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The mission of the National Library was clarified in the legislation of 31 December 1863 and further emphasised by the law of 29 May 1884, where two essential and interrelated aspects were notable: the recognition of "public reading" as one of the functions of the National Library, and its extension to all citizens, regardless of class, provided the formalities of careful book lending were observed. The offer of evening reading hours, even if limited to two and later three hours, highlights the public nature of the National Library. This operational approach was maintained until the end of the monarchical period and later experienced some fluctuation depending on the political orientation of the republican governments.
The continuity of the work initiated by A. Enes was ensured during the directorship of the scholar Gabriel Pereira, who held this position for 15 years. This was sufficient time to "straighten" the various sections of the National Library and conduct historical studies to promote the Library's collections, particularly those related to the Alcobacenses.
Admitted in 1887 to undertake bibliographic work at the National Library of Lisbon, Gabriel Pereira went on to succeed António Enes. He applied his extensive literary, bibliographic, and historiographical knowledge to the service of the National Library, profusely documented in numerous monographs on local history themes (such as Ericeira, Carnide, S. Domingos de Benfica, among others, in addition to substantial research on Évora, his birthplace) and various articles published in different periodicals. Within this scope, his role as director of the Boletim da Real Associação dos Arquitetos Civis e Arqueólogos Portuguezes [Bulletin of the Royal Association of Portuguese Civil Architects and Archaeologists], was particularly noteworthy, earning him heartfelt tribute from this institution upon his death on 16 December 1911. Like his predecessor, Gabriel Pereira was later appointed Inspector General of Public Libraries and Archives (13 November 1902) and, by the decree of 18 March 1911, as Inspetor das Bibliotecas Eruditas e Arquivos [Inspector of Erudite Libraries and Archives]. Within the scope of these roles, he presented a thesis at the National Congress on National Archives, held on 23 May 1910, where he clearly expressed his criticism of the management of the Torre do Tombo Archive due to staff shortages, poor remuneration, and the inadequate logistical conditions of this national archive's collection. His proposals included the creation of district archives and the expansion of the librarian-archivist course. His critical stance indicated a desire to bring changes to the two major institutions under his oversight, namely the Torre do Tombo and the National Library, where he invested significantly in scientific development and specialised dissemination through the organisation of bibliographic exhibitions on prominent figures in Portuguese culture (such as Father António Vieira and Almeida Garrett).
