Rétfali Gábor (szerk.): A Szombathelyi Egyházmegyei Könyvtár ősnyomtatványainak és antikváinak katalógusa (Szombathely, 2006)
Az idézett művek jegyzéke
acquired and purchased volumes on computer. In 2002 the Library applied for a grant to facilitate the digitalisation of old documents. Primarily the aim of these catalogues was to explore the entire Library stock, not just the old volumes. This is why the catalogues are rather poor in data; they served the purpose of identification in the first place. The research into the bindings and covers of the Library volumes is somewhat one-sided, meaning that researches were fascinated mostly by the superb and splendid covers and bindings of the Herzan-collection. The first significant research in this respect was carried out under the competent guidance of Ms Sz. Koroknay, Éva who announced in the Annual Report of the County Vas Museums that the exploration of the stock in the National Archive and the volumes from the 18-19th century of the Seminary was completed. Unfortunately her work has no written trace in Szombathely. However, in 1971 the exhibition ‘The Art of Books in Western-Transdanubia’ was organized on the basis of her findings and was met with great critical acclaim. The covers and bindings of the Library were dealt with at length by Halász, Margit presenting the life and activity of binders, focusing less on the ornaments used by them. The foundation, exploration and values of the Szily-collection Members of the public with a taste for books have always regarded libraries as the temples of knowledge collecting and storing information. The need for monumentality in the Baroque era triggered and increased the pompousness of the ornaments. The knowledgeable, educated and rich citizen of the period and bishops, cardinals alike were trying to fulfill their desire to acquire books they were interested in and their desire to satisfy their need for beauty. As the first bishop of Szombathely, Szily, János kick-started the development of the small market-town with about 3.000 inhabitants considerably contributing to Szombathely’s way to becoming a real town. During his time as the bishop of Szombathely Szily, János had the episcopal palace, the cathedral and the seminary built, established the first archaeological museum in Hungary and founded Szombathely’s first printing house. And last but not least he established the Cathedral Library, which was open to the public, as the second public library in Hungary after the Klimó-collection in Pécs. The old books’ collection of the Szombathely Diocese Library is a unique combination of the bibliophile will, the scientific interest and curiosity and the need to enhance the quality of education to provide the public with on opportunity to meet their cultural needs, and all that infiltrated with a Catholic spirit. 23
