Greifswald University Library
Old Library (right) and Cathedral of St. Nikolai
The University Library of Greifswald ( Greifswald UB ) has existed since 1604 and is one of the oldest university libraries in Germany. Two precursor libraries at the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Arts existed since 1456, the year of foundation of the University. It is the central library of the Ernst- Moritz- Arndt University of Greifswald
Today's library
Generally
In addition to the Martin Gropius of (1824-1880) designed the old building ( Old University Library ), near the main university building with the oldest book collections are largely to find the newer stocks in the new building completed in 2001 at the Berthold Beitz place.
In the library, users have 498 workstations with Internet access. There are still 24 Einzelcarrels and four group work rooms for free registration. The area of the building extends to 13,890 m².
Stock
In the collection of the library contains about 3.1 million volumes. Among them are approximately 2.2 million books. Furthermore, there are around 5,700 journals that are kept up to date. The media collection is interdisciplinary. Even subjects that are not taught at the University are represented.
In 1998, the University Library of Greifswald was assigned by the DFG, the " Special Collection Baltic countries", which stresses the importance of the library was further strengthened as a major gathering place for North European and Baltic literature.
More remote locations
- Departmental Library on Wall Shooting ( for the subjects of philosophy, law, economics and political science )
- Old University Library ( Special Collections Old book and Pomeranica )
- Other specialized libraries in the institutions
Predecessor libraries
The University founder Heinrich Rubenow bequeathed to the University in his will of 1456 his own library, which had a value of more than 1000 guilders. These books should be given to the law school, this legacy was probably not met. Exist from the early days no evidence that the lawyers had their own library. On the other hand is very likely for the Faculty of Arts, the presence of a library; individual notes and a list of books in the deanery book suggests. Rubenow reported in the winter semester 1459/1460, that "(...) the time, (...) determined for the first time for the library room in the Great School of the artists and also prepared " and was by himself and by Dietrich Stephani, John and Nicholas Parleberch Degantz books were donated. Also rector Hinrich Nacke left the University in 1461 several volumes. More donations followed. On May 29, 1463 a first user order was mentioned in a return within eight days has been set.
An inventory list created by Ludwig Gotthard Kosegarten was later edited by Theodor Pyl and completed. The list contains 73 volumes, some with multiple fonts. It is not known what became of this first library.
A book order at Wittenberg bookseller Samuel Selfisch triggered on behalf of the University by Friedrich Runge to 1603/1604, is generally regarded as the birth of the University Library of Greifswald. The library moved to the 1597 built Ernst -Ludwig- building a, by J. Fait (1965 ) first on the ground floor of the east wing. As the first librarian in 1607 the Dean of the Faculty of Arts Peter Grabow was used. In 1696 the library moved to the upper floor to be on the north side. To the librarian was Benjamin Potzern, professor of logic and mathematics, ordered. The following year, the library was enlarged and provided with windows, the dean Christian Saalbach brought the books under in new shelves.
The library at the Ernst- Ludwig- construction suffered from penetrating through the leaky roof water, which made sure by Augustin von Balthasar that the wet books " (...) frozen together in the winter time to summer time but obdurate ." In the new building of the College, a state-room was set up in 1750 for the library; This now serves as a hall of the university. On the front wall is the dedication
" QVAM / SECVLVM Litteris AMICVM / INSTRVXIT / MICIVS AVXIT ORNAVIT / OPTIMO CVIQVE / godfather / BIBLIOTHECA / MDCCL "
" German: The one the sciences friendly era einrichtete, an enlarged and embellished them even friendlier, each top is open: the library. 1750 "
In 1882, the first independent library building was put into operation. It was designed by Martin Gropius Bau in Rubenowstraße reminds with its ancient aesthetics of the Italian Renaissance. The special feature of the new building is the departure from the hitherto usual Hall Library with circumferential wall shelves, towards the magazine library. The old library is opened in 1870 after the library wing of the main building of the University of Rostock, the first stand-alone building a built in magazine library system in Germany. The bookcases are self-supporting cast-iron structures. The original building consisted of 3 times 7 window axes.
To accommodate the growing stocks, the building was extended by the government architect Albert Brinckmann by 4 window axes in length in the years 1890-1892. Today, the Old University Library houses the Special Collections » Old Book & Manuscripts " and " Pomeranica "; the building is a listed building.
Librarians and Head
Among the well-known librarians belonged Christian Saalbach. Jacob Wallenius put as a librarian until 1796 the real, nominal and Repositorienkataloge to. Otto Gilbert was from 1886 to 1899 director of the library, John Luther 1921 until 1927. From 1946 to 1955 led William Brown Library.