The National Library of Greece (NLG) holds a great number of important archives dealing with issues such as historical facts crucial for modern Greek history and prominent figures in politics, art, and literature. In the past, leading personalities of the National Library of Greece played a decisive role both in archival collections enrichment as well as in their description.

Linos Politis, curator of the manuscripts collection during the period 1929-1948 and later a professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, was the first to systematically catalogue the archival collections of the NLG. Panagiotis Nikolopoulos, also curator of the manuscripts collection during the 1970s and one of the longest-serving Directors- General of the NLG, ensured that all archival collections acquired after Linos Politis’s tenure were recorded.

Nowadays, new technologies set new standards and priorities. In recent years, substantial progress has been made in the detailed description of a significant part of the NLG’s archival material, allowing the public to explore the NLG’s resources in a more accessible and accurate way. The official website of the National Library of Greece offers concise – and, where necessary, extensive – electronic descriptions of this material, facilitating direct and well‑documented access for all users.

Through the Administrative Records of the NLG, users can access the archive’s index, which presents the historical evolution of the National Library of Greece and chronicles the acquisition and provenance of its collections. Furthermore, via the Archives and Collections, researchers, students, and the wider public can discover significant 19th‑ and 20th‑century items and search for information on a wide range of topics related to modern and contemporary Greek history.

Among others, documents, registers, and record books shed light on the administrative organisation of the emerging Greek state; plans, drawings, photographs, logbooks, and reports illustrating the architectural and construction activity in the early 20th century; moreover, telegrams, letters, memoranda, and reports illuminate the political and social developments of the interwar period. Lastly, also available are manuscripts, letters, and personal papers of prominent literary figures and intellectuals.

The cataloguing of the archival material is an ongoing process, and additional descriptions will soon be made accessible through the NLG’s website. The aim of this initiative is to promote and highlight the wealth of the NLG’s archival holdings, thereby playing a vital role in preserving and disseminating Greece’s historical memory and cultural heritage.