H. O. Lange: Danish research Libraries. .
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• H O Lange.
Danish research Libraries
DANISH RESEARCH LIBRARIES.
BY .H. O. LANGE, Principal Librarian, Rdya1 Library, Copenhagen.
THE relation of popular libraries to research libraries is very different in
Denmark from what it is in the greater countries. The smallness of the Danish
literature, compared with the literatures of the great nations, makes a serious
study of any branch of human knowledge (the national history, language and
literature excepted) almost impossible to anybody who does not know one foreign
language or more. The purchase of books in other languages than the
Dano?Norwegian becomes then the distinguishing feature between the research
libraries and the popular libraries. Only one Danish library, and that the
youngest, the State Library, Aarhus, aims clearly and consciously at uniting
both objects, but the financial resources of this library do not yet allow it to
carry on the work of a research library to any great extent.
Just as the popular libraries are essentially communal institutions, supported
by the state in different ways, the research libraries without exception have
been founded by the state and are supported by state means. Private initiative
has not made itself felt in Denmark in the case of libraries. The only, research
library founded by private initiative, the Classenian Science Library was in
1867 united with the University Library. Big fortunes are rare in this country,
and as yet only very few people are fully awake to the real importance of
libraries.
On the other hand the present generation has incurred a heavy debt of gratitude
to the long series of scholars and book-collectors of the past, whose libraries
form the foundations of the present research libraries, as either the owners
with a rare liberality placed them at the disposal of the state, or else they
were bought by the state authorities. Without the wise and strenuous exertions
of these men, the research libraries of modern times would not be able to boast
such literary treasures of the past.
The small size of the country should make it practicable in Denmark to
centralize the organization of the research libraries and to establish a
thorough co?operation. A beginning has been made by publishing an annual catalog
of the foreign literature yearly acquired by the research, libraries. We must
look to the future for a further development of this principle. Experience
teaches that minor libraries connected with learned institutions and serving
more or less as reference libraries for such institutions, are very difficult to
incorporate in larger whole.
The abnormal size of the capital in relation to the total number of population (with
suburbs containing about 400,000 of a total of 2,500,000 inhabitants) and the
fact that it is the seat of nearly all the learned institutions, will always
make its two great libraries the chief seats of library life and traditions The
State Library at Aarhus Jutland, was first opened in 1902, and in course of time
it may be reasonably expected to be of real importance for the development of
learning in that part of the country, but as yet its means are too small. For
the rest the Copenhagen libraries lend their books to readers residing in the
country, and when the reorganization of the Royal Library in its new building is
complete this side of its work will be more developed.
The Royal Library is the principal library of the country. It was founded in the
middle of the 17th century by King Frederick III., who for that purpose erected
the building in which it is still kept. Since that time it has, by the
liberality of the kings and of private persons, acquired the most important of
the literary treasures collected in this country. Its development has of late
been hampered by the wholly inadequate local accommodation, and a new era in its
existence will begin, when in another two years it will be transferred to its
new building now in course of erection. It is calculated to contain about 600,00
volumes (whereof about 2600 are incunabula) and about 20,000 manuscripts, and to
this must be added large collections of music, maps, portraits, prints, and
pamphlets innumerable. Last year's budget was 83,915 kroner 27 ore. The present
staff consists of the principal librarian, two sublibrarians, 12 ordinary
assistants, eight extra ordinary assistants, and three servants. Last year
41,410 volumes were issued to readers.
All this will necessarily be altered in the course of the next few years. The
new building, with its large reading room and modern accommodations, will make a
quite new development possible, which will make itself deeply felt. While the
library in its capacity of a national library must preserve its national
collections and will not be able, like a popular library, to place them in
unrestricted circulation, it will be able in many other ways to make its great
treasures of foreign literature more useful for a larger public.
The existence in the capital of the two great libraries and many smaller special
libraries has led to a certain specialization; thus the University Library gives
special attention to the natural and the medical sciences, and the Royal Library
to the liberal arts. It is possible that in a near future we shall see a further
development of this specialization in our research libraries.
