During its early years, the library grew rapidly, thanks to the contributions of various popes, scholars, and collectors. The library's holdings included not only Christian texts but also works from ancient Greek and Roman authors, as well as manuscripts from the Middle East and North Africa.

Features roughly 70 incunabula and 80 precious books from the 16th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gregoriana Library underwent significant transformations. Pope Gregory XIII (1572-1585) played a crucial role in expanding the library's collections, adding thousands of volumes from across Europe. The library became a hub for scholars and intellectuals, who came to study and translate ancient texts.

Here’s a good, informative text about the (often understood as the Biblioteca Gregoriana or the library connected to the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome). You can adapt it depending on your audience (academic, tourist, or general reader).

The library’s origins are tied to the , established to provide high-quality education for Jesuit scholars.