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Leiden University Libraries is a
library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
founded in 1575 in
Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wi ...
,
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. It is regarded as a significant place in the development of
European culture The culture of Europe is rooted in its art, architecture, film, different types of music, economics, literature, and philosophy. European culture is largely rooted in what is often referred to as its "common cultural heritage". Definition ...
: it is a part of a small number of cultural centres that gave direction to the development and spread of knowledge during the Enlightenment. This was due particularly to the simultaneous presence of a unique collection of exceptional sources and scholars. Holdings include approximately 5,200,000 volumes, 1,000,000
e-book An ebook (short for electronic book), also known as an e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. Alt ...
s, 70,000 e-journals, 2,000 current paper journals, 60,000 Oriental and Western manuscripts, 500,000
letters Letter, letters, or literature may refer to: Characters typeface * Letter (alphabet), a character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech; any of the symbols of an alphabet. * Letterform, the graphic form of a letter of the alphabe ...
, 100,000
map A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes. Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...
s, 100,000 prints, 12,000 drawings and 300,000
photographs A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now created ...
. The library manages the largest collections worldwide on
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
and the Caribbean. Furthermore, Leiden University Libraries is the only heritage organization in The Netherlands with three registrations of documents in
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
's
Memory of the World Register Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered ...
. :"''Est hic magna commoditas bibliothecae ut studiosi possint studere''" ::— Josephus Justus Scaliger :"The greatest advantage of the library is that those who want to study, can study."


History

The 16th-century Dutch Revolt against the Habsburgs created a new country with a new religion. Soon, the need for a seat of higher learning was felt and in 1575 Leiden University was founded with the spoils from a confiscated Catholic
monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...
nearby. At the time the university was founded, it was immediately determined that a library in the vicinity of lecture halls was an absolute necessity. The library's first book was the Polyglot Bible, printed by Christoffel Plantijn, a gift of William of Orange to the library in 1575. The presentation of this book is regarded as the base on which the library is built (''fundamentum locans futurae aliquando bibliothecae''). The library became operational in the vault of the current Academy building at Rapenburg on 31 October 1587. In 1595 the ''Nomenclator'' appeared, the first catalogue of Leiden University Libraries as well as the first printed catalogue of an institutional library in the world. The publication of the catalogue coincided with the opening of the new library on the upper floor of the Faliede Bagijnkerk (now Rapenburg 70) next to the Theatrum Anatomicum. In 1864 the copy for the complete alphabetical catalogue of the library in Leiden from 1575 to 1860 was finished; it was never to appear in print. Readers were able to consult alphabetical and systematic registers of the Leiden library in the form of bound catalogue cards, known as ''Leidse boekjes''. This remained the cataloguing system for the library until 1988. The 22nd Librarian of Leiden University, Johan Remmes de Groot took the initiative for the Dutch library automation endeavor PICA ( Project Integrated Catalogue Automation). Pica was started up in 1969 and was bought by OCLC in 2000. The first automation project in Leiden started in 1976, produced 400,000 titles via the Dutch PICA-GGC and resulted within a few years in a catalog on
microfiche Microforms are scaled-down reproductions of documents, typically either films or paper, made for the purposes of transmission, storage, reading, and printing. Microform images are commonly reduced to about 4% or of the original document size. F ...
, which partly replaced the famous ''Leiden booklets'' catalogue. In 1983 the library moved to its present location on Witte Singel in a new building by architect Bart van Kasteel. The first online catalogue became available in 1988. According to
Nicholas A. Basbanes Nicholas Andrew Basbanes (born May 25, 1943, in Lowell, Massachusetts) is an American author who writes and lectures about authors, books, and book culture. His subjects include the "eternal passion for books" ('' A Gentle Madness''); the histor ...
, Leiden University Libraries represent ''"an essential benchmark ..not only for the teeming collection of extraordinary materials it has scrupulously gathered and maintained over a sustained period of time, but most of all for being the world's first scholarly library in a truly modern sense. The litany of 'firsts' recorded at Leiden is dazzling - the first printed catalogue to be prepared by an institution of its holdings, the first attempt to identify and maintain what today are known as 'special collections,' the first systematic attempt to develop a corps of influential friends, patrons, and benefactors throughout the world, the first 'universal' library, the list goes on and on - and underpinning it all is a humanistic approach to education and discovery that has figured prominently throughout its history, along with an unbending belief in the limitless potential of human inquiry."''


