本文為慶賀臺北市立圖書館五十五週年館慶而撰寫。本文探討一般公共圖書館的功能與角色，大都會公共圖書館提供研究資源的服務，大都會公共圖書館設置研究圖書館的組織結構實例；最後提出建議，期望臺北市立圖書館，在目前已有四所區館的組織結構下，考慮設一研究圖書館於總館之中，或分設主題研究分館於四區館之下。

This paper is written for the celebration of the 55th anniversary of the Taipei Public Library. This paper discusses the functions and roles performed by the general public libraries, the research resource services provided by the metropolitan public libraries, and the organizational structure of research libraries in the grand metropolitan public library system. To conclude, this paper proposes that to set up a research library in the main library or to establish subject research centers in the regional libraries may be one of the priorities that the Taipei Public Library could consider in the near future.