Editing Vatican Library (section)

{{Short description|Library of the Holy See in Vatican City}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox library
| native_name = Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana
| native_name_lang = la
| name = Vatican Apostolic Library
| library_logo = [[Image:Vatican Library Logo.svg|70px]]
| image = Melozzo da Forlì 001.jpg
| caption = ''[[Pope Sixtus IV Appoints Bartolomeo Platina Prefect of the Vatican Library]]'', fresco by [[Melozzo da Forlì]], 1477, now in the [[Vatican Museums]]
| country = {{flag|Vatican City}}
| type = [[Research library]]
| scope = 
| established = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1475|paren=yes}}
| ref_legal_mandate = 
| coordinates = {{coord|41|54|17|N|12|27|16|E|type:landmark_region:VA|display=inline,title}}
| mapframe-zoom = 14
| branch_of = 
| num_branches = 
| items_collected = 
| collection_size = {{Plainlist|
* 75,000 codices
* 1.1 million printed books
}}
| criteria = 
| legal_deposit = 
| req_to_access = 
| annual_circulation = 
| pop_served = 
| members = 
| budget = 
| director = [[Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi]]
| num_employees = 
| website = [https://www.vaticanlibrary.va/ vaticanlibrary.va]
| references = 
| location_map = Vatican
| map_caption = Location on a map of Vatican City
}}
{{Vatican City sidebar}}
The '''Vatican Apostolic Library''' ({{langx|la|Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana}}, {{langx|it|Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana}}), more commonly known as the '''Vatican Library''' or informally as the '''Vat''',<ref name="God's Librarians">{{Cite magazine
| issn = 0028-792X
| volume = 86
| issue = 42
| pages = 24
| last = Mendelsohn
| first = Daniel
| title = God's Librarians
| magazine = [[The New Yorker]]
| access-date = 3 August 2014
| date = 3 January 2011
| url = http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/01/03/gods-librarians
| archive-date = 8 August 2014
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140808041633/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/01/03/gods-librarians
| url-status = live
}}</ref> is the [[library]] of the [[Holy See]], located in [[Vatican City]], and is the city-state's [[national library]]. It was formally established in 1475, although it is much older—it is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. It has 75,000 [[codex|codices]] from throughout history, as well as 1.1&nbsp;million printed books, which include some 8,500 [[Incunabulum|incunabula]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.openculture.com/2020/01/the-vatican-library-goes-online-and-digitizes-tens-of-thousands-of-manuscripts-books-coins-and-more.html |title=The Vatican Library Goes Online and Digitizes Tens of Thousands of Manuscripts, Books, Coins, and More |date=January 6, 2020 |website=Open Culture |access-date=April 5, 2022 |archive-date=22 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220422174241/https://www.openculture.com/2020/01/the-vatican-library-goes-online-and-digitizes-tens-of-thousands-of-manuscripts-books-coins-and-more.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Vatican Library is a [[research library]] for [[history]], [[law]], [[philosophy]], [[science]], and [[theology]]. The Vatican Library is open to anyone who can document their qualifications and research needs. Photocopies for private study of pages from books published between 1801 and 1990 can be requested in person or by mail.

[[Pope Nicholas V]] (1447–1455) envisioned a new Rome, with extensive public works to lure pilgrims and scholars to the city to begin its transformation. Nicolas wanted to create a "public library" for Rome that was meant to be seen as an institution for humanist scholarship. His death prevented him from carrying out his plan, but his successor [[Pope Sixtus IV]] (1471–1484) established what is now known as the Vatican Library.

In March 2014, the Vatican Library began an initial four-year project of [[digitising]] its collection of manuscripts, to be made available online.

The [[Vatican Apostolic Archive]] was separated from the library at the beginning of the 17th century; it contains another 150,000 items.