C. Csapodi, E. Moravek et al.(szerk.): The Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1826–1961.

I. The History and Tasks of the Library of the Academy of Sciences

carried out by Hungarian architects and craftsmen. In 1958, about a hundred years after the completion of the building, during repairs to the floor of the assembly hall, a letter was discovered from the joiners working on the building at that time. They finish their letter with the wish that those who will read it may see better days then they did (Fig. 10). The move into the palace initiated a new period for both the Academy and its Library. The move was directed by János Arany, the General Secretary of that time, the greatest Hungarian realist poet and translator and best friend of Petőfi. His activity connected with the Library is recorded in innumerable documents dating from the thirteen year period while ho was the Academy's General Secretary. He took part in the work of the Library Committee, and it was he who proposed, among other things, that the names of the Library's founders be engraved in a memorial tablet . That nothing escaped his attention, appears from the fact that it was also he who introduced the use of call slips for readers. He was a devoted user of the Library. The move into the palace temporarily put an end to the want of space, so that the reorganization of the Library could be begun. Together with the linguist József Budenz and the archaeologist Flóris Rómer, Pál Hunfalvy, who was then the head of Library, worked out a new shelving system and subject arrangement. With the permission of the donating family, the Teleki Library was united with the material collected by the Library of the Academy. The arrangement of the stock according to subjects was begun. The shelf-marks originated from the abbreviations of the Hungarian names indicating fifty-four subjects (e. g. Fig. 8, right top corner). At that time the Library had three kinds of catalogue: topographical, alphabetical, and subject catalogues. The Library housed in the headquarters, was opened in 1867. From the move into the new building to the First World War, the growth of the Library was steady. At first the technical equipment was also up-todate. J'he reading room had gaslighting and, from 1895, electric lighting. The main stack-room was fitted with central heating built in the floor. In 1897 the Library's stock grew rapidly because the printing offices had been obliged by a more stringent law to deliver deposit copies. Llowever, there 10