Leiden University Libraries today

Leiden University Libraries focuses on the complete information chain. The library facilitates not only access to (published) information but increasingly supports the evaluation, use, production and dissemination of scholarly information. To accomplish this the library's activities range from supporting education in information literacy to serving as an expert center for
digital publishing Electronic publishing (also referred to as publishing, digital publishing, or online publishing) includes the digital publication of e-books, digital magazines, and the development of digital libraries and catalogues. It also includes the editi ...
. The library aims to function as the scholarly information manager of Leiden University. The strategic plan ''Partner in Kennis'' (Partner in Knowledge) focuses on the transformation of the library to an expert centre supporting research and education in digital spaces through Virtual Research Environments and Datalabs, the realization of library learning centres, the development of new expert areas such as
data curation Data curation is the organization and integration of data collected from various sources. It involves annotation, publication and presentation of the data such that the value of the data is maintained over time, and the data remains available for re ...
and
text Text may refer to: Written word * Text (literary theory), any object that can be read, including: **Religious text, a writing that a religious tradition considers to be sacred **Text, a verse or passage from scripture used in expository preachin ...
& data mining, and on digital information skills. Leiden's Catalogue makes available a considerable array of digital scholarly information: more than 400
database In computing, a database is an organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically. Small databases can be stored on a file system, while large databases are hosted on computer clusters or cloud storage. The design of databases s ...
s, >70,000 e-journals, >5,000 newspapers and newsmagazines, >1,000,000 e-books and reference works, many hundreds of millions of journal articles, its digital special collections and repository materials. These digital information resources are available worldwide to Leiden University students and staff. The special collections and archives of Leiden University (see below) are increasingly made available through the library's Catalogue and Digital Collections environment. The library supports researchers from Leiden University through its Centre for Digital Scholarship which focuses on open access,
copyright A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educatio ...
, data management,
text and data mining Text may refer to: Written word * Text (literary theory), any object that can be read, including: **Religious text, a writing that a religious tradition considers to be sacred **Text, a verse or passage from scripture used in expository preachin ...
and virtual research environments. The library makes all doctoral dissertations available online through the Catalogue and Leiden University Scholarly Publications that functions according to the open access principles. Furthermore, publications from Leiden researchers are increasingly made available through the same repository. Thanks to the use of international standards, among others the
Open Archives Initiative The Open Archives Initiative (OAI) was an informal organization, in the circle around the colleagues Herbert Van de Sompel, Carl Lagoze, Michael L. Nelson and Simeon Warner, to develop and apply technical interoperability standards for archives to ...
, the repository is visited daily by general and specialized search engines that harvest and index this information. In 2007, the library started with an ambitious program to renew and renovate its facilities: wireless access became available throughout the library in December 2007, in March 2008 the completely renovated ''Special Collections Reading Room Dousa'' was reopened, in June 2008 the fire protection systems installed in the closed stacks and the vaults of the library were taken into use, in December 2008 library patrons were able to make use of the new facilities created in the renovated ''Information Centre Huygens'', and a new exhibition space was opened on March 25, 2010, in the direct vicinity of a completely renovated entrance. In 2012-2013 the study areas (the complete first floor and parts of the second floor) of the University Library were renovated and a media centre was opened. Since June 1, 2009, the Leiden libraries form one organization: ''Leiden University Libraries (UBL)''. Leiden University Libraries has a number of locations: the University Library, the libraries of
Social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives from ...
and Behavioral Sciences,
Law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
, Mathematics and
Natural Sciences Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...
and the
East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The modern State (polity), states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ...
n Library. The collections of the former Archeology,
Art History Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...
and Kern libraries are available at the University Library. On September 3, 2012, a Library Learning Centre was opened on the university's The Hague campus. Leiden University Libraries took over in 2013 the colonial collections including the entire map collections (
colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...
and modern) of the
Royal Tropical Institute The Royal Tropical Institute (Dutch: Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen, KIT) is an applied knowledge institute located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is an independent centre of expertise, education, intercultural cooperation and hospitality de ...
(KIT) and in 2014 the complete collection of the
Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies The Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies ( nl, Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, lit = Royal Institute for the Linguistics, Geography and Ethnology, abbreviated: KITLV) at Leiden was founded i ...
(KITLV). By bringing these collections together with those of the university libraries, the largest
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n and Caribbean collections worldwide were created. Furthermore, Leiden University Libraries took over the KITLV-Jakarta office where extensive paper and digital collections on modern Indonesia are collected and cataloged. To house its world-famous and vast Asian collections a number of new facilities have been created: an open stack area making 5 km of materials directly available and a new remote storage facility housing 38 km of library materials. On 14 September 2017, H.M. Queen Máxima opened The Asian Library, a new floor on top of the University Library. In 2017, the Academic Historical Museum became part of UBL. The library of
The Netherlands Institute for the Near East The Netherlands Institute for the Near East (Dutch: ''Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten''; colloquially known by its abbreviation: NINO) is an institution for the advancement of the study of the Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, a ...
, specialised in the fields of Assyriology,
Egyptology Egyptology (from ''Egypt'' and Greek , ''-logia''; ar, علم المصريات) is the study of ancient Egyptian history, language, literature, religion, architecture and art from the 5th millennium BC until the end of its native religious p ...
and
Near Eastern Archaeology Near Eastern archaeology is a regional branch of the wider, global discipline of archaeology. It refers generally to the excavation and study of artifacts and material culture of the Near East from antiquity to the recent past. Definition The ...
, became part of UBL in 2018. Leiden University Libraries works together with other organizations nationally and internationally on
innovation Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services. ISO TC 279 in the standard ISO 56000:2020 defines innovation as "a new or changed entit ...
projects in this area. The library e.g. participated in the DAREnet project and in projects financed by the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
such as DRIVER-II and OAPEN.


