Rózsa György (szerk.): The Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1826–1976.

I. Historical outline

one clerk. First the 4 500 to 5 000 volume holdings acquired either by purchase or on exchange or donated were processed. That was followed by the two Batthyány-libraries containing 30 000 to 32 000 volumes altogether, and finally the major part of the 20 000 volume Teleki-library was taken over. According to the foundation deed the latter was to be kept separately from publications coming from other sources. Consequently there was a double storage in the Library. Having finished the processing, the Library was opened to the public on 23rd December 1844. On this o.ccasion, the poet Mihály Vörösmarty wrote his ode Gondolatok a könyvtárban (Thoughts in the library). Because of limited means at the time the 50 to 60 000 volume holdings could be used only by members of the Academy, while other scholars and scientists with special permission only. The public character which had been aimed at by the founder could not be realized at that time. The first Directives issued by Ferenc Toldy in 1848 raised the processing to contemporary level. With restrictions put on the Academy's activities during the years of neoabsolutism, the interests of the Library were also vitally concerned. It was temporarily deprived of its right to deposit copies. Accessions were limited to materials of international exchange and donations of great value (manuscript collections of Gábor Döbrentei and György Gaál, the Jancsó-, Czech-, Somssichlibraries). 1865 - 1949 The 1860's brought forth decisive changes both for the Academy and for its Library. The Hungarian society launched a national movement succeeding in raising to 900 000 forints the capital of the Academy — the representative of the nation's spirit —, and in addition to all this, another national contribution of 600 000 forints made it possible to build the present palace of the Academy by 1865, designed by August Stiller, carried out under the guidance of Miklós Ybl and Antal Skalnitzky. The Library's move into the palace meant proper premises and up-to-date technical equipment. Within two years (1865—1867) the holdings in the palace were rearranged according to a new shelving system, based on the character of the collection rather than on a theoretical system of sciences. The former separation was abolished, i.e. the Teleki-library was united with the other materials in a new subject order. A new catalogue-system was made, which consisted of topographical, alphabetical and subject catalogues. This work was done by the linguist and chief librarian Pál Hunfalvy, the linguist József Budenz and the archaeologist Flóris Rómer. In the new building it was possible to satisfy the demands of a wider circle of readers, although the restricting of the use of the Library prevented it somehow from becoming really a common property. The Library Committee attached to the Academy's Presidium and to the JJoard of Directors was set up in 1865. Its first chairman was Ferenc Toldy, members