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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0306 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2013-05-23 </periodOfReport> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0000890491 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> BARNES & NOBLE INC </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> BKS </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001323985 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> Troia Christopher </rptOwnerName> |
| | | </reportingOwnerId> |
| | <reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet1> C/O BARNES & NOBLE, INC. </rptOwnerStreet1> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet2> 122 FIFTH AVENUE </rptOwnerStreet2> |
| | | <rptOwnerCity> NEW YORK </rptOwnerCity> |
| | | <rptOwnerState> NY </rptOwnerState> |
| | | <rptOwnerZipCode> 10011 </rptOwnerZipCode> |
| | | <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription> |
| | | </reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | <reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | | <isDirector> 0 </isDirector> |
| | | <isOfficer> 1 </isOfficer> |
| | | <isTenPercentOwner> 0 </isTenPercentOwner> |
| | | <isOther> 0 </isOther> |
| | | <officerTitle> VP & Chief Information Officer </officerTitle> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <nonDerivativeTable> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2013-05-23 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> F </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 504 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 22.47 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 33488 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 1020.323 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> I </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value> By 401(k) Plan </value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | </nonDerivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> Shares withheld by the Issuer on vesting of restricted stock units (payable solely in common stock of the Issuer on each vesting date) to cover applicable withholding taxes. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F2"> Holdings under the Barnes & Noble, Inc. 401(k) Plan are reported in units. Therefore, the securities set forth in Column 5 of Table I are units. The number of units reported herein are based on a plan statement dated as of March 31, 2013. The Barnes & Noble, Inc. 401(k) Plan accounts for interests in the Barnes & Noble, Inc. Stock Fund in units consisting of shares of Barnes & Noble, Inc. common stock and a liquidity component. As a result, the number of underlying shares may fluctuate from time to time. </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <remarks></remarks> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> /s/ Eugene V. DeFelice, as Attorney-in-Fact for Christopher Troia </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2013-05-28 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |