliament in 1856 and soon became "a magnificent national treasure house in a splendid building".

[3] The Alexander Turnbull Library was founded in 1920 and grew to hold a "comprehensive collection" of primarily New Zealand culture and history, Māori and non-Māori.

In 1987, staff and collections from 14 different sites around Wellington were centralised in a new National Library building, officially opened in August.

The architecture of the building is said to have been heavily influenced by the design of the Boston City Hall,[9] but direct reference to the Birmingham Central Library should not be ruled out.

[16] The purpose of NALI was to examine the structure and role of the National Library, Archives New Zealand and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, the position of the Chief Archivist and National Librarian, and the future of collecting, preserving and providing access to New Zealand's documentary heritage, particularly digital preservation and access.

[31][32] In September 2021, the Publishers Association of New Zealand and the New Zealand Society of Authors lodged an appeal against the legality of the National Library's donation to Internet Archive with the attorney-general, arguing that the donation breached copyright law and expressing concern about the future of the books should the archive be ordered to close.

Wellington QC Hugh Rennie also alleged that the National Library was receiving advice from a lawyer unauthorised to practise in New Zealand, in response to Tohatoha copyright adviser Michael Wolfe's statement in support of the donation agreement.

[34] The lawyers Andrew Brown QC and Jack Oliver-Hood also opined that the deal made the library liable for copyright infringement in New Zealand courts.

[35] The Library states that the Internet Archive uses controlled digital lending to "prevent illicit copying and ensure that copies are loaned to one person at a time" and that "controlled digital lending provides a way to ensure protection for content creators as well as the ability for people to be able to access and use the work that's been created.

[40] Organisations that protect writer and publisher copyright particularly PANZ and NZSA (PEN NZ) are primarily concerned with the interests of their clients and members, e.g. illegal copying of books.

[41] Meanwhile, groups like Writers Against National Library Disposals (referred to by government as the "creative sector") and Book Guardians Aotearoa advocate for increased government funding for correct storage and professional curation of the international collection, to encourage and facilitate public accessibility to the threatened books.

The Creative Sector does not oppose digitisation, but wishes it to occur within New Zealand as long as it fully respects authors' rights.

[43][44] The National Library of New Zealand has also stated that it would enter into consultation with all the authors' rights and creative sector groups concerned, in 2022.

The General Assembly Library became a stand-alone institution in 1986, when it restricted its focus to documents of immediate pertinence to parliamentary activities.

[48] Turnbull House, the library's former location in Bowen Street in downtown Wellington, is now managed by Heritage New Zealand.

A number of archives held at the Alexander Turnbull Library have been added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Aotearoa New Zealand Ngā Mahara o te Ao register.

[67] The National Library has been providing support to schools since 1942 and the current service operates from centres in Auckland and Christchurch.

[75] Established in 2007, the Aotearoa People's Network Kaharoa (APNK) provides internet access to the public through local libraries in New Zealand.