Special Collections

Leiden University Libraries hold a large number of special collections of national and international importance. These include manuscripts, early printed books, maps, atlases, prints, drawings, and photographs. To make these collections visible for a broad audience, the library partnered in 2015 with ''De Boekenwereld'', a richly illustrated magazine in Dutch for lovers of books with information about the early and modern book and graphic art.


Western Manuscripts

The collection ''Western Manuscripts'' contains all western manuscripts (including 2,500 medieval manuscripts and fragments and 25,000 modern manuscripts), 300,000 letters, archives and 3,000 annotated prints of the University Library, including the archives of the university.


Western Printed Works

The collection ''Western Printed Works'' contains materials printed before 1801 (including 700 incunabula) and rare and precious works from after 1801. In the course of four centuries the collection has been expanded through bequests, gifts and acquisitions of collections from scholars. Furthermore, the University Library obtained the deposit right for a copy of each book for which the
States of Holland The States of Holland and West Frisia ( nl, Staten van Holland en West-Friesland) were the representation of the two Estates (''standen'') to the court of the Count of Holland. After the United Provinces were formed — and there no longer was a c ...
had given the privilege to print. The collection also includes more than 100,000 printed works from the library of the ''Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde'' which has been deposited on permanent loan since 1876.


Bodel Nijenhuis Collection

The ''Bodel Nijenhuis Collection'' contains mainly old maps, atlases, topographical prints and drawings. Most of the collection was obtained as a bequest from J.T. Bodel Nijenhuis. The lawyer Johannes Tiberius Bodel Nijenhuis (1797–1872), director of the publishing house Luchtmans, for 25 years a member of the ''Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde'', was a passionate collector of
cartographical Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an im ...
and
topographical Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sc ...
material. The collection contains 60,000 maps (of which 3,000 drawings), 1,500 atlases, 24,000 topographical prints, 1,600 drawings and the archive of Youssouf Kamal's ''Monumenta Cartographica Africae et Aegypti''.


Oriental Collections

From its very onset the study of the Orient was of vital importance to the new university. Theologians studied the
Semitic languages The Semitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They are spoken by more than 330 million people across much of West Asia, the Horn of Africa, and latterly North Africa, Malta, West Africa, Chad, and in large immigra ...
to perceive the meaning of the
Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...
. Political and commercial interests prompted the new-born
Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...
to establish relations with its enemies' enemies, among whom the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, then at the zenith of its power. In the course of its expansionist policy the Dutch Republic secured possession of the Indonesian archipelago and other territories in South East Asia. In Japan, Dutch merchants maintained a trading post to the exclusion of all other European powers. In the course of four centuries countless manuscripts, printed books and photographs on the Orient and Oriental Studies have found their way to the library of Leiden University. Oriental Studies are still flourishing at Leiden University, and the Oriental Collections are still growing to serve the needs of the national and international scholarly community. The ''Oriental Collections'' of Leiden University Libraries are known as the ''Legatum Warnerianum'' (Warner's Legacy), referring to
Levinus Warner Levinus Warner, (c. 1618 – 22 June 1665) was a German-born Orientalist, manuscript collector and diplomat for the Dutch Republic in the Ottoman Empire. Life Levinus Warner, or Levinus Warnerus, was born c. 1618 in the principality of Lippe, ...
(1619–1665), envoy to the
Sublime Porte The Sublime Porte, also known as the Ottoman Porte or High Porte ( ota, باب عالی, Bāb-ı Ālī or ''Babıali'', from ar, باب, bāb, gate and , , ), was a synecdoche for the central government of the Ottoman Empire. History The name ...
at
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
, whose collection of 1,000 Middle Eastern manuscripts forms the core of the present-day Oriental Collections. In 1659 following the death of the Ottoman bibliophile-encyclopedist
Kâtip Çelebi Kâtip Çelebi (), or Ḥājjī Khalīfa ()), Muṣṭafa Ben Hājī Khalīfah, Haji Khalifa, Hajji Khalifeh, Hazi Halife, Hadschi Chalfa, Khalfa, Kalfa, etc. (*1017 AH/1609 AD – d. 1068 AH/1657 AD); was a Turkish polymath and author of the ...
his library was sold. At the time it was the largest private library in Istanbul, and Warner acquired part of it for the University of Leiden. The ''Oriental Collections'' nowadays contain 30,000 manuscripts and 200,000 printed books on subjects ranging from
Archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsca ...
to
Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil within the framework of a monotheisti ...
and in languages from
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
to Zulu.


