Old library in Shkodra celebrated

SHKODRA, Dec. 10 – Local authorities in the northern city of Shkodra celebrated Sunday the 75th birthday of the town’s library, though it is believed that is much older than that. It is believed that since 1760-1770 the city had a cultural educative center made up of a medrese and library. A number of documents with the stamp of Kara Mahmut Pasha testify its existence since the 15th century. Nevertheless it is officially accepted it was created in 1917 but received the full credits in 1921. then ten years later the Marin Barleti library was created and that serves for any ceremony. Shkodra has been a well known place with as many as 28 libraries until the end of World War II. The library has now some 20,000 books and 71,000 titles considered to be one of the richest in the country.