Transparency
The Vatican Apostolic Library, an institution of ancient origin, is a distinguished instrument of the Church for
the development and dissemination of culture, in support of the mission of the Apostolic See. Through its various
Sections, its task is to collect and preserve a heritage of exceptional scholarly and artistic richness and to
make it available to researchers engaged in the pursuit of truth, as established by the Apostolic Constitution
Praedicate Evangelium on the Roman Curia and its service to the Church and the World (19 March 2022, art. 243).
The inalienable property of the Supreme Pontiff, founded pro communi doctorum virorum commodo and ad decorem militantis Ecclesiae, fidei catholicae augmentum, eruditorum quoque ac litterarum studiis insistentium virorum commodum et honorem (Pope Sixtus IV, Bull of 15 June 1475), the Library specializes primarily in philological and historical disciplines and, from a retrospective perspective, in theological, juridical, and scientific studies. It is dedicated to scholarly research based on the study of manuscripts, printed books, coins and medals, prints, and other graphic and cartographic materials.
The Library's activities are grounded in the principles of responsibility, traceability, and transparency, in accordance with the policies and regulations of the Holy See.
Its holdings are described according to internationally recognized cataloguing standards, in order to ensure their identification, discoverability, and proper use by the scholarly community.
Preventive conservation and restoration activities are carried out in accordance with scientific criteria and professional guidelines, with the aim of preserving the physical and informational integrity of the materials. Interventions are planned on the basis of the state of preservation and the historical and cultural value of the items.
Access to materials is regulated in order to safeguard the heritage.
By papal disposition, the Library is open to qualified researchers and scholars, without distinction of religion, nationality, or culture, particularly university professors and researchers or those affiliated with institutions of higher education, as well as other suitably qualified scholars.
Admission is subject to the availability of places and to appropriate scholarly qualifications, documented by recognized academic institutions; researchers are also required to indicate their research project.
The Library promotes the digitization of its holdings as a means of both preservation and enhancement. Reproductions are made in compliance with copyright regulations and with due regard for the conservation requirements of the original materials, in accordance with established interoperability standards.
The Library's activities are governed by its internal regulations and by Vatican norms concerning cultural heritage, copyright, and legal deposit, where applicable.
Financial and instrumental resources are allocated primarily to the promotion of scholarly activities and to the conservation, cataloguing, digitization, and enhancement of the documentary heritage.
The Library collaborates with cultural institutions, universities, and research centers on projects relating to study, conservation, and the promotion of its heritage.
Data relating to users and consultation activities are processed in compliance with applicable regulations and according to principles of security and confidentiality.
Information on the Library's principal activities, ongoing projects, and achievements in the field of conservation and enhancement is made available on its official website and social media channels.
Requests for consultation, reproduction, or information may be submitted through the channels indicated in the "Contacts" section of the website.
The inalienable property of the Supreme Pontiff, founded pro communi doctorum virorum commodo and ad decorem militantis Ecclesiae, fidei catholicae augmentum, eruditorum quoque ac litterarum studiis insistentium virorum commodum et honorem (Pope Sixtus IV, Bull of 15 June 1475), the Library specializes primarily in philological and historical disciplines and, from a retrospective perspective, in theological, juridical, and scientific studies. It is dedicated to scholarly research based on the study of manuscripts, printed books, coins and medals, prints, and other graphic and cartographic materials.
The Library's activities are grounded in the principles of responsibility, traceability, and transparency, in accordance with the policies and regulations of the Holy See.
Its holdings are described according to internationally recognized cataloguing standards, in order to ensure their identification, discoverability, and proper use by the scholarly community.
Preventive conservation and restoration activities are carried out in accordance with scientific criteria and professional guidelines, with the aim of preserving the physical and informational integrity of the materials. Interventions are planned on the basis of the state of preservation and the historical and cultural value of the items.
Access to materials is regulated in order to safeguard the heritage.
By papal disposition, the Library is open to qualified researchers and scholars, without distinction of religion, nationality, or culture, particularly university professors and researchers or those affiliated with institutions of higher education, as well as other suitably qualified scholars.
Admission is subject to the availability of places and to appropriate scholarly qualifications, documented by recognized academic institutions; researchers are also required to indicate their research project.
The Library promotes the digitization of its holdings as a means of both preservation and enhancement. Reproductions are made in compliance with copyright regulations and with due regard for the conservation requirements of the original materials, in accordance with established interoperability standards.
The Library's activities are governed by its internal regulations and by Vatican norms concerning cultural heritage, copyright, and legal deposit, where applicable.
Financial and instrumental resources are allocated primarily to the promotion of scholarly activities and to the conservation, cataloguing, digitization, and enhancement of the documentary heritage.
The Library collaborates with cultural institutions, universities, and research centers on projects relating to study, conservation, and the promotion of its heritage.
Data relating to users and consultation activities are processed in compliance with applicable regulations and according to principles of security and confidentiality.
Information on the Library's principal activities, ongoing projects, and achievements in the field of conservation and enhancement is made available on its official website and social media channels.
Requests for consultation, reproduction, or information may be submitted through the channels indicated in the "Contacts" section of the website.