Bibliotheca Thysiana

The '' Bibliotheca Thysiana'' was erected in 1655 to house the book collection of the lawyer Joannes Thysius (1622–1653). Upon his early death, he left a legacy of 20,000 guilders for the building of a public library ("tot publycque dienst der studie") with a custodian's dwelling. Designed by the architect Arent van 's-Gravensande, the building follows the Dutch Classical style and is regarded as one of the jewels of Dutch 17th century architecture. It is distinguished by its balanced proportions and the purity of its Ionic order on top of a high basement. The ''Bibliotheca Thysiana'' is the only surviving 17th century example in the Netherlands of a building that was designed as a library. It is quite extraordinary that a complete private 17th century library has been preserved and thus offers a good impression of the book collection of a young, learned
bibliophile Bibliophilia or bibliophilism is the love of books. A bibliophile or bookworm is an individual who loves and frequently reads and/or collects books. Profile The classic bibliophile is one who loves to read, admire and collect books, often ama ...
from the period of late
Humanism Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and Agency (philosophy), agency of Human, human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical in ...
. The collection contains about 2,500 books and thousands of pamphlets in all scientific fields.


Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde

Otherwise known as the MNL, the " Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde" (Dutch Society of Letters) was founded in Leiden in 1766 to promote the study of Dutch historical linguistic subjects. This society joined the Leiden University Libraries in 1876, and since 1999 forms the basis of the DBNL - the digital online library of the Dutch Language, an initiative for an online open access archive of the greatest works in Dutch literary history. The society had regular meetings in Leiden on literary subjects, but also on scientific subjects. It became fashionable for the elite to become members, and many were also members of the Dutch Society of Science (
Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen The Koninklijke Hollandsche Maatschappij der Wetenschappen (Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities), located on the east side of the Spaarne in downtown Haarlem, Netherlands, was established in 1752 and is the oldest society for the scie ...
), a similar society for the study of scientific subjects founded in Haarlem in 1752. Both societies still hold contests and award prizes for achievement.


Print Room

Founded in 1822, the
Print Room A print room is a room in an art gallery or museum where a collection of old master and modern prints, usually together with drawings, watercolours, and photographs, are held and viewed. A further meaning is a room decorated by pasting prints ...
possesses art works from the sixteenth century until the present day. Whether you are interested in mythological scenes from the
Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( it, Rinascimento ) was a period in Italian history covering the 15th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Europe and marked the trans ...
, daguerreotypes, the largest collection of portraits in the Netherlands, stereophotography or Dutch landscapes by Rembrandt and his pupils, the Print Room has them. The holdings presently amount to some 12,000 drawings, around 100,000 prints and some 80,000 photographs, with an emphasis on Dutch art. Amongst the drawings and prints you will find works by famous Dutch artists like Goltzius, Visscher, Rembrandt, Troost, Maris, Toorop, and Veldhoen, but prominent artists from other European Schools, like Hogarth, Callot,
Canaletto Giovanni Antonio Canal (18 October 1697 – 19 April 1768), commonly known as Canaletto (), was an Italian painter from the Republic of Venice, considered an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school. Painter of city views or ...
, and Dürer are also present with specimens up to 1900. The photography collection spreads from its earliest history to the present day and boasts examples of virtually every Dutch photographer, from anonymous nineteenth-century pioneers through
Piet Zwart Piet Zwart (; 28 May 1885 – 24 September 1977) was a Dutch photographer, typographer, and industrial designer. Biography Early life Piet Zwart was born on May 28, 1885 in Zaandijk. He trained as an architect, and began graphic design proje ...
and Paul Citroen to Ed van der Elsken and Johan van der Keuken, including a lot of attention to present day photographers such as
Erwin Olaf Erwin Olaf Springveld (born 2 July 1959), professionally known as Erwin Olaf, is a Dutch photographer from Hilversum. Time (magazine), Time magazine described his work as straddling "the worlds of commercial, art and fashion photography at once. ...
and Hendrik Kerstens.


Colonial Collection (KIT)

The collection was started in 1864 with the opening of the Colonial Museum in Haarlem, but parts date back to the predecessor of the museum: the department of 'Trade and Colonies' founded in 1777 and part of the Hollandsche Maatschappij van Wetenschappen. In 1913 the collection was taken over by the Colonial Institute in Amsterdam founded in 1910. In 1950, after the Dutch decolonization, the mission of the Colonial Institute changed which was reflected in a name change to
Royal Tropical Institute The Royal Tropical Institute (Dutch: Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen, KIT) is an applied knowledge institute located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is an independent centre of expertise, education, intercultural cooperation and hospitality de ...
. But also the development of the collection changed quite drastically. In 2013 the library of the Royal Tropical Institute was closed and the part of the collection that dealt with the former Dutch colonies was housed at Leiden University Libraries.


