To collect, preserve, cultivate and endow the treasures of knowledge, heritage and culture in general, with an emphasis on the Land of Israel, the State of Israel and the Jewish people in particular.

• To serve as the National Library of the Jewish people, responsible for collecting the literary treasures of the Jewish people and preserve the continuity of Jewish and Israeli culture.
• To serve as the National Library of the State of Israel.
• To serve as the central research library for Israel and for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in the Humanities fields, with an emphasis on Jewish Studies, Middle Eastern cultures, Asia-Africa and Islam.