Kumamoto City Library, Public library in Chūō-ku, Japan

Kumamoto City Library is a public library in the Chūō-ku district of Kumamoto, Japan, bringing together printed books, digital resources, and multimedia materials in a single building. The collections are organized by topic, making it straightforward for visitors to find what they need across the different sections.

The library began in October 1948 as the Kumamoto CIE Library, opened by the Civil Information and Education section of the occupying GHQ with 3,000 books and 400 magazines, plus records and slides. In May 1952 it became an American Culture Center under the US State Department, and in October 1953 the city took it over, merging it with the Chūō Community Hall reading room as Kumamoto City Library on the second floor of the City Public Hall — the earliest municipal library among Kyushu's prefectural capitals. It moved to Kumamoto Castle's Ninomaru in 1965, to the Social Education Hall in Shirakawa Park in 1968, and in April 1982 to its present Ōe building, equipped with computers.

The library's origins lie in the Kumamoto CIE Library, opened in October 1948 by the Civil Information and Education Section of the occupying GHQ with 3,000 books and 400 magazines. It held records and slides from the start and ran regular record concerts, English conversation classes and storytelling sessions for children.

To borrow materials, visitors need a library card, which requires a residence registration document or a Japanese driver's license when signing up at the front desk. Those who only want to read or browse on-site do not need a card and can use the space freely.

The library began in October 1948 as the Kumamoto CIE Library, set up by the Civil Information and Education Section of the occupying GHQ with 3,000 books and 400 magazines. It held records and slides from the start and ran regular record concerts, English conversation classes and storytelling sessions.