Collection of the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV)

The KITLV was founded in 1851 and created the foremost collections on
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...
(especially on
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
) and the Caribbean (especially Suriname, Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles). The collection contains about 1 million - mostly postcolonial - books and special collections, including 150.000 digitized historical photographs, maps, prints and unique archives. On July 1, 2014, the management of the collection was transferred from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences to Leiden University Libraries.


Scaliger Institute

The ''Scaliger Institute'', founded in 2000, aims to stimulate and facilitate the use of the special collections in both teaching and research. For this purpose, the institute offers favourable working conditions and expertise, organizes lectures, symposia, master classes, and special courses, and provides fellowships to junior and senior scholars from the Netherlands and elsewhere who wish to work in Leiden for a longer period. These include the Brill, Elsevier, Van de Sande, Juynboll en Ailion fellowships, which focus on different disciplines or regions. The Scaliger Chair, affiliated with both the Institute at Leiden University Libraries and the university's Faculty of Humanities, is tasked with "promot ngteaching and research relating to the Special Collections held by the University library" through outreach activities directed towards academic and non-academic audiences. Scaliger professors: *
Wim Gerritsen Wim is a masculine given name or a shortened form of Willem and other names and may refer to: * Wim Anderiesen (1903–1944), Dutch footballer * Wim Aantjes (1923–2015), Dutch politician * Wim Arras (born 1964), Belgian cyclist * Wim Blockmans ...
(2002–2006) *
Harm Beukers Harm is a moral and legal concept. Bernard Gert construes harm as any of the following: * pain * death * disability * mortality * loss of abil ity or freedom * loss of pleasure. Joel Feinberg gives an account of harm as setbacks to inte ...
(2007–2016) * Erik Kwakkel (2016–2018) * Rick Honings (2020–present) Furthermore, an internationally prominent scholar is frequently appointed as ‘Visiting Scaliger Professor’ who delivers i.a. the Scaliger Lecture:
Anthony Grafton Anthony Thomas Grafton (born May 21, 1950) is an American historian of early modern Europe and the Henry Putnam University Professor of History at Princeton University, where he is also the Director the Program in European Cultural Studies. He i ...
(2009), François Déroche (2010), Peter Frankopan (2017), Ted Underwood (2019). The institute was named after Josephus Justus Scaliger (1540–1609), Leiden's most renowned scholar during the early years of its existence and a great benefactor of the University Library through the donation, at his death, of his exceptional collection of manuscripts and all his oriental books.


Specific information

* Areas of concentration:
archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsca ...
,
anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of be ...
,
art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...
,
astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...
,
cartography Cartography (; from grc, χάρτης , "papyrus, sheet of paper, map"; and , "write") is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an i ...
, classics,
education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
,
history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
,
law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
,
literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...
,
medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...
, Orientalism,
papyrology Papyrology is the study of manuscripts of ancient literature, correspondence, legal archives, etc., preserved on portable media from antiquity, the most common form of which is papyrus, the principal writing material in the ancient civilizations ...
, philosophy,
politics Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that stud ...
, publishing,
religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...
,
science Science is a systematic endeavor that Scientific method, builds and organizes knowledge in the form of Testability, testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earli ...
. * Some individual collections: D. Bierens de Haan,
Willem Bilderdijk Willem Bilderdijk () (7 September 1756 – 18 December 1831) was a Dutch poet, historian, lawyer, and linguist. Life Willem Bilderdijk was born on 7 September 1756 in Amsterdam in the Dutch Republic.Joris van Eijnatten,Bilderdijk, W., ''Bio- en ...
, T. Bodel Nijenhuis, G.J.P.J Bolland, J. Golius, A.P.H. Hotz, J. Huizinga, Constantijn and Christiaen Huygens, F. Kellendonk,
Justus Lipsius Justus Lipsius (Joest Lips or Joost Lips; 18 October 1547 – 23 March 1606) was a Flemish Catholic philologist, philosopher, and humanist. Lipsius wrote a series of works designed to revive ancient Stoicism in a form that would be compatible w ...
, P. Marchand, E.M. Meijers, K.H. Miskotte, J. Oort, V. Perelešin, M. Rijke, J.J. Scaliger, C. Snouck Hourgronje, C.P. Tiele, H.N. van der Tuuk, I. Vossius, L. Warner, N. van Wijk,
Jan Wolkers Jan Hendrik Wolkers (26 October 1925 – 19 October 2007) was a Dutch author, sculptor and painter. Wolkers is considered by some to be one of the "Great Four" writers of post-World War II Dutch literature, alongside Willem Frederik Hermans, Ha ...
. * Some institutional collections: Bohn Publishers, Sijthoff Publishers, Bibliothèque Wallonne, NHK (Dutch Reformed Church), Seminarium Remonstrantum, photographs Indonesia, ISIM (Islam), Zaken Overzee (Netherlands Ministry of Overseas Affairs).


