“中华古籍资源库”发布的国家图书馆藏善本古籍影像数据大部分是由八十年代拍摄制作的缩微胶卷进行数据转换而成，另外一部分是用平馆藏书的胶卷转换而成的。资源库开通以前，国家图书馆善本古籍阅览室的善本古籍阅览和复制服务一直以来主要依靠缩微胶卷进行。资源库上线运行是古籍数字化的具体体现，是保护善本古籍原件和善本缩微胶卷都非常有效的一种方式。数字化时代下网络发布古籍资源数据大大便利了读者，给古籍善本传统到馆阅览方式（主要是阅览缩微胶卷）带来了很大变化，更可贵的是改进了传统古籍阅览和利用模式，把阅览善本古籍从一件原本比较难的事变得非常简单和便捷，而且已经能满足大多数读者的一般使用需求。并且资源库阅览善本古籍已经被社会和学界广泛认识和充分使用，拓宽了文献研究的范围和角度，让更多的古籍被利用被揭示。

Most of the rare book image data in the Chinese Ancient Books Resource Database released by the National Library of China were converted from microfilms produced during the 1980s; the remainder were converted from microfilms of books in the library's general collection. Prior to the database's launch, reading and reproduction services for rare books in the library's Rare Book Reading Room relied primarily on these microfilms. The launch and operation of the database represent a concrete step in the digitization of ancient texts and provide a highly effective means of preserving both the original rare books and their microfilm copies. In the digital era, the online release of these resources greatly facilitates reader access and has significantly changed the traditional on-site reading model (mainly microfilm viewing). More importantly, it has improved the conventional mode of rare book consultation, making what was once a cumbersome process remarkably simple and convenient, and now meets the general needs of most users. The database has been widely recognized and actively utilized by both the academic community and the public, broadening the scope and perspectives of documentary research and enabling a greater number of ancient texts to be explored and brought to light.