The National Institute of Statisics is in charge of the Libraries Statistic by virtue of the President of the Government's Order dated 23 December 1959. This statistic is elaborated in accordance with the UNESCO recommendation for definitions and classifications in the recommendation on international standardisation of libraries statistics approved by the UNESCO General Assembly at its sixteenth meeting in 1970. Since 1986 a biannual project has been developing.

Some changes were introduced as of 2002, such as the use of a new library definition based on ISO Standard 2789. A new classification of two types of library was established and an in depth investigation was carried out on the implementation of communication and information technologies in libraries.