Albania

The National Library of Albania was founded on July 10, 1920. At the time of its inauguration, it had about 6,000 volumes in its collection. After its establishment in 1920, calls for the compulsory delivery of copies and the enrichment of its archive collection were continuous.

Around the 1930s, with the increase in personnel, all the books collected during these years began to be systematised for the first time. This initiative can be considered a genuine work in the field of librarianship, with cataloguing, data recording, library users, etc., and as the beginnings of the scientific work of librarianship. The National Library of Albania is an institution under the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation.

It is enriched based on the law on books in the Republic of Albania with:
– 5 legal copies for each Albanian publication
– donations and gifts
– purchases
– exchange-loan

Within The National Library of Albania operate:
– The National ISBN Agency, 1997
– The National School of Library Science, 1969
– The Center for the Restoration of Rare Collections
– The “Sotir Kolea” Center, 2023, as a centre for communication and dialogue in the realisation of cultural activities