Documents inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register

In the prestigious
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
Memory of the World Register Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered ...
documents are inscribed that affirm their world significance and outstanding universal value. * The Leiden La Galigo manuscript, written in Buginese (May 25, 2011). ''From the NBG collection.'' * The Dutch translation of the autobiographical manuscript of the Javanese prince
Diponegoro Prince Diponegoro ( jv, ꦢꦶꦥꦤꦼꦒꦫ; born Bendara Raden Mas Mustahar, ; later Bendara Raden Mas Antawirya ; 11 November 1785 – 8 January 1855), also known as Dipanegara, was a Javanese prince who opposed the Dutch colonial rule. The ...
(1755 -1855), national hero and pan-Islamist (June 18, 2013). ''From the KITLV collection.'' * The Panji manuscripts with ancient tales revolving around the mythical Javanese prince Panji (October 30, 2017).


Librarians of Leiden University

Since the founding of the university in 1575 there have been 25 Librarians of Leiden University:


Library locations


Present locations

*University Library, Witte Singel 27, Leiden (Architect: Bart van Kasteel) *Asian Library, Witte Singel 27, Leiden (Architect: Katja Hogenboom studio with FELSCH architecten) *Law Library, Steenschuur 25, Leiden *Social and Behavioral Sciences Library, Wassenaarseweg 52, Leiden *Gorlaeus Library and Mathematics and Natural Sciences Library, Einsteinweg 55 & Niels Bohrweg 1, Leiden *Walaeus Library (LUMC), Albinusdreef 2, Leiden *NINO Library, Witte Singel 25, Leiden *Academic Historical Museum, Rapenburg 73, Leiden *Wijnhaven Library, Campus The Hague, Turfmarkt 99, The Hague *KITLV-Jakarta, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav S-3, Jakarta, Indonesia


Former locations

1587-1595: Academiegebouw, Rapenburg 73, Leiden. 1595-1983: Faliede Bagijnkerk, Old University Library, now: University Board, Rapenburg 70, Leiden. File:Gewelven kamer - Leiden - 20135437 - RCE.jpg, Vault room at Rapenburg 73 (location 1587–1595) hotograph 1940File:Leiden 1610.jpg, Rapenburg 73 (1610) Print by Woudanus in ''Stedeboeck der Nederlanden'', Amsterdam: Willem Blaeu, 1649. File:Leiden 1694.jpg, Rapenburg 70 (1694) La nouvelle bibliothèque, from ''Les delices de Leide, une des célèbres villes de l'Europe'', Leiden: P. van der Aa, 1712 File:Goedeljee University Library.jpg, Rapenburg 70 (c.1890) File:Gevels - Leiden - 20137291 - RCE.jpg, Rapenburg 70 (1963) File:Leiden-Universiteitsbibliotheek.jpg, Current location: Witte Singel 27 (2006) File:ErfgoedLeiden LEI001017058 Rijks Universiteits Bibliotheek.jpg, Interior of the University Library. Glass negative, circa 1880. Photographer: Jan Goedeljee 1824–1905. File:ErfgoedLeiden LEI001017056 Rijks Universiteits Bibliotheek.jpg, Reading room, University Library. Glass negative, circa 1880. Photographer: Jan Goedeljee (1824–1905).


Leiden University Libraries in fiction

* Dutch author Frans Kellendonk (1951–1990) located his novel ''Letter en Geest. Een spookverhaal.'' (1982) in Leiden University Libraries. The main character in the novel Frits Mandaat replaces a sick colleague in the library. Kellendonk worked briefly in 1979 as a subject specialist for English literature at Leiden University Libraries.


Membership

Leiden University Libraries participates as a member in: *NVB, the Dutch Association of Information Professionals *UKB, the Dutch consortium of university libraries and the National Library *SAE, Academic Heritage Foundation *FOBID, the Netherlands Library Forum *Centre for the Study of the Book, Bodleian Library *LIBER, Association of European Research Libraries * IFLA, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions * Knowledge Unlatched (Charter member) * OAPEN, Open Access Publishing in European Networks (Founding member) *
IIIF The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF, spoken as 'triple-I-eff') defines several application programming interfaces that provide a standardised method of describing and delivering images over the web, as well as "presentation ...
, International Image Interoperability Framework (Founding member)


