The Library of Congress maintains a large collection of foreign and domestic directories. Most of the foreign telephone directories held by the Library of Congress are uncataloged. We have therefore compiled this list of Albanian directories as a finding aid for our staff and researchers. These directories cover Albania from 1940-1997.

In addition to the uncataloged directories listed in this guide, the Library also holds a handful that are cataloged and may be requested using the Library of Congress Online Catalog. To locate these directories, search the online catalog using subject keywords such as "Albania" and "directories," or the name of a city plus "directories." In addition to telephone directories, this kind of search also yields government/business/religious institutions/address directories from Albania.

Telephone communications in Albania date back to the 1930s. The first lines connected the central government in Tirana to local administration units in other parts of the country. Service expanded slowly in the 1950s and 60s, and grew exponentially thereafter under the aegis of the Post, Telegraph, and Telecommunications Agency (PTT). In 1992, the Albanian Telecommunications Company, Telekomi Shqiptar, became an independent unit which was subsequently privatized in 2004. Cell phone usage is widespread today and internet services are well developed in most of the major cities in the country including but not limited to: Tirana, Durrës, Vlorë, Shkodër, Elbasan etc.

Besides using printed telephone directories, a reader may find it helpful to use online directories available for free on the Internet such as the one described below enabled by the Albanian Network Group.