other structural units: departments and laboratories. Currently there are eight departments (Codicology, Source Studies and Diplomatics, Archival Studies, Fund Management, Exhibitions, Education, the Library, Art History) and two laboratories (Restoration and Conservation, Digitalization). Director The Director of the National Centre of Manuscripts manages organizational and administrative activities of the Centre. In relations with third parties, the director is the official representative of the Centre and is responsible for ensuring that the Centre's activities are the legitimate, reasonable and effective. According to the Charter of the National Centre of Manuscripts, the Scientific Council elects a director for a period of four years. Mandatory requirements for this post are a higher degree and work experience of not less than five years. The director of the Centre has a deputy who, in the event of the absence of the former, serves as Acting Director. At present, the director of the Centre is Zaza Abashidze. Scientific Council The Scientific Council of the National Centre of Manuscripts is, together with the Director, the executive body of the Centre. The Scientific Council discusses and takes decisions by voting on matters regarding the management and development of the Centre. The members of the Council are elected for a five-year period at the general meeting of the scientific members of the National Centre of Manuscripts. The number of Council members depends on the number of the Centre's structural units (departments and laboratories). Each structural unit is represented on the Council by one or two academic colleagues (two if the number of academics in the structural unit is greater than ten). The Council is led by a chairman, elected for five years by the Council itself. At present the chairman of the Scientific Council is Shalva Gloveli. Structural units Department of Codicology Department of Codicology performs work in two main directions: Edition of the original and translated of the old Georgian literature supplemented with philogical-textological and historical studies and various types of dictionaries and indexes; Description of the Georgian handwritten books and manuscripts in other languages preserved in repositories of Georgia and foreign countries – Jerusalem, Mount Sinai, Mount Athos, Paris, Saint-Petersburg, etc. Department of Source Studies and Diplomatics Department of Source Studies and Diplomatics was founded at the beginning of the establishment of the Centre. The specifics of the material itself defined the scientific-research activity profile of the department. The department activities mainly cover the following: Exact description