Malta

Situated in the centre of Valletta, the National Library is one of the major treasures of the Maltese Islands. It is a reference and research library preserving the memory of the nation with collections that span the centuries from medieval times to the digital age. As the guardian of the written memory of Malta for current and future generations, the National Library promotes research and makes its vast collections available to researchers and visitors alike.

The National Library of Malta holds various collections such as books, journals, newspapers, manuscripts and maps, as well as audio and visual recordings by Maltese authors. These holdings are of significant importance not only for the history of the Maltese Islands, but also for the evaluation of European and Mediterranean history.

The National Library of Malta’s main functions are to:

1. Manage and conserve its national collections for present and future generations and ensure their accessibility to researchers
2. Continue to acquire, assemble and conserve documents, publications, records, works, whether electronic or not, published in Malta, or by Maltese authors, or about Malta, or in the Maltese language, or about any aspect of Maltese studies by any author, wherever they are published
3. Acquire, assemble and conserve manuscripts and other unpublished material on any subject by Maltese authors, or on any aspect of Maltese studies by any author
4. Organise the collections in such a way as to make them easily accessible to researchers and provide these with the necessary facilities within the limits of the resources available
5. Continue to develop, within the National Library, a National Bibliographic Centre that will maintain the Malta National Bibliography
6. Make its collections known by organising exhibitions and other promotional events
7. Work closely with the National Archives of Malta such that users of both institutions can easily access each other’s collections for users’ greater benefit