Home / About us About us The Public Library of Kalamata, was founded in 1933 on the initiative of 46 intellectuals of the city of Kalamata and is one of the largest libraries in the Greek region. It is a Non Profit Making Organization that is being runned by a 9-member Board of Directors. It has developed – and continues to develop – a rich and multifaceted cultural activity and has been awarded by the Academy of Athens because “…it is a remarkable educational institution and intellectual Association that has made many and varied efforts to promote and strengthen intellectual cultivation …” It is primarily committed to the ongoing enrichment and permanent operation of a large library – both lending and non-lending – and an important art collection, that of the Gallery of Contemporary Greek Art. Within the framework of its activities, it has published three volumes of “articles concerning the region of Messinia” and has organized numerous cultural events. The Public library has more than 240,000 volumes of books, 3,500 titles of magazines (60,000 issues), 200 titles of Messinian newspapers (more than 400,000 sheets), 42 of which date back to the 19th century. It also has 450 bound volumes covering all the publications of the main Messinian newspapers from 1935 to the present day. There are also more than 90,000 sheets of non-Messinian newspapers (mainly from the pre-war period), archives relating to the Second World War and the 19th century, as well as hundreds of private and public manuscripts. Particularly rare and valuable books and precious heirlooms of the 16th and 17th centuries are kept, of which the Plato’s Complete Works (1534 AD) stand out. In recent years, emphasis has been placed on the modernization and computerization of the library, as well as the creation of a modern website. The contribution of the Holy Metropolis of Messinia, the Municipality of Kalamata, the I.F. Kostopoulos Foundation, the Captain Vassilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulou Foundation, the George and Victoria Karelias Foundation and the t eam of volunteers and members to the operation of the Library and its projects is undivided and multifaceted.