When World War I began, the library opened its collections to Italian academics that had been ousted by the German Institute of Rome (Istituto Germanico di Roma), considering them to be enemies
In 1914, already having been transferred to the Assicurazioni Generali building in Piazza Venezia, use of the library was opened to a close circle of qualified scholars. The decision was a direct reaction to the ousting of Italian researchers and students from the most important institute in Rome specialising in archaeology: the German Institute. The following year, in 1915, the library received its first substantial donation, that of Prince Fabrizio Ruffo di Motta Bagnara (1843-1917). The nobleman's collection is still part of the library today.
View of the Assicurazioni Generali di Venezia building in 1907