Ilia Chavchavadze National Parliamentary Library of Georgia (NPLG)

Overview

The Ilia Chavchavadze National Parliamentary Library of Georgia (NPLG) is a governmental organization under the Parliament of Georgia, serving as the country's main book depository and its most important cultural, educational, scientific, and informational center. It comprises six buildings, most located in central Tbilisi with additional sites in Kutaisi.

History

The library's history begins in 1846 with the founding of the Tiflis Public Library on the basis of the Office of the Governor General of Tbilisi. In 1848 it absorbed the collection of the Private Associated Library, established on the initiative of public figure Dimitri Kipiani; by 1859 its holdings totaled 13,260 volumes in 19 languages. In 1852 the library was granted the right to receive two free copies of all publications printed in the Caucasus. In 1868 the Tiflis Public Library merged with the Caucasus Museum, and in 1913 it was reconstituted as the Scientific Library of the Caucasus Museum. On May 30, 1923, the State Public Library of Georgia was founded on the basis of the Tiflis Public Library and a Parliamentary Library. In 1937 it absorbed the collection of the Society for Dissemination of Literacy among Georgians (active 1880-1927), becoming the most complete collection of Georgian printed materials. The library operated as the "State Republic Library" from 1955 to 1990, when it was renamed the National Library of Georgia. On December 25, 1996, it came under the control of the Parliament of Georgia and took its current official name, National Parliamentary Library of Georgia. In 2000 it was named for Ilia Chavchavadze, a leading Georgian literary and public figure. In 2006 it absorbed the collections of the former State Book Chamber.

Collections, Holdings, and Publications

As of 2023 figures, the library's holdings totaled roughly 4.7 million records, including about 3.89 million items in 99 foreign languages. Its collections include the K'art'uli tsigni bibliography of more than 20,000 Georgian-language books held across the library, the State Archive of Georgia, and various museums, spanning Georgian-language publications from 1629 to the present.

Access and Usage

The library receives more than 4,000 new user applications annually. It joined the international book exchange network in 1957 and began building digital catalogues in 1990.