National Library of Greece Εθνική Βιβλιοθήκη της Ελλάδος (NLG)

History and Founding

The National Library of Greece (Εθνική Βιβλιοθήκη της Ελλάδος, NLG) was established in 1829 by Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first Governor of Greece, as part of a broader effort to build national cultural institutions following independence. It was initially housed in an orphanage on the island of Aegina and curated by Andreas Moustoxidis. In 1842, the library merged with the University of Athens library, and by royal decree in 1866 the combined institution was formally designated the National Library of Greece. The iconic neoclassical Vallianeion building on Panepistimiou Street in central Athens, financed by the Vallianos brothers of Kefalonia and designed by Baron Theophil von Hansen, served as the library's home from 1903 to 2017. In 2018, the library was relocated to a new 22,000-square-meter facility at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) on Phaleron Bay, designed by architect Renzo Piano.

Collections and Holdings

The NLG holds more than 1.1 million physical items and 300 million digital resources. Its General Collection spans books, periodicals, newspapers, maps, microfilms, and digital documents from the 17th to the 21st century. Special Collections include manuscripts and replicas (codices from the 9th to the 19th century), archival materials, rare and valuable books, works of art, papyri, posters, and maps. Among its treasures are rare copies of Homeric texts, a 14th-century prayer book from the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty, a fragment of the Gospel of Matthew from the 6th century (Uncial 094), the Charta of Greece by Rigas Velestinlis, and the personal papers of Dionysios Solomos, author of the Greek national anthem.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The NLG holds a significant collection of Greek newspapers and periodicals and serves as the national deposit library for all printed and electronic publications in Greece. It compiles and publishes the National Bibliography in its role as the country's Cataloguing and Bibliographic Center. The newspapers collection, including historical periodicals, remains partly housed at the former Vallianeion building in central Athens.

Access and Usage

The NLG offers access to physical and digital collections, a public lending library, an electronic reading room, and a Children's Library. Researchers may access rare manuscripts on rotation in specially designed display spaces. The library coordinates the Greek Libraries Network of 274 member institutions and offers educational and training programs for professionals and the public.