Fejezetek a 150 éves Akadémiai Könyvtár történetéből (A MTAK közleményei 2. Budapest, 1976)

SUMMARIES

Lajos Ligeti: THE 150th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE LIBRARY OF THE HUNGÁRIÁN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Six months after the establishment of the Academy its first inslitution, the Library. was founded through the donation of the Teleki-Library containing 30,000 volumes. At tliat time the institution did not have permanent premises of its own; nevcrtheless the Library startod expanding enthusiastically and the first exchange relations were alsó established. In 1836 the Library moved to premises in the Trattner-Károlyi-house (the present 3, Sándor Petőfi Street) and following the sorting and cataloguing work of Ferenc Toldy it was possible to open it to the public. The Library was opened on 23rd December, 1844. On thisoccasion the poet M. Vörösmarty wrote his ode 'Gondolatok a Könyvtárban' ('Thoughts in the Library'). After the defeat of the war of independence the Library's activity was paralysed. After a long time donations again began to flow in and important manuscript-collections were given to the Library (including the Jancsó and the Czech collections). The Library Committee was set up in 1865. In 1867 the Library was opened in the new building of the Academy. For the first time the field of interest of the Library was preseribed in 1869 by József Eötvös. Between the two World Wars the Library went through a difficult period. However the Vigyázó bequest and donations from Aurél Stein and Sándor Kégl had a certain beneficial effect on the Library's activity The Library suffered considerable damagc in World War II. The 1949 reorgani/.ation opened a new era in the Library's history. The Library's structure was developed and at present the Library is in the process of realizing a number of ambitious plans. György Rózsa: „THE LOVE OF SCIENCES AND ARTS..." The aims of the Reform Age are set out in the foundation deed of the Academy's Library dated 17th March, 1826. Even then the Library was to be used by all citizens of the country. International exchange activities started as early as 1833. This is in accordance with present-day policies in the field of science and the arts. The Library preserves old books and manuseripts, fulfils the traditional function of libraries and disseminates scientific information. At the same time it functions as the centre of the Library Network of the Academy and as the institute for the dissemination of scientific information. Its stock - including that of the Research Library Network - consists of 2.5 millión items and it has exchange relations with 1,600 institutions in 90 different countries. In addition to this it is a scientific institution with its own wide rangé of scientific and publishing activities. 53