Exhibitions

Leiden University Libraries organizes about four exhibitions annually using Leiden University's rich special collections. The exhibition room is located in the entrance area of the University Library (Witte Singel) and is open freely for the public during library opening hours. In addition, Leiden University Libraries regularly organizes extensive exhibitions in collaboration with museums. In the past period the following exhibitions have been realized: *''Kaarten: navigeren en manipuleren.'' National Museum of Ethnology, Leiden, 21 October 2022 - 29 October 2023. *''Books that made History.''
Rijksmuseum van Oudheden The (English: National Museum of Antiquities) is the national archaeological museum of the Netherlands, located in Leiden. It grew out of the collection of Leiden University and still closely co-operates with its Faculty of Archaeology. The ...
, Leiden, 22 June 2022 - 4 September 2022. *''Alexine Tinne, photographer - her world view.'' Haags Historisch Museum, The Hague, 26 January 2022 - 12 Juni 2022. *''Photography Becomes Art. Photo-Secession in Holland 1890-1937.'' The Hague Museum of Photography, The Hague, 7 September 2019 - 8 December 2019. *''Leiden Celebrates! Highlights of an Academic Collection.'' Rembrandt House Museum, Amsterdam, 17 October 2014 - 26 January 2015. *''Straatwerken'' (drawings by 17th century artist Leonaert Bramer).
Westfries Museum The Westfries Museum is a museum of regional history established in the Dutch city of Hoorn. It was opened on 10 January 1880 and has been established in a monumental building dating to 1632. This building originally belonged to the Gecommitt ...
, Hoorn, 14 December 2013 - 3 March 2014. *''World Treasures! From Cicero to Erwin Olaf. Discover the Special Collections of Leiden University.''
Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal Museum De Lakenhal is the city museum of fine art and history in Leiden, Netherlands. One highlight is its collection of fijnschilder paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Just like the city, the museum combines a classical appearance with a contemp ...
, Leiden, 9 March 2013 - 30 June 2013. *''Turcksche boucken (Turkish books) from Levinus Warner. A seventeenth century diplomat and book collector in Istanbul.'' Museum Meermanno, House of the Book, The Hague, 15 December 2012 - 3 March 2013. *''Sweet&Salt. Water and the Dutch.''
Kunsthal The Kunsthal ( en, Art Hall) is an art museum in Rotterdam. It opened in 1992. Overview The museum is situated in the Museumpark of Rotterdam next to the Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam, and in the vicinity of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuni ...
, Rotterdam, 14 February 2012 - 10 June 2012. *''Erwin Olaf: Relief of Leiden.''
Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal Museum De Lakenhal is the city museum of fine art and history in Leiden, Netherlands. One highlight is its collection of fijnschilder paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Just like the city, the museum combines a classical appearance with a contemp ...
and Leiden University Libraries, Leiden, 29 September 2011 - 8 January 2012. *''In Atmospheric Light. - Picturalism in Dutch Photography 1890-1925.'' Rembrandt House Museum, Amsterdam, 1 April 2010 - 20 June 2010. *''Photography! A special collection at Leiden University.'' The Hague Museum of Photography, The Hague, 23 January 2010 - 18 April 2010. *''On route to the Golden Age - Hendrick Goltzius & Jacob de Gheyn II.'' , Venlo, 28 November 2009 - 28 February 2010. *''City of Books. Seven Centuries of Reading in Leiden.''
Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal Museum De Lakenhal is the city museum of fine art and history in Leiden, Netherlands. One highlight is its collection of fijnschilder paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Just like the city, the museum combines a classical appearance with a contemp ...
, Leiden, 22 February 2008 - 1 June 2008. * ''Goed gezien. Tien eeuwen wetenschap in handschrift en druk.''
Rijksmuseum van Oudheden The (English: National Museum of Antiquities) is the national archaeological museum of the Netherlands, located in Leiden. It grew out of the collection of Leiden University and still closely co-operates with its Faculty of Archaeology. The ...
, Leiden. 30 October 1987 - 17 January 1988. Furthermore, Leiden University Libraries often serves as lender to exhibitions by major museums in The Netherlands and abroad.


Publications


General (selection)

* Christiane Berkvens-Stevelinck: ''Magna commoditas - Leiden University's great asset. 425 years library collections and services''. Amsterdam, Leiden University Press, 2012. [Enlarged and updated edition
Digital version
* Elfriede Hulshoff Pol: 'The first century of the Leiden University Library'. In: ''Leiden University in the seventeenth century. An exchange of learning''. Leiden, Universitaire Pers Leiden, 1975. * ''Quaestiones leidenses. Twelve studies on Leiden University Library and its holdings published on the occasion of the quarter-centenary of the university. Ed. by Christiane Berkvens-Stevelinck ... et al. Leiden, Universiteitsbibliotheek, 1975


Collections (selection)

