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

Preface

War II, this number increased to approximately 500. The turning of the Academy and its Library into an institution of the socialist type after the Liberation, expanded this field of its activity on a very large scale. Nowadays its exchange relations involve more than 1700 institutions of some 86 states. This volume yields an insight into the activity of the librarians of the Academy during the nearly one and a half centuries of its existence, in the service of Hungarian culture and science. In addition to an account of the Library's progressive traditions, it also gives an outline — though only in general terms — of the efforts made in the spirit of socialist cultural and scientific policy by the Academy, which was reformed after the Liberation, to become an effective, developing and prosperious institution. The Academy and its Library are inseparable, their histories have become interwoven with each other during many decade. The Academy, as well as its Library consider themselves the successors to all progressive endeavours to raise the cultural and scientific standards of the Hungarian people, and to achieve peaceful and constructive co-operation with the world of learning. The Library serves these objects through its own particular means. The Academy regards this booklet as a modest preparatory work to a more comprehensive history of its Library which is certain to be written during the course of the developing Hungarian research work on the history of science. President of the Hungarian Academy of Scicnccs 6