The

Mihai Eminescu Mihai Eminescu (; born Mihail Eminovici; 15 January 1850 – 15 June 1889) was a Romanian Romantic poet from Moldavia, novelist, and journalist, generally regarded as the most famous and influential Romanian poet. Eminescu was an active membe ...

Central University Library of Iași ( ro, Biblioteca Centrală Universitară "Mihai Eminescu" Iași) is a library that serves the

Alexandru Ioan Cuza University The Alexandru Ioan Cuza University ( Romanian: ''Universitatea „Alexandru Ioan Cuza"''; acronym: UAIC) is a public university located in Iași, Romania. Founded by an 1860 decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, under whom the former Academia ...

and the entire university and academic community in Iași,

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, a ...

History

The library was established on 8 November 1839 and opened on 23 November 1841, carrying on the tradition of the activity and fame of the old library of ''

Academia Vasiliană The Vasilian College or Vasilian Academy ( ro, Academia Vasiliană) was an institution of higher learning in Iași, the Principality of Moldavia, founded by Prince Vasile Lupu in 1640. Established in the capital of Moldavia as a "higher school ...

'', founded in 1640. Functioning closely with ''

Academia Mihăileană Academia Mihăileană was an institution of higher learning based in Iași, Moldavia, and active in the first part of the 19th century. Like other Eastern European institutions of its kind, it was both a high school and a higher learning institu ...

'', founded in 1835, it had the double character of a school library and a public library. In 1860, when the academy was transformed into the new University of Iași, the library became the Central University Library of Iași. However, its university character was soon changed again, for in 1864 the Regulation for Public Libraries transformed it into the Central State Library of Iași, with a national library profile but also playing the role of a university library. This double character continued until 1916, when the library once again assumed its current name.Kent When it opened, the University of Iași had three faculties, not counting the theological section: Law, Philosophy, and Science. Scientific and technical specialisation of the different sections within the faculties began almost at once. After several management proposals made by

Dimitrie Gusti Dimitrie Gusti (; 13 February 1880 – 30 October 1955) was a Romanian sociologist, ethnologist, historian, and voluntarist philosopher; a professor at the University of Iaşi and the University of Bucharest, he served as Romania's Minister o ...

in 1913 and 1914, the library was reorganised in 1932 according to the system proposed by B. Harms and W. Gülich. It was once again reorganised in 1948, after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. This had become quite necessary, as the library's collection had increased from 600 volumes to 1,500,000. By 2007 it had an additional million volumes. Among these are manuscripts,

incunabula In the history of printing, an incunable or incunabulum (plural incunables or incunabula, respectively), is a book, pamphlet, or broadside that was printed in the earliest stages of printing in Europe, up to the year 1500. Incunabula were pro ...

and rare books that entered the collection from monastic and private libraries, either by donation or purchase.Official site

and

Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu ( 26 February 1838 – ) was a Romanian writer and philologist, who pioneered many branches of Romanian philology and history. Life He was born Tadeu Hâjdeu in Cristineștii Hotinului (now Kerstentsi in Chernivtsi O ...

both served as librarians-in-chief at this institution. From its foundation until 1860, the library functioned in the building of ''Academia Mihăileană'' (now demolished). It was housed in the old university building (now the University of Medicine and Pharmacy) until 1897 and in the new university building (now the study hall of the

Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași The Gheorghe Asachi Technical University ( ro, Universitatea Tehnică „Gheorghe Asachi” din Iași; acronym: TUIASI) is a public university located in Iași, Romania. Classified by the Ministry of Education as an ''advanced research and educ ...

) until after World War II, when it moved into the building of the King Ferdinand I Foundation's Library, the collections of which it now includes. This structure was built between 1930 and 1934 by the engineer Emil Prager following architect Constantin Jotzu's plans. The interior features

Carrara marble Carrara marble, Luna marble to the Romans, is a type of white or blue-grey marble popular for use in sculpture and building decor. It has been quarried since Roman times in the mountains just outside the city of Carrara in the province of ...

and

Venetian Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...

mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

, while the exterior is decorated with Ionic columns, neo-Doric pilasters, small triangular pediments and medallions of important cultural figures. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Monuments.

Notes

References

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Central University Library of Iasi 1839 establishments in Europe 1839 establishments in the Ottoman Empire 19th-century establishments in Moldavia Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Culture in Iași Tourist attractions in Iași Buildings and structures in Iași Iasi Libraries established in 1839 Library buildings completed in 1934