About 600 books from the years 1800-1940, part of the archive of the National Library, are being restored

The space known as the former Annex of the National Library, today the "Sotir Kolea" center was returned to the public through the service of rare books, but near the laboratory, restoration work is also continuing. The book restoration laboratory at the "Sotir Kolea" book center has restored about 600 books from the years 1800-1940, part of the archive of the National Library of Albania. The Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation Blendi Gonxhja has shared a video on the social network showing the work being done with the restoration and that these devices, made possible thanks to the support of the European Union, preserve the precious fund of books and the rare values ??they carry. Antonio Çikollari, in charge of the book maintenance sector near the "Sotir Kolea" center, explains that once the work was done mechanically. "The workers made them by hand or with almost primitive tools. While with the new equipment, the work is much easier, it becomes much easier for the library employees, but it also affects the amount of restoration and processing of books", he says. The work that is done for the restoration of the books takes on importance for these rare collections that are part of the archive of the National Library, but before the restoration, a selection is also made. Antonio Çikollari, responsible for the book maintenance sector near this center, says that hidden values ??are being revealed to the public. "The selection of books is also done depending on the contents. For example, we have books of Erasmus of Rotterdam which have been found in the premises of the National Library and that normally the book is damaged by the effect of time, even when it has never been exhibited. So there is a need to pay special attention to these rare works that we have, so that these "hidden" values ??in the archives can be brought to light and revealed to the public", says Çikollari.

The project before

The "Sotir Kolea" Center bears the name of a personality of Albanian culture, who, as the head of the National Library of Albania during the period 1928-1937, made a special contribution to laying the foundations of librarianship in Albania. This center was reconstructed and brought back to life through government investment and equipment with modern equipment with the support of the European Union through the "EU4Culture" program. Previously, the project as a whole consisted of the total reconstruction of the facility, creating suitable working conditions and spaces for the staff and regular users. It was previously announced that the "EU4Culture" program funded by the European Union, implemented by UNOPS Albania in partnership with the Ministry of Culture has procured and delivered modern restoration equipment worth 667,174.00 USD (approximately 621,672.73 Euro) to the Restoration Fund Unit Albanian National Library.