National Library of Armenia is the biggest repository of Armenian rare, early printed books and also maps and periodicals. All these publications are intensively used by researchers all over the world. All materials are very fragile. Maps collection includes more than 11,000 maps and atlases. 782 maps are of immense value for the researchers, and are giving geographical descriptions and political boundaries of the Caucasus region during various time periods. These include the first Armenian printed map Ashkharhatsoyts (Two Hemispheres) Amsterdam, 1695, “Map of the Old and the New Worlds’ (Venice, 1751), ‘Map of Armenia’ (Venice, 1778), ‘Map of images’ (Venice, 1849), ‘Pocket Atlas’ (Venice, 1901) and many more.
The library’s history begins in the year 1832, when the library of Male Gymnasium was founded, and on the basis of 18.000 volumes the Armenian National Library was formed. During 1925-1990, the library was named after Armenian statesman Aleksander Myasnikyan. In 1990, it was renamed as National Library of Armenia. Rare and Early Prints of the library are donations from the State, from famous scholars and researchers of the 20th century. According to the Law on Librarianship, all collections of the NLA are State owned , and the ownership is afer National Library of Armenia.