* ''Maps That Made History. 1000 Years of World History in 100 Old Maps.'' Martijn Storms (ed.). Tielt: Lannoo, 2022. * ''Kaarten die geschiedenis schreven. 1000 jaar wereldgeschiedenis in 100 oude kaarten.'' Martijn Storms (ed.). Tielt: Lannoo, 2022. * ''Books That Made History. 25 Books from Leiden That Changed the World.'' Edited by: Kasper van Ommen and Garrelt Verhoeven. Leiden: Brill, 2022. * ''Boeken die geschiedenis schreven.'' Redactie: Kasper van Ommen & Garrelt Verhoeven. Amsterdam: Athenaeum, 2022. * Kester Freriks & Martijn Storms. ''Grensverkenningen. Langs oude grenzen in Nederland.'' Amsterdam: Athenaeum, 2022. * ''Fotografie wordt Kunst. Photo-Secession in Holland 1890-1937. Photography Becomes Art. Photo-Secession in Holland 1890-1937''. Concept, image editing and text: Maartje van den Heuvel. Zwolle: WBOOKS in collaboration with Leiden University Libraries, 2019. * ''Voyage of Discovery. Exploring the Collections of the Asian Library at Leiden University''. Edited by: Alexander Reeuwijk. Leiden: Leiden University Press, 2017.
Digital version
* Luitgard Mols & Arnoud Vrolijk. ''Western Arabia in the Leiden Collections. Traces of a Colourful Past''. Leiden: Leiden University Press, 2016.
Digital version
* ''For Study and Delight. Drawings and Prints from Leiden University''. Edited by: Jef Schaeps, Elmer Kolfin, Edward Grasman, Nelke Bartelings. Leiden: Leiden University Press, 2016. * ''Leiden viert feest. Hoogtepunten uit een academische collectie''. Onder redactie van Jef Schaeps en Jaap van der Ven. Leiden: Leiden University Press, 2014. * Arnoud Vrolijk, Jan Schmidt & Karin Scheper. ''Turcksche boucken. De oosterse verzameling van Levinus Warner, Nederlands diplomaat in zeventiende-eeuws Istanbul. The Oriental collection of Levinus Warner, Dutch diplomat in seventeenth-century Istanbul''. Eindhoven: Lecturis, 2012. * Corien J.M. Vuurman. ''Nineteenth-century Persia in the Photographs of Albert Hotz. Images from the Hotz Photograph Collection of Leiden University Library, the Netherlands''. Rotterdam en Gronsveld: Barjesteh van Waalwijk van Doorn & Co's Uitgeversmaatschappij, 2011. * Maartje van den Heuvel, Janrense Boonstra & Jan van Dijk. ''In atmospherisch licht. Picturalisme in de Nederlandse fotografie 1890-1925. In Atmospheric Light. Picturalism in Dutch Photography 1890-1925''. Zwolle: Waanders, 2010. * Maartje van den Heuvel & Wim van Sinderen. ''Photography! A Special Collection at Leiden University''. Leiden: Leiden University & the Hague Museum of Photography, 2010. * ''Fotovoorkeuren. 50 auteurs kiezen een foto uit de collectie van het Leids Prentenkabinet''. Onder redactie van Joke Pronk & Tineke de Ruiter. Amsterdam: Voetnoot, 2007. * ''Bronnen van kennis. Wetenschap, kunst en cultuur in de collecties van de Leidse Universiteitsbibliotheek''. Onder redactie van Paul Hoftijzer, Kasper van Ommen, Geert Warnar & Jan Just Witkam. Leiden: Primavera Pers, 2006. * ''Oostersche weelde. De Oriënt in westerse kunst en cultuur. Met een keuze uit de verzameling van de Leidse Universiteitsbibliotheek''. Onder redactie van Jef Schaeps, Kasper van Ommen & Arnoud Vrolijk. Leiden: Primavera Pers, 2005. * ''Hora est! On dissertations''. Leiden, 2005
Digital version
* ''Jan Oort, astronomer'', with contrib. by Jet Katgert-Merkelijn & Jos Damen. Leiden, 2000
Digital version
* ''Goed gezien. Tien eeuwen wetenschap in handschrift en druk''. Eindredactie R. Breugelmans. Leiden 1987. * R. Breugelmans: ''Leiden imprints 1483-1600 in Leiden University Library and Bibliotheca Thysiana. A short-title catalogue''. Nieuwkoop, De Graaf, 1974.


See also

*
List of libraries in the Netherlands This is a list of libraries in the Netherlands. There were about 579 public libraries in the Netherlands in 1997. National, regional and state libraries *National library of the Netherlands ''(Koninklijke Bibliotheek)'', The Hague *Zeeland Libra ...


References


External links

*
Leiden University Libraries CatalogueLeiden University Libraries Digital CollectionsLeiden University Scholarly Publications (Repository)Scaliger InstituteVideos from and about Leiden University Libraries
{{Authority control Leiden University Academic libraries in the Netherlands Archives in the Netherlands 1587 establishments in Europe Buildings and structures in Leiden