The Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation is a public benefit cultural institution established in 2007. Its main purpose is to promote -in Greece and abroad- Greek culture and especially Greek letters and historical and nautical research. The foundation operates the Historical Library, a “library of libraries”, holding books and archival collections of significant scholars and personalities of Letters and Culture, as well as a lending library with over 40,000 items. Today the Historical Library boasts more than 600,000 volumes and its Old and Rare Materials departments compises some 15,000 printed items, including early printed books.