Library of the university of Graz

The library of the university of Graz is largest scientific Bibliothèque of the Styrie and the third of Austria. It belongs to the Karl-Franzens-Universität and consists of several units (central library; library of the Faculty of legal sciences, social and economic; library of Faculty of theology), and in various specialized libraries attached to the institutes of the university. Moreover, it collects the Registration of copyright for the printed production of Styrie. The access to the library and its collections is free, it is opened to the public.

History

The library of the university of the Jesuits

The library of the university of the Jesuits date of the time of the Counter-Reformation when, under the archduke Charles II, the Jesuits started to re-establish the Catholic religion within a population with Protestant majority. The college of the Jesuits, founded in 1573, had of a school and a library which became college library at the time of the transformation of the school into university under the pope Gregoire XIII into 1585. Thanks to the secularization of the monasteries, with acquisitions and the gifts, the collections developed quickly. The library, as well as the university, concentrated mainly on theology, not only catholic, and on the natural science because of the influence of the eminent mathematician Paul Guldin, Jesuit and professor. In 1773, year of dissolution about the Jesuits, the university became an institution of State.

The college library like institution of State

In 1775, by imperial decree, the university of Graz again is founded and entrusted, with the library, with the administration of the State; however the majority of the employees were former Jesuits. After some restorations, the library, become public library, is officially inaugurated in 1781. The loss of the catalog made up of 28 volumes - which found forever - and the increase in collections due to the dissolution of the monasteries represented the major problems.

The library of the college

Under the reign of the Emperor Joseph II, the university of Graz was among those which were transformed into Lycée. However, the collections of the library continued to develop.

Rebirth of the college library

45 years later, on April 19th 1827, the Emperor François II restores the old rights of the university, which, since, is called Karl-Franzens-Universität according to its two founders. As the university was not to cause additional expenditure in the State, the rate of increase in the collections of the library depended on the gifts and the legacies. A satisfactory service could be offered only starting from 1870, when, on the one hand, the number of employees passed from three to six, and on the other hand, the budgetary resources from 830 to 4.000 guilders.

The development until the end of the Second world war

As the university suffered from the lack of place in the downtown area, one undertook to build several new buildings in the district of Geidorf, located at the time with the periphery of Graz. The library - including/understanding 135.000 volumes then - is established in the central building of the university in September 1895. In 1914, the wing in the North-East of the room of reading was equipped with a second stage. The library suffered considerably from the two world wars. In 1944, to protect the most invaluable collections from the bombardments, 60.000 volumes were transported in sure place. October 2nd, 1945, the library reopened its doors. 4500 volumes, including 200 Handwritten S, count among the losses related to the war.

The most recent development

Second half of the XXe century is especially marked by extensions and an increasing decentralization. In 1950, large an appendix is added to the two stores along the room of reading in the south-east of the library. In 1970, the library is equipped in the north-western part of the building of a modern appendix, and a new hall. Between 1994 and 1996, one increased the Faculty of legal sciences, social and economic: the new building is equipped with a specific library to this faculty. Moreover, in the principal building of the university, one creates another appendix of the library of the university. At the same time, a media library for the media audio-visual, as well as other specialized libraries, located in the University center of Wall, are founded; other buildings are built. Following the autonomy of the Medical college, the small libraries of their institutes were transformed into 2004 in autonomous college library. Since 1998, the library of the university of Graz, in collaboration with the college libraries of Vienna and Innsbruck, is in charge of the formation of the national and international consortia aiming at a common use more economic periodicals and e-books. July 1st 2005, the “Co-operation Austria E-media” is established with the library of the university of Graz. This one also takes part in a relevant way in the project “Austrian Literature Online” whose objective is to digitize the Austrian literature.

Personnel

At the time of the assumption of responsibility by the State, the college library was managed by a director and a librarian. At the beginning of the XXe century, 17 people were employed; in 1999/2000, the library counted 120 employees.

Funds

The richness of the funds is dubious until half of the XIXe century. For the year 1773,10 000 volumes are indicated, for 1776,42 000. According to not very reliable sources, one counted already 50 000 volumes in 1839, against only 38 000 in 1860,100 000 in 1879,200 000 at the beginning of the XXe century. In 2000, the funds included/understood almost 3 million printed papers form, more than 2000 Manuscrit S, approximately 1200 Incunable S, a great number of legacies of the scientists. The library is subscribed with approximately 1400 periodicals.

Reserve rare books

The department of the particular collections is responsible for the whole of the manuscripts and the printed papers form published until 1900. The five older manuscripts of Georgia which date from VIIe in XIe century count among the most remarkable manuscripts on parchment. They come from the monastery Holy-Catherine with the foot of the mountain of the the Sinai. In the collection of manuscripts on paper, one finds letters of Johannes Kepler with Paul Guldin. It is also necessary to mention the 42 manuscripts on papyrus arriving of the excavations of British Egypt Exploration Society to Oxyrhynque and Hibeh, which took place between 1896 and 1907. They represent the equivalent of a granted financial support of the town of Graz for the excavations. Most of discovered is today in Ashmolean museum with Oxford, in the British Museum with London and in the Egyptian Museum with the Cairo.

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