The Prime Minister hands his treasure over to the National Library

Last week, Prime Minister Berisha donated several valuable volumes from his personal library to the National Library, two of which are worth 15.000 Euro. “This treasure was immediately registered as part of the fund of antique possessions of the library,” stated the Director Aurel Plasari. Amongst other volumes there is a book of Scenderbeg by the French author Lavardin, another by Marin Barleti, again on the Albanian National Hero and a third by Paganeli, these volumes date back to the years 1500-1600. Plasari says that the volume on Skenderbeg by Jacques de Lavardin could be worth between 10-15 thousand Euro, based on the current market rate for very rare books, which is certainly the category of the ancient volume on Skenderbeg of the year 1604. Although Albania lacks the expertise to accurately assess the value of such rare volumes, Plasari said that an approximate value can be made relying on current market rates, in the same manner Marin Barleti’s volume in Italian which dates back to 1568 could also be worth up to several thousands of Euros, although it exists translated into several languages, chiefly translated from the Italian version. A little less valuable because it dates back to the year 1830 and is not classified as an antiquity if “Skenderbeu” by Camille Paganel, which is interesting, Plasari says because it has been translated into the Hungarian, and as such, it is a unique edition. It appears that its public translated into this language is linked with the heroic participation of Hunyadi in the battles of the Turks in the XV Century. Plasari stated that for a precise evaluation of these three volumes, the expert opinion of the antique book dealers of Europe must be acquired. The National Library has not had funds for a long time now to expand its fund of rare volumes. Plasari was optimistic that perhaps this example set by the Prime Minister could encourage other possessors of valuable books to donate them to the National Library.