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. Some items within the library’s collections deserve to be highlighted mainly because of their historical importance, uniqueness, beauty or their fascinating content.

The National Library is the proud custodian of the Archives of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta containing almost 7000 volumes covering 900 years of the varied and eventful history of the Hospitallers of St John from 1107 to 1798. A folio from a Book of Hours, depicting the Nativity scene Drawing of Ġgantija by Giorgio Grognet. The National Library houses many rare items including; the drawings of Giorgio Grognet and an early edition of Nostradamus dating back to 1566, early edition of Nostradamus, 1566 Papyrus document, and a document written on papyrus dating back to the 4th century BC. There are a number of curious items at the National Library, about which little is yet known.

Image credits: maltalibraries.gov.mt