The University Library with the Classenian Library united to it is the oldest
research library in Denmark, having been founded, together with the University,
in 1482. The literary treasures collected there were, however, almost entirely
destroyed in the great fire of Copenhagen in 1728. Since that time it has risen
again to a size of about 300,000 volumes, besides about 100,000 academical
dissertations and a great number of Danish pamphlets. It possesses about 7000
manuscripts. Its yearly budget amounts to 44,400 kroner. The present staff
consists of a principal librarian, two sub-librarians, five ordinary assistants,
four extra ordinary assistants and two servants. Last year 59,666 volumes were
issued to readers.
Besides these two large libraries there are in the capital several special
libraries, founded for special purposes, or serving as reference libraries for
special institutions. Only few of them have specially appointed librarians, but
the work is mostly done by a functionary of the institution in question.
The Library of the Rigsdag has a considerable collection of law books, and
historical, statistical and economical works. It is intended chiefly as a
reference library for the members of the Rigsdag, but is open to others. The
number of volumes cannot be ascertained, but is considerable. Annual budget 6250
kroner.
The Town Hall Library is a communal institution, chiefly consisting of works of
local interest regarding municipal affairs. It was founded in 1896, and contains
about , 10,000 volumes. An annual income of 5000 kroner and a reading room in
the new Town Hall have been placed at its disposal. Last year about 1500 volumes
were issued to readers.
The Library of the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural College is specially
intended for the sciences taught there. It contains about 37,000 volumes and has
excellent rooms in the college building. It is managed by a librarian with the
assistance of one servant. Annual budget 6000 kroner. Last year's issue, about
5200 volumes.
The Library of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts contains 11,704 volumes, about
10,000 photographs, and about 5000 drawings. It is managed by a librarian, with
the help of one assistant and one servant. Annual budget 9100 kroner. Last year
about 12,500 volumes and 3000 portfolios containing photographs and drawings
were issued for use in the reading room; 1226 volumes were issued for home use.
The Library of the College of Pharmacy was founded in 1892. It contains about
4000 volumes. There is no special librarian; last year about 72) kroner were
expended in acquisitions.
The Library of the State Teachers' High School was founded in 1896 and contains
about 8000 volumes. Annual budget 2050 kroner. It is managed by a librarian with
a salary of only 400 kroner. There is no reading room. Last year about 3000
volumes were issued for home use.
The Library of the Danish Meteorological Institute was founded in 1872 and now
contains 13,120 volumes. Annual budget about 1300 kroner. Last year about 300
volumes were issued for home use.
The Library of the State Statistical Bureau is now a little more than 50 years
old; it contains about 3000 volumes, and is managed by the staff of the Bureau.
Annual budget 800 kroner.
The Library of the Patent Commission was founded in 1894, and now contains about
651,800 descriptions of patents and about 1200 volumes. There is no special
staff; about 2000 kronor are annually expended in buying and binding of books.
The Library of the Royal Picture Gallery dates from 1848, and is principally a
reference library for the staff of the Fine Arts Museum. It now contains about
6000 volumes, and about 2000 kroner are yearly spent in acquisitions.
The Library of the National Museum is principally a reference library for aid in
the archaeological, ethnographical and historical studies represented by the
collections of the museum. Further data cannot be furnished.
There are in Copenhagen four military and two naval libraries, but their
reorganization is only a question of time. The following table will give the
necessary information
[Figur 1]
There are several libraries connected with the learned institutions of the
university, principally serving the studies in question. Only the library of the
Botanical Gardens has a special librarian. These libraries are chiefly supported
by gifts and by exchanges; regular budgets do not exist.
[Figur 2]
To these must be added the laboratories founded in the last few years,
corresponding to the seminars of the German universities, with real reference
libraries and specially appointed librarians. Books are not issued for home use.
