What The Library Promotion Foundation does

The Library Promotion Foundation (公益財団法人図書館振興財団) is a Tokyo-based public-interest incorporated foundation established in November 2008 and granted Cabinet Office public-interest certification (公益認定) in April 2012. The Foundation operates four interconnected programs targeting libraries, schools, and municipal governments across Japan: (1) the nationwide 'Library-Based Research Learning Contest' (図書館を使った調べる学習コンクール®), a registered trademark now in its 30th edition with over 1 million cumulative submissions from 171 regional contests across 41 prefectures; (2) two grant programs — a Development Grant (振興助成, up to 10 million yen per project, 70M yen total annual pool) and a Proposal-Based Grant (提案型助成, up to 30 million yen per project, 100M yen total annual pool) focused on digitization of local materials; (3) a Book Selection Service publishing weekly curated recommendations for library collections; and (4) the quarterly journal 'Library School' (図書館の学校) distributed via the Friends Association (友の会) membership program at 3,000 yen per unit annually.

The Foundation's revenue model is non-commercial and mission-driven: operational funding derives from returns on a 40 billion yen basic endowment (基本財産, as of June 26, 2026), Friends Association membership fees (3,000 yen/unit annually), journal subscriptions (5,160 yen/year for non-members), and donations accepted via the Congraunt platform. Underlying technology is minimal and non-proprietary — the Foundation maintains a contest website (concours.toshokan.or.jp) and publishes the journal in reflowable e-book format for accessibility compliance, but develops no commercial technology products. Its core 'technology' is essentially an institutional architecture: a national contest network coordinated with regional municipalities, schools, and libraries; government endorsements from MEXT, MIC, Japan Tourism Agency, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education; and co-sponsorship from major library and publishing industry players (Maruzen Yushodo, TRC, Maruzen Junkudo, Calil, Yomiuri Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, NHK, and from 2026 the National Theater of Japan).

Governance is provided by a board of directors, auditors, and councilors (評議員) drawn from Japan's library, publishing, and academic establishment — including representatives from Kinokuniya, Maruzen, TRC, the Japan National Theater New National Theatre Foundation, the University of Tsukuba, Keio University, and Aoyama Gakuin University. The Foundation relocated its secretariat to Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo in May 2022 and operates with a lean staff of 1–10 employees, relying on regional contest organizers and grant recipients to execute programs at the local level.

Name

The Library Promotion Foundation

Legal name

公益財団法人図書館振興財団

Website

https://toshokan.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Library Promotion Foundation (公益財団法人図書館振興財団) is a Tokyo-based public-interest foundation, established 2008, that operates Japan's nationwide Library-Based Research Learning Contest, two grant programs for library innovation and digitization, a weekly book selection service, and the quarterly journal 'Library School' for municipal governments, schools, and libraries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Library Promotion and Cultural Philanthropy Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Library User Services & Information Support (Reference, Research Help, Instruction Support) (EDAEAGAL)

Keywords

• Library promotion services
• Public library grants
• Book selection service
• Library research contest
• Nonprofit foundation publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Friends Association Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from individuals and organizations (友の会) who receive the journal 'Library School' (図書館の学校) four times per year. Membership fees are 3,000 yen per unit (non-taxable) and are used to fund the contest operations and grant programs.
2. Journal Sales and Subscription: Sale of the 'Library School' journal to non-members. Per-issue price is 1,290 yen (including 1,100 yen + 190 yen shipping). Annual subscription is 5,160 yen. Individual back issues are also sold. Issues two or more years old are provided free of charge.
3. Donations: The Foundation accepts donations via the Congraunt (コングラント) donation platform. Donations support the Foundation's library promotion activities, including grant programs and the contest.
4. Grant Program Endowment: The Foundation's primary financial resource is its endowment (基本財産: 40 billion yen), which generates returns used to fund grant programs (振兴助成 and 提案型助成). The Foundation also receives donations designated for the 提案型助成 program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Library Promotion Foundation is a public-interest incorporated foundation that promotes libraries across Japan through four programs: a national Library-Based Research Learning Contest (調べる学習コンクール) for students; grant programs (Development Grants and Proposal-Based Grants) supporting public libraries and local governments; a Book Selection Service (選書事業) that delivers curated reading lists to subscribing libraries; and the journal 図書館の学校 (Library School) alongside its Friends Association (友の会) for individual supporters.

Product overview

The Foundation for Library Advancement operates as a public interest foundation with four interconnected core programs: (1) The Library-Based Research Learning Contest - a nationwide competition promoting inquiry-based learning using library resources, now in its 30th year with over 1 million cumulative submissions; (2) Grant Programs - including Development Grants supporting library operations and innovation, and Proposal-Based Grants focused on digitizing local/historical materials; (3) Book Selection Services - providing weekly curated recommendations of new books for library collections; and (4) The journal 'Library School' and Friends Association - offering quarterly publications and membership supporting library promotion activities. These programs work together to advance library services, promote reading culture, and foster regional development through library utilization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Library-Based Research Learning Contest (調べる学習コンクール)

Quantifiable outcome

• 127,456 contest submissions from 171 regional contests in 41 prefectures (2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and flagship.

• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (文部科学省)coreOthersMEXT provides official endorsement of the Library-Based Research Learning Contest, lending governmental credibility to the competition. The Ministry also nominates the MEXT Minister's Award as the top prize in the national contest.
• Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (総務省)coreOthersMinistry provides endorsement and nominates the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Award (総務大臣賞) for regional contest organizers in the competition.
• Japan Tourism Agency (観光庁)majorOthersProvides the Tourism Agency Chief Award (観光庁長官賞) in the national contest, supporting the link between library use and regional tourism awareness.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (東京都 教育委員会)majorOthersProvides official endorsement and support for the contest within Tokyo.
• Japan Library Association (公益社団法人 日本図書館協会)coreOthersProvides endorsement and contributes to contest judging. One of the most authoritative library associations in Japan.
• Reading Promotion Council (公益社団法人 読書推進運動協議会)majorOthersProvides endorsement of the contest as part of its broader reading promotion mission.
• Independent Administrative Agency National Theater of Japan (独立行政法人日本芸術文化振興会/国立劇場)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrom the 30th contest (2026), the National Theater established the 'National Theater Award' (国立劇場賞) in the Research Learning category. This represents a new co-branded award recognizing the intersection of traditional performing arts and research learning. The Foundation interviewed National Theater Director General Hasegawa Machiko for the journal.
• Maruzen Yushodo Co., Ltd. (丸善雄松堂株式会社)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Library-Based Research Learning Contest. Contributes to contest promotion and awards.
• TRC (株式会社図書館流通センター)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the contest. TRC is a major library management and services company in Japan and is also represented on the Foundation's board of directors.
• Maruzen Junkudo Co., Ltd. (株式会社丸善ジュンク堂書店)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the contest, contributing to contest awards and promotion.
• Yomiuri Shimbun (読売新聞社)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor providing the Yomiuri Shimbun Award (読売新聞社賞) in the national contest and media coverage of contest activities.
• Mainichi Shimbun (毎日新聞社)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor providing the Mainichi Shimbun Award and media coverage.
• NPO Library School (NPO法人 図書館の学校)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Foundation integrated the operations of NPO Library School in April 2012. The NPO originally created and ran the contest from 1997. The Foundation now publishes the journal 'Library School' (図書館の学校) continuing the NPO's legacy.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reading Promotion Council (公益社団法人読書推進運動協議会): A national Japanese council dedicated to reading promotion and a current endorsement partner of the Foundation's contest. Directly comparable in mission (children's reading, library utilization) and in deploying contest-style events to reach schools and municipalities.
• Japan Library Association (公益社団法人日本図書館協会): Japan's most authoritative library industry association and a current endorsement partner of the Foundation. Overlaps directly on library promotion, professional development, and policy advocacy, with a broadly similar Japanese-library audience.

Broad incumbents

• Toyota Foundation (公益財団法人トヨタ財団): Japan's largest independent grantmaking foundation, funding research and civic programs. Comparable in operating model (corporate-affiliated foundation distributing grants to nonprofits and municipalities) but with a broader research/social-issue mandate.
• National Diet Library (国立国会図書館): Japan's national library and statutory policy body. A larger, government-operated institution with overlapping mandate on library services, digitization, and bibliographic infrastructure, but covering a much broader scope than the Foundation's promotional focus.
• Suntory Foundation (サントリー文化財団): A major Japanese corporate foundation supporting cultural and academic research grants. Comparable in grantmaking model and Japanese cultural ecosystem footprint, but focused on arts/humanities research rather than library promotion specifically.
• The Nippon Foundation (日本財団): One of Japan's largest grantmaking foundations, with programs in education, social welfare, and culture. Comparable as a major Japanese nonprofit disbursing grants, but with a much broader scope and far larger endowment than the Foundation's library-focused mission.

Regional players

• American Library Association (ALA): The principal US library membership association, running national awards, reading promotion campaigns, and professional development. Comparable in mission and program mix (contests, publications, advocacy), but operating in the US market rather than Japan.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York: US-based foundation with a long-standing international library development program (Carnegie Libraries). Comparable as a foundation that distributes grants to strengthen library ecosystems, but geographically focused outside Japan.
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA): The global umbrella body for library associations, operating UN-recognised policy advocacy and capacity-building programs. Comparable in library promotion and policy advocacy, but at international scale rather than Japan-specific execution.

Emerging players

• NPO Library School (NPO法人 図書館の学校): The predecessor NPO that originated the Library-Based Research Learning Contest in 1997 and whose operations were integrated into the Foundation in 2012. Directly comparable in original mission and target audience, though now subsumed within the larger foundation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Toshok_Zaidan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcd0AvivzRizwjkg88kCQ0g
• Facebookfacebook.com/p/%E5%85%AC%E7%9B%8A%E8%B2%A1%E5%9B%A3%E6%B3%95%E4%BA%BA%E5%9B%B3%E6%9B%B8%E9%A4%A8%E6%8C%AF%E8%88%88%E8%B2%A1%E5%9B%A3-100072081574678/?locale=ja_JP
• Instagraminstagram.com/toshokan_shinko

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Library Promotion Foundation