AZ ORSZÁGOS SZÉCHÉNYI KÖNYVTÁR ÉVKÖNYVE 1986-1990. Budapest (1994)

I. Az OSZK 1986-1990-ben - Az Országos Széchényi Könyvtár működése 1986-1990-ben - The Activity of the National Széchényi Library in the Years 1986-1990

The library as a centre of scholarly research Like the national libraries of other countries and faithful to its own traditions, the National Széchényi Library also carried out independent scholarly activity. In Hungary it operated as a research centre regulated by the law. The research conducted in the institution can be divided into two main groups: — the institutional research, and — the individual research. Within the frame of institutional research, this exceptionally important professional task which is one of the basic functions of the national library received support from the national research funds, through the grants application system. In the five years concerned the library (including the Centre of Library Science and Methodology) submitted 29 applications and received support for 15 of these projects. The Széchényi Library in the narrow sense — to list only the main areas and without giving details — received large sums for Hungarian studies and for the creation of databases for these, for work on the retrospective national bibliography, to promote publication of the catalogue of 16th century old books in Hungary, for research on methods of holdings' protection, prevention and restoration, and for the solution of individual questions covering a few minor areas but which come within the scope of the library. The management of the institute supported the range of so-called individual research and staff members performing scholarly work by allowing them to devote time to this purpose, generally one day a week. It took advantage of this possibility provided by the law because it considers that it needs staff to carry out the internal tasks and information activity who are fully acquainted with the methodology of research and who are able to answer the questions of readers and scholars on a high level because they themselves have a greater than average knowledge in given fields. Around 80 staff members a year benefited from a time allowance for this purpose. Although the themes were chosen individually, they were closely related to the library's field of interest (theoretical questions of library development, history of the national library, scientific study of sections of the holdings, Hungarian studies, history of manuscripts, printing house, books and publishing, history, literature, press history, theatre and music history, cartographic history, etc.) which meant that they formed an integral part of the library's activity. The decision on authorization of the themes and evaluation of the results were made by the chairman of the Scientific Committee, Director Gyula Juhász, on the basis of the opinion of the committee. It is thanks to these individual research possibilities that a number of talented young staff members earned university doctorates and four were awarded academic degrees. This time allowance also helped those concerned to publish writings in both Hungarian publications and abroad (on the annual average they published 120—150 books, studies and bibliographies). Many staff members taught at colleges, universities and high-level courses, presented papers at Hungarian and foreign conferences, and took part in the work of national and international scientific organizations and committees. There is perhaps no need to mention that the members of the top management of the institution played an exceptionally active role in the areas listed. It is worth mentioning here that our director, who highly esteemed both library work and research activity, awarded a Széchényi commemorative medal and reward to colleagues in recognition of outstanding activity carried out in the interest of the library, as well as large rewards to our researchers who earned a candidate's degree in the year concerned. These awards have been made each year since 1989 at the Széchényi commemorative session held on the anniversary of the death of our founder. On the same occasion, prizes were also awarded to the winners of the Keresztury Competition. (Any staff member of the library can submit a study for this competition established by Dezső Keresztury, academician, outstanding writer and scholar; prizes are awarded to the best entries.) * 87