[Figur 3]
Of the libraries outside Copenhagen the State Library of Aarhus must first be
mentioned. It began its activity June 117, 1902, in a beautiful newly erected
building. The stock of this library, was formed by the Danish duplicates of the
Royal Library (which receives by law two copies of every book printed in
Denmark), besides great parts of the Aarhus Diocese and Cathedral School Library;
in addition to these the state succeeded in acquiring two large private
collections, and by the Act of. May 2, 1902, this library acquired right to one
copy of everything printed in Denmark. It now contains about 200,000 volumes, a
great number of pamphlets, and a large collection of music (about 2800 volumes),
portraits, maps and prints. Annual budget 33,370 kroner. The staff consists of
the principal librarian, one sub?librarian, two ordinary and one extra ordinary
assistants and one servant. Last year 10,500 volumes were issued for home use;
the reading room was visited by about 30,000 persons.
In the beginning of the 19th century Diocese Libraries were founded in the
cathedral cities of the kingdom; they were intended chiefly for the use of the
clergy, but also for the use of the learned public at large. One of these
libraries, the Aarhus Diocese Library, has been incorporated in the State
Library of Aarhus; another, the Aalborg Diocese Library, has been united with
the library of the Aalborg Cathedral School. The rest are still existing, but
owing to their inadequate means their activity is very restricted. The
librarians are so miserably paid that they cannot spend much time in library
work. Not one of these libraries has a reading room worthy of the name.
[Figur 4]
The libraries connected with the State Grammar Schools form a class by
themselves. They are intended not only for the use of the teachers, but more or
less as missionaries of book culture each in its locality, and for that purpose
they issue books for home use; only very few of them permit their books to be
consulted on the spot, as special reading rooms are lacking. Each library is
managed by one of the teachers of the school to which it belongs.
[Figur 5]
Finally, we must mention the Askor High School Library which is doing exellent
work in the intellectual development of Southern Jutland. It contains about
20,000 volumes, and about 5000 volumes were last year issued for home use. About
800 kroner are expended annually in buying and binding of books. One of the
professors is librarian.
LITERATURE
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Bemærkninger. Kjobenhavn, 1860.
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Aarsberetning om det store kongelige Bibliotheks Virksomhed i Finansaaret
1901-02 og 1902-03. Af givet tit Ministeriet for Kirke-og Undervisnings-vaesenet
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Kjobenhavn. Kjobenhavn, 1825. -2. Udgave. Kjobenhavn, 1844.
Chr. Bruun: Det store kongellgc Bibliotheks Stiftelse under Kong Frederik den
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jubilæum. Kjobenhavn. 1873.
John Erichsen: Udsigt over den gamle ManuscriptSamling i det store kongelige
Blbliothek. Kjobenhavn, 1786.
N.C. L. Abrahams: Description des manuscrIts franc,ais du moyen age de la
Bibliothi!que Royale de Copenhague, precede d'une notice histonque de cette
bibliothcque. Copenhague, 1844.
N.L. Westergaard & A.F. Mehren: Codices orientates ibliothecae Regiae Hauniensia
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Charl. Graux: Notices sommaires des mantxscrits grecs de la Grande Bibliotheque
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Kr. Kalund. Katalog over de oldnorak-islandske Handskrifter i det store
kongelige Biblfotek. Kobenhavn, 1900.
S. Birket Smith. Om Kjobenhavns Universitetsbibliothek för 1728 Især dets
Haandakriftssamlinger. Udg. til Minde om Universitetsbibliothekets grundlæggelse
for 400 Aar siden. Kjöbenhavn 1882.
S. Birket Smith: Beretning om Universitetabibliothekets Virksomhed i l879-80
-1900-01 Kjobenhavn [Extract from Aarbog for Kjobenhavns Universitet.]
N. L. Westergaard: Codices Indici et Iranici BibHo. theca Universitatis
Havniensis. Havn 1846
Kr. Kalund: Katalog over den Arnamagnæanske Handskriftsamling. 1.?2. Bd.
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Erling Steensgaard: Statsbiblioteket i Aarhus. Aarhus, 1902.
Andr. Sch. Steenberg: De larde Statsskolers biblioteker. Horsens, 1898.