Oslo Public Library
The Deichmanske bibliotek one of the oldest public libraries in Norway and is the largest public library in the country. Today it is the Municipal Library of Oslo.
In 1780, bequeathed to the factory owner and councilor Carl Deichman his library of about 6000 volumes and 2000 Riksdaler as capital of the population of Christiania, as Oslo was then called. This corresponded to the then spirit of the Enlightenment, which had a formation of broad social layers goal. The library was opened on January 12, 1785.
Carl Deichmann's estate included not only the books and manuscripts, diplomas, cards, a coin collection and antiques. One of the most magnificent specimens of the library is the Bible of the Norwegian Archbishop Aslak Bolt ( 1430-1450 ).
There were many lending libraries in the city. However, this required a membership fee and a rental fee for each loan. If the amounts were not high also, so the poorest could not afford the loan yet. However, the loan from the Deichmann 's library was free. Notwithstanding this, the Bank is not often made use of, because the collected books were mostly written in German, French, Latin, and a smaller number in Danish. In addition, there were mainly literature. Many books dealing with religious Teman. There were also specialist books from the fields of crafts and history and law collections. When the library was opened, they had little in common with the public libraries of the present. The borrower rather belonged to the educated upper classes.
In the 19th century it came to stagnation, as the private reading clubs came into fashion. As the rector of the cathedral school in Oslo Jacob rosted was also director of the library, the library Deichmannsche 1802 was merged with the library of the Cathedral School. So it was until the mid-19th century school library. Only after they got their own building. When Haakon Nyhuus the line took over and undertook some changes on the American model, it came to the upsurge. Thus the Deichmannsche library for leading library in Scandinavia. 1914 involved the department " Grunerløkka filial " a new home at Schous plass in the district Grunerløkka, which had been built specifically for the needs of a library. 1933, the newly built main house was opened in neoclassical style in Hammerborg. The post-war period, especially the 60s and 70s of the 20th century, was marked by the expansion of the branch network. Then the electronic library management has been established.
A new library building is planned in Bjørvika next to the new Opera and the new Munch Museum. The architectural competition has been completed. With the start of construction is expected in 2014.