The NAL is located on the first floor of the museum, overlooking the John Madejski Garden. The library's subject coverage includes those central to the work of the V&A and its collections, including: prints, drawings and paintings; furniture and woodwork; textiles, dress and fashion; ceramics and glass; metalwork; sculpture; and art and design of the Far East, India and South East Asia. The library also functions as the V&A's curatorial department for the art, craft and design of the book which means that some books are collected as examples of book art, rather than as reference works.