Reading room

All items of the Historical Library are available for on-site reading at our premises on 2nd Merarchias Street, Piraeus. Our library services are provided free of charge to all, both researchers and members of the public. 

Access to the material requires the submission of an electronic application providing the reader’s details along with the requested items. Please note that materials are not available for loan, and access to the stacks is restricted. However, all cataloged collections are accessible through our online catalogue.   

Library Catalogue

All visits are by appointment and reading materials must be requested in advance. To ensure the best service to our readers, applications should be submitted at least two working days before the planned visit to our premises. Once the requested items are available, users will be notified and can study them in the Reading Room of the Historical Library. Upon entry, identification must be provided, and in specific instances, a library staff member may supervise visitors. Some items may require the use of protective aids such as gloves or special book supports.   

The number of items available for study during each visit may be limited, depending on the condition of the materials.  

If the condition of the material allows it, copies can be acquired, exclusively for personal research purposes. The user can photograph the item for free, or the library can provide a copy for a fee (€0.20 per page for digital copies and 0.25 € per page for printed copies). 

We remind you that copies are not provided for works still under copyright.  

The library provides free Wi-Fi access for users.  

Consumption of food and beverages is prohibited in the library premises.  

Monday – Friday 10:00 – 16:00

Small modifications to the opening hours are possible, depending on the use of library spaces for educational programmes, as well as various events and conferences. 

Due to the special nature of old and rare materials, readers can study them under supervision and with the use of the protective measures indicated when necessary (gloves, book supports etc.). Researchers are allowed to bring with them: a laptop/tablet, a notebook and a pencil (not ink pens). 

The above is applicable to the following collections: 

Bibliotheca Graeca of Sakos Ikonomopoulos 

Armand Vandeplas 

Panagiotis Laskaridis (published up to 1900) 

Konstantinos Laskaridis (published up to 1900) 

Delwaide old (published up to 1900) 

and on a case-by-case basis for items from the rest of the collections that are unique, rare or worn.