National library of Uzbekistan  named after  Alisher Navoi (till April, 12th, 2002, the State library of Republic Uzbekistan named  after  Alisher Navoi) has received the status "national" on the basis of the Decree of the President of Republic Uzbekistan « About perfection of the organization of research activity » from February, 20th, 2002 (UP)-3029 and the Regulation of the Cabinet of Republic Uzbekistan « About creation of National library of Uzbekistan named after  Alisher Navoi » from April, 12th, 2002 ,№ 123.

First director of library since May, 11th, 1872 there was Nikolay Vasilevich Dmitrovsky. A positive role in destiny of library during this difficult period «the Observant committee» has played, created in 1883 In different years in committee known scientists, teachers, historians, ethnographers entered: N.A.Maev, N.V.Dmitrovsky, A.A.Simeon, A.A.Divaev, N.G.Malitsky, etc.

Creation concerns to an initial stage of history of library known « the Turkestani album » also. Preparation of this unique picture album have charged ориенталисту A.L.Kunu.

According to « the Catalogue of manuscripts of Turkestani public library », made by academician A.A.Semenovym, its hand-written fund to 1917 made 250 volumes.

During this period the first lithographic books which are let out in lithographs of Khiva and Tashkent are got also. These are lithographs «Khamsa » A.Navoi (1880), « Divani  munis», « Divani  Radji», work of the known poet of XVIII century Sufi  Alloyor « Stability weak » and many other things.

In 1920 to library has been appropriated the status "state". From this year the library starts to receive mandatory copies of all editions which are published in territory of Turkestani edge. In 1925 its fund was made with 140 thousand units of storage.

In consequence of delimitation of republics of Central Asia the library has remained in submission Наркомпроса of Uzbekistan and rendered the practical help to again created Central Asian republics in the organization of library business.

In July,  1925,  At east department of the State public library of Uzbekistan the college of probationers has started to function. In December, 1929 rates of studying of the Uzbek language, the libraries created for employees, in August, 1930 – rates of preparation catalogue makers  scientific libraries, in January, 1932 – three-monthly rates on cataloguing, ordering and predmetizaci, and in October, 1934 have opened at Committee of sciences – rates for workers of scientific libraries.

The decision of the government of Uzbekistan the State public library in Tashkent in 1933 is declared by the Central storehouse of east manuscripts of republic.

The fundamental importance in work of library in 1920–1930 was borrowed with the bibliography. To this period its employees had been wrote large bibliographic works.

In the end of 1930th the State public library became the original methodical center for other libraries of republic which number by then has exceeded 2,5 thousand. Has opened at it a cabinet of library science and the bibliography where lectures were constantly spent, reviews, consultations.

Within the second world war in halls of library worked: academicians V.V.Struve and V.P.Filatov, member-correspondents of the Academy of sciences of the USSR of V.M.Zhirmunsky, A.JU.Yakubovsky, N.K.Piksanov, writers A.N.Tolstoy, N.E.Virta, Vs.V.Ivanov, M.A.Tsjavlovsky, V.G. Yan, K.I.Chukovsky, workers of arts – the honored worker of arts M.F.Gnesin, professor V.M.Belyaev, composer N.V.Bogologskiy, the national actor of the USSR I.V.Ershov and many other things evacuated to Tashkent. During post-war time the main task of library becomes updating book funds. Books from Bulgaria, Hungary, GDR, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia have started to act. Friendly communications with libraries  were  adjusted  of  the Great Britain, the USA, France, Germany, Japan  and  other  countries.

In 1948 to library the name of the great Uzbek poet and witter Alisher Navoi has been appropriated and the new three-tier building, with reading rooms on 350 seats has opened. Then the department of rare and ancient editions in which it has been collected 2 thousand books, including 250 with autographes, 151 – with ex-librises has been organized. Now this fund is totaled from above with 16 thousand copy.

In 1970 year are created new departments – research, the scientific information on culture and art, depositary  storages, by a control -dispatching office of service, youthful.
In 1980 year is conducted work on all-union researches, such as « the Book and reading in a life of the Soviet village », « Dynamics of reading and reader's demand in mass libraries », « Rational accommodation of library resources », as well as republican value, such as « Formation of a book kernel of mass libraries of Uzbekistan », « the Form of the Uzbek authors in Russian transcription in the bibliographic description »  and  others.

The special attention began to be given updating of fund by the literature in the Uzbek language. Now in it from above 600 thousand copy – works классиков the Uzbek literature, such as A.Navoi, Furkat, Mukimi, Zavki, Ibn  Sino(Avizenna), Ulukbek, Beruni , as well as works of modern scientists and writers of republic.

The following important period in history of library begins in 2002 when on February, 20th,  2002 there was a Decree of the President of Republic Uzbekistan « About perfection of the organization of research activity ». In 8 item of the given Decree the offer of scientific institutes and departments of republic on creation of National library of Uzbekistan was accepted it. Alisher Navoi by association of the State library of Republic Uzbekistan it. Alisher Navoi and Republican scientific and technical library with submission to its Cabinet of Republic Uzbekistan. This decision was accepted with a view of expansion of activity of library as center of national culture, treasury of a national spiritual heritage of people of Uzbekistan and further progress of library business in republic.

In April, 2002 the Cabinet of Republic Uzbekistan has accepted the Regulation from April, 12th, 2002, № 123 « About creation of National library of Uzbekistan Alisher Navoi's name ». The regulation of the Cabinet of Republic Uzbekistan has defined the status of library - the main state book-depository national and a foreign press, multipurpose библиотечно-information and research establishment, the methodical center for all libraries of republic.