Local Library Visit 7: Academy of Athens Library, Bank of Greece Library and Parnassos Literary Society’ s Library
Time: 09:00-13:00
Academy of Athens Library
Type of library: research
Postal address: 28, Panepistimiou Ave., 106 79 Athens, Greece
Distance from Congress venue: 1.5 km
Meeting point: Panepistimio Metro Station
Optimal route: From Panepistimio Metro Station, exit Academy of Athens, a library staff member from Academy of Athens Library (Local Library Visit #7a) will accompany the delegates to the Library (3 min walk). Then, Bank of Greece is located across the street (Local Library Visit #7b). Afterwards, a library staff member from Bank of Greece will accompany the delegates to Parnassos Literary Society which is 5 min walk (Local Library Visit #7c).
A volunteer will be waiting for you at the proposed meeting point.
The Library of the Academy of Athens “Ioannis Sykoutris” was founded in 1926 and is one of the largest libraries in Greece. It consists of the Central Library housed in the Αcademy of Athens main building and of annexes housed in its research centers. The library is named after “Ioannis Sykoutris”, a prominent Greek philologist of the early 20th century.
The Library primarily serves the needs of the Academy’s researchers, but it is also open to the general public. Its purpose is to support research through its collection of books, magazines and information in every form. It is also responsible for the compilation of the Greek Bibliography of the 20th century.
The Academy of Athens was the country’s first research medium. In its Founding Charter of 1926, scientific research is included in its objectives, the realization of which is provided for through the founding of ‘Laboratories of Scientific Research’ and through the encouragement and support of research projects. In this context the Academy of Athens, immediately upon its establishment, incorporated two scientific archives-centres that were already in existence: The Istorikon Lexikon (Historical Dictionary, founded in 1914), which is the present-day Centre of Research into Modern Greek Dialects and Idioms (I.L.N.E.), and the Laografikon Archeion (the Folklore Archive, founded in 1918), which is the current Center of Research into Greek Folklore.
Furthermore, as early as the first decade of its operation, the Academy founded two more research archives-centers: in 1929 the present-day Center of Research into the History of Greek Law, and in 1930 the present-day Center of Research into Medieval and Modern Hellenism. In 1935 the Academy established the Fund for Scientific Research, in order to financially boost research proposed by the Academy’s three Sections. This service corresponds to that of the present-day Research Committee of the Academy, which has been in operation since 1981 and manages scientific projects.
Between the 1950s and the present day, nine more research centers and ten research offices began operating at the Academy, covering research into the Arts (Modern Greek History, Greek and Latin Literature, Archaeology, Greek Philosophy, Scientific Terms and Neologisms, Greek Society, Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Art, Modern Greek Art, Architecture, International and Constitutional Institutions, Financial Research), and into the Sciences (Astronomy, Climatology, Mathematics, Physics, Mechanics, Information Technology, Military and Defense issues). Concurrently the Academy of Athens remains an active participant in international research projects.
Bank of Greece Library
Type of library: research/special
Postal address: 21, El.Venizelos Ave., 102 50 Athens, Greece
Distance from Congress venue: 2.7 km
The Library of the Bank of Greece is one of the most prominent and comprehensive special libraries in Greece in the field of economics. Established along with the Bank in 1928, it was one of its earliest business units and it is housed at the Bank’s Head Office in a space of architectural interest. The collection is constantly being developed in subjects related to the main functions of the Bank: economics, banking and central banking, finance, monetary policy, the Greek economy and its history, world economy, statistics, Greek and European law and business administration.
The Library’s print collection features some 175,000 volumes. In addition to the publications of the Bank, it includes books, academic journals, newspapers (Greek and foreign), annual reports of central banks and working/discussion papers. Publications of international organizations, such as the European Central Bank, the European Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, and the International Labour Office, form a great part of the collection. There is also a rare book collection comprising of about 1,150 volumes. The oldest book is an edition of Plato’s Omnia opera, published in Basel in 1534. The collection of electronic resources consists of more than 50 databases of electronic journals and books, reports, statistics, newspapers and the main research tools of the Library’s resources.
The Library’s online catalogue (WebPAC), as the basic research tool, enables users to access the printed resources, while the web discovery tool Summon is used for simultaneous research on both the printed and electronic resources of the Library.
During working days, the Library is open for external and walk-in users from Monday to Friday from 09.00 to 13.30. The Banks’ employees can use the Library during the Bank’s working hours.
Parnassos Literary Society’s Library
Type of library: special
Postal address: 8, Agios Georgios Karitsis Square, 105 61 Athens, Greece
Distance from Congress venue: 2.5 km
Parnassos Literary Society Library is one of the most prominent and renowned cultural associations in Greece. It was established in 1865 and its goal is to culturally improve and develop Greek people. In order to achieve its goals “Parnassos” organize lectures, concerts, painting exhibitions, poetry and playwriting contests. It also has a very reputable night school, the first night school for working children in Greece.
Our library has approximately 100.000 volumes of books. Most of them are 19th century publications but some of them date back to the 17th century. In addition, the library holds valuable manuscripts-archives of distinguished Greeks, members of the Society. Thus, many scholars use the library. A librarian opens the library 3 days a week. Although many books of our collection have been digitized, there is plenty of work still to be done. Nonetheless, we are determined to continue our mission, despite the extremely difficult economic milieu.
