The 150th anniversary of the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences : addresses of the foreign guests / 150 let Biblioteke Vengerskoj Akademii Nauk

PREFACE 150 years ago Count József Teleki donated his family library of 30,000 volumes to the Hungarian Learned Society. In so doing he established the first scientific institution of the Academy. In order to commemorate the 150 th anniversary fittingly — besides holding a special commemorative session — the Library arranged an exhibition, issued a number of special publications and organized a symposium on the occasion of the 25 th anniversary of the Oriental Collection. The commemorative session, which was attended by representatives of other libraries and cultural institutions, specially invited visitors and 18 foreign guests, took place at 10. a.m. 22 nd September 1976 in the ceremonial hall of the Academy. In the presence of Hungarian vicepremier György Aczél, Professor János Szentágothai, vice-president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, addressed the audience. After his inaugural address, the actor, Ferenc Bessenyei recited the ode of the poet Mihály Vörösmarty, entitled 'Gondolatok a könyvtárban' ('Thoughts in the Library'). Official speeches followed, delivered by Ferenc Márta, secretary-general of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, József Garamvölgyi, deputy minister of culture and György Rózsa, director of the Library. The representative of UNESCO, José Jaz conveyed greetings from the director-general of the world organization. This was followed by a musical programme as the second part of the session, in which works by Liszt, Erkel, Bartók and Kodály were performed. A representative exhibition showing the past and present activités of the Library was opened at 5 p.m. 22 nd September in the foyer of the palace ot the Academy. The inaugural address was delivered by academician Lajos Ligeti, head of the Library Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. 22 nd September was the first day of the two-day Oriental Collection session. 16 papers in all were read, dealing primarily with the collections, manuscripts, and bequests preserved in the Oriental Collection. Among others the Soviet Turcologist, Natta A. Eisenstein delivered a lecture. As the closing ceremony of the Körösi Csorna Memorial Symposion the Tibetan Collection consisting of 3,000 items and named after Sándor Körösi Csorna was solemnly inaugurated. The director of the library delivered the inaugural speech. The activities commemorating the 150 th anniversary ot the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences ended with a reception in the 'Scientists' Club'

. On the following day the foreign guests went on an excursion to the Danube-bend, which was a great success.