Search our catalogue

Follow the KNIR Library on Facebook

Collections

The KNIR library principally specializes in archeology, art history and history of Rome and of Italy. We also have special sections that deal with papal history, and with the relations between the Vatican and the Netherlands.

Our collection also include works on cultural heritage and on areas which have been excavated by Dutch archaeologist or which have seen the involvement of institute, such as Pompeii, the Via Appia, Testaccio, and proto-historic Latium. A small section is also dedicated to ancient technology.

The library is enriched with rare books, archival material, a small numismatic collection, historical postcard and photographs, the institute’s architectural blueprints, plaster casts, etc. This collection is undergoing reorganization and we hope to digitize more of it in the near future.

Our collection is comprised of:

  • Printed monographs. These constitute the greater part of the collection and cover all subject areas of interest to the library which are covered in our collection development policy.
  • Periodicals. This area holds both current and discontinued titles. In some cases an online version is also available.
  • Online resources. These include open access resources which are available via a link in the URBS catalog, and restricted access resources sources which are available via a link in the URBS catalog, and restricted access resources agreement with the library of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.
  • Special collections. Resources of different nature and origin, of particular interest to our institute and subject to various maintenance and enhancement activities. For more information, click here.

Encyclopedias, linguistic and biographical dictionaries, bibliographies, maps and other types of documents support the library’s research and complete its collection.
All the resources are classified according to the library’s relevant criteria.
The current collection is the result of a recent evaluation and discard project with the aim of reducing the library collection in order to better focus on the guidelines given in our collection development policy, in addition to the normal periodic maintenance of the collection.

For more information on the guidelines that govern acquisitions and the development of collections, we invite you to read our collection development policy, downloadable here.