The National Library of Greece: its Situation and Prospects for Development with a Note on Academic Libraries in Greece

Abstract

The National Library of Greece (NLG) has had a long and checkered career. Founded in the earliest years of the modern Greek state, it has long been a repository of books, newspapers, and other materials relating to Greece and the Greeks. It has weathered all manner of crises and neglect, but more recently it has benefited from new financial support, much of it from the European Union. Although there is much work to be done, it is moving ahead and stands poised, to take its place among the national libraries of the developed world. A full accounting of the history, collections, services, and operations is here provided by the former Director of the NLG followed by an extensive note on the more positive situation of academic libraries in Greece.