Greece
Greece
Formal Name:
Ethniki Vivliotiki tis Ellados, (National Library of Greece)
Name of Librarian: Dr Panayotis
G. Nicolopoulos
Address:
Odos El Benizelou 32, 10679 Athinai
Phone: (01) 3614413;
Fax: 3608495
History & Collections
The Inspiration to establish a national library in modern Greece was
John Mager, the Swedish publisher of the Greek Chronicles of Messologhi.
The first Prime Minister, John Kapodestrias, was instrumental in
establishing what became
the National Library. He was assisted by the educator and bibliophile
George Gennadius. The first collection was housed in the National Museum
and the Center for Educational Institutions of Greece in Aegina. In 1832
it moved to Naphlion and through legislation was named public Library.
It had a collection of 1,844 volumes, and the first Librarian was George
Gennadius. The National Library was moved to Athens in 1834. A law was
passed that required one copy of all published books to be given to the
National Library. In 1867 by law it was named "National Library.
In 1888 groundbreaking took place for the ereccion of a
new library edifice. This magnificent, beautiful building
was completed in 1903. The Library is open to the public on all working
days. It contains books in Greek and several European languages, ancient
and modern, and Asian languages. The strength
of the library is in the area of papyri, Byzantine manuscripts, manuscripts
in several European and Asian languages, Byzantine documents, Patriarchal
sigillia, a great wealth of histoncal archives of the Turkish domination,
the revolution for independence and modern Greece, first-edition printed
books, including the famous Greek grammar by Laskaris printed in Milan
in 1476, and many old and rare books from the 16th
century. The Library collection was especially enriched by
gifts from Greeks and philhellenes who endowed the National Library with
their collections. It contains more than 2.000.000 volumes and 4,500 manuscripts.
Sources:
World guide to libraries. New York: Saur, 1998.
World encyclopedia of library and information services. 3rd ed.
Chicago: American Library Association,c1993.