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

II. The work and use of the Library - Catalogues

The Library makes efforts to acquire publications dealing with the general, methodological, ideological and interdisciplinary aspects of the social sciences. As regards periodicals, the field of collecting is more comprehensive because of exchange activities on the one hand, and of the interests of basic research on the other. Of old books it acquires mainly works which are important from the point of view of the history of science. As far as manuscripts are concerned, it collects first of all the ones related to the Academy, to the history of literature and science. From the very beginning international exchange activities have had an important role in acquisition. Their main tasks are: 1. exchange of publications of the Academy based on bilateral agreements of institutions (first of all those of the Acta and other scientific periodicals and books, sometimes published not by the Academy); 2. exchange of publications guaranteed by inter-governmental and inter-academic agreements and arrangements with socialist countries. The significance of exchange goes far beyond its important function as a means of acquisition. It serves the aims of cultural and science policy, as it sends the Academy's publications reflecting the achievements of Hungarian scientific life to every part of the world. At the end of 1975 the Library had exchange relations with 1590 scientific institutions in 87 countries. The volume of exchange activities can be shown by the fact, that in 1975 4 891 books and 8 186 numbers of periodicals were sent abroad, while the Library obtained 7 439 books and 5 362 periodicals by exchange. The Library has regularly been buying and keeping publications of the Academy in several copies since 1950. The surplus copies — together with the materials of the former Publishing House of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences brought to the Library after the liberation of the country — make it possible to satisfy demands on an exchange basis retrospectively. By the end of 1975 the Library had accumulated 1 404 665 items. Their break-down by types of documents is as follows: 796 897 volumes of books 203 647 copies of periodicals 388 362 pieces of manuscripts 15 759 microfilms Catalogues The entrance hall opens into the catalogue-room, which communicates with the main reading room on one side and the main stack on the other. It functions as circulation-room, too. Here can also be found the alphabetical and the UDC catalogues, as well as the catalogue of the old material which still is shelved in an