FAQ
Is there an
entrance fee and is a guidebook available?
Entry into the National Library of Malta is free of charge.
A booklet entitled A Guide to the National Library of Malta
is available at €1.75. Two sets of postcards of the
National Library, one consisting of ten postcards and the
other of five, are also on sale at the Library at the price
of €2 and €1 respectively.
What are the requirements
for entering the National Library of Malta?
Access to the National Library is granted to persons carrying
an ID card or a passport, or another official identification
document with a photo.
What are the opening hours of the National Library?
The National Library of Malta opens to the public from Monday
to Friday between 08.15 and 17.30 and on Saturdays from 08.15
to 13.15. Between 16th June and 30th September, the Library
operates on a reduced schedule, that is, Monday to Saturday
from 08.15 to 13.15. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Visitors are allowed to enter up to 15 minutes before closing
time.
Which is the oldest holding in the Library?
A document dated 1107 which forms part of the Archives of
the Order of Malta is the oldest manuscript extant at the
National Library. The document is a charter issued by King
Baldwin I of Jerusalem confirming the donation of property
to the religious of S. Salvator de Monte Tabor (A.O.M. 1,
no. 1). The lands were transferred to the Knights Hospitalers
of St. John in the thirteenth century.
The incunabula collection constitutes the oldest printed
material at the Library. The term 'incunabulum' (plural 'incunabula')
is the Latin word for 'cradle' and refers to those works
printed in the late 15th century, i.e. just after the invention
of printing.
Can I trace my family history at the National Library?
You may consult the Adami collection where marriages (c.
1575-1818) held in Malta and Gozo between 1546 and 1876 are
listed by locality. But information to be gleaned from here
is limited. We recommend that information
regarding post-1863 marriages be acquired from the Public
Registry in Valletta. Regarding pre-1863 marriages, one must
refer to the parish where the marriage would have been held.
What about information about the Knights of Malta?
Information about individual knights may be gleaned from
the sections ‘Libri Bullarum’ and ‘Prove
di Nobiltà’ in the Archives of the Order of
Malta. Data may also to be collected from the section ‘Libri
Conciliorum’.
And how do I find my way about?
The catalogue or repertorio of the archives is helpful in
tracing a particular knight listed in the section ‘Prove
di Nobiltà’. Here the knights are listed according
to their Langues. The number printed to the left of the name
corresponds to the number of the volume where the admission
process of the particular knight may be found. Regarding
the ‘Libri Bullarum’, one must first consult
the Ruoli of knights available in the Reading Room before
going to the repertorio to look up the date in the section ‘Libri
Bullarum’. The number printed to the left corresponds
to the volume where information regarding the knight is to
be found. Many of the ‘Libri Conciliorum’ have
been catalogued and published by the University of Malta
(see Catalogues of the Records, etc.) In cases where the
material has not been published, one must trace the information
by date as the volumes in this section are in chronological
order.
Can I order photocopies of Library material?
When a researcher requests photocopies of Library material,
Library staff shall, before any payment is made by the researcher,
ensure that the material may be photocopied (see ‘Photocopying’ under
the heading ‘Regulations’). If not, researchers
may order duplication of microfilms or scans. No order for
photocopies, microfilms or scans is executed unless paid
for in advance. Orders must be placed and paid for between
08.15 and 12.00 between 16th June and 30th September and
additionally from 13.30 to 16.00 between 1st October and
15th June. The fee of the photocopies at the Library is of €0.23
in respect of each A4 size page and €0.35 in respect
of each A3 size page. The fee for microfilming and scanning
is of €5.82 per volume plus €0.23 per frame. The
fee for duplicating a microfilm from negative to positive
is of €34.94 per film.
What is the 'Legal Deposit Act'?
The Legal Deposit Act stipulates that two copies of all
works published in Malta are to be deposited at the National
Library of Malta and the Gozo Public Library. The books and
periodicals received at the National Library of Malta in
a given year by way of legal deposit constitutes the bulk
of the data included within the Malta National Bibliography.
What do we mean by 'melitensia' and what does this collection
comprise?
The term ‘melitensia’ refers to works written
by Maltese nationals published in Malta or abroad, as well
as works that are about the Maltese Islands written by foreign
authors. The National Library ‘melitensia’ collection
comprises published material in the form of books, pamphlets,
newspapers, journals and single-sheet items - as well as
audio and visual recordings - by Maltese authors, or on any
subject related to the Maltese Islands.
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