On 26 June 2025, the National Library of Romania organised a festive event on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of its re-establishment, an event that aimed to recall the most important moments of this cultural journey.

According to historians and researchers, the National Library of Romania finds its origins in one of the oldest libraries in the Romanian Principalities – the “Saint Sava” Academy in Bucharest. This library opened its collections to the general public in 1838. In 1859, it was granted the status of a national library, and over the years it was alternately referred to as the “National Library” or the “Central Library”. In 1901, the Library was disbanded and its collections were transferred to the Romanian Academy Library, only to be again re-established in 1955 under the name of the Central State Library. After the Romanian Revolution in December 1989, it was renamed the “National Library of Romania”.

On the occasion of celebrating seven decades of uninterrupted activity, the National Library of Romania was honoured with a series of speeches by the Minister of Culture, representatives of other relevant cultural institutions, academics, writers and collaborators. The event continued with opening of the exhibition “Breviar 70. A History of the National Library of Romania”, a documentary exhibition, focused on highlighting the historical path, role and mission of the National Library in the Romanian cultural landscape.

The anniversary event ended with a professional meeting “Libraries in Dialogue”, where issues related to the relationship between the National Library of Romania and partner libraries were discussed.

We were delighted to have with us on this special occasion colleagues from libraries across the country and many former employees of the National Library of Romania.