Cambridge University Library

Main building of the University Library Cambridge

The Cambridge University Library ( German Cambridge University Library ) is the centrally managed library of the University of Cambridge in England.

It consists of five separate parts: The University Library in the main building, the medical library, named after Betty and Gordon Moore part as a repository for works of mathematical and scientific content, the central scientific library (formerly repository for scientific journals ), and the right scientific library. As a place to keep the Old Schools of the University near the Senate building served until the place was no longer sufficient and a new building had to be built to the west of the city. The spacious new location at the western end of the city center is located almost opposite the Robinson College.

History

The library already existed in the 15th century in its basic features. In 1416 William Loring left some books with the words:

"Item volo quod omnes libri mei juris Civilis remaneant in communi libraria scolarium universitatis Cantebrigg ' in perpetuum. "

This collection of legal writings forms the basis of the library. The earliest preserved catalog dates from the period around the year 1424., The library received from the 16th century to several generous donations and parts or entire libraries of individuals were incorporated into the University Library. Moreover, the increase in the library collection was also strongly influenced by the privilege awarded to a legal deposit library.

Architecture

The building was built 1931-1934 by architect Giles Gilbert Scott and stylistically the construction of the adjacent courtyard with the Clare Memorial adjusted (as part of Clare College), as well as in the style of the industrial architecture of the Bankside Power Station. Its tower rises 48 meters (157 feet) in height, making it by 1.8 meters (6 feet) shorter than the top of St. John 's College Chapel, but dominates the top of the famous King 's College Chapel at 3 meters (10 feet ). The library has been expanded several times. In the main building, the Japanese and Chinese collections in Aoi Pavilion are kept on an extension, for the Tadao Aoi put the funds available and in 1998 opened its doors to the public.

Overall, the University Library contains 5.5 million books and brochures, and more than 1.2 million magazines. As a library of legal deposit it receives, without having to pay a fee, a copy of a majority of all books, newspapers, printed plans and musical works that are published in the UK and Ireland under copyright. Unlike the British Library, the Cambridge University Library must - as well as the Bodleian Library, the National Library of Scotland ( National Library of Scotland ), the Welsh National Library and the library of Trinity College in Dublin, - extra duty Request copies from the publishers. But in 2009, the Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries launched.

Access

It is open to all students and employees of the university open ( before the academic year of study in 2010 was the use of the library for students in the first and second year of study, as well as assistants, limited to access to a reference library and prohibits borrowing, since September 2010, all students also stocks borrow ). As is usual in British university libraries, also the access for graduates and graduates of other British universities with research contracts is limited to the reference collection. For the general public access to the presentation of a reference letter and the payment of a fee is connected. As in a few other libraries with legal deposit, it is possible for some user groups to borrow works from these stocks. Since the individual colleges and institutes of Cambridge have their own library materials for students in the early stages, Cambridge University Library is to mainly a reference function.

Employees of the Library

Some of the employees of the library are academics and scholars, for which there is a showcase within the library building in which their publications are presented. Most students use to refer to the library, the abbreviation " UL".

Director since January 2009 Anne Jarvis.

Known librarians

Known librarians have included Abraham Wheelocke in the 17th century, Augustus Theodore Bartholomew, the classicist AF Scholfield 1923-1949. Recently, these were EB Ceadel, Frederick Willian Ratcliffe ( 1980-1994 ) and Peter Fox ( 1994-2009 ). Other notable librarians were the bibliographer Henry Bradshaw and the poet Charles Edward Sayle, author of a history of the library.