War, division and digital reunificationor what do the Omont collection and the lecture notes kept at the Leuven University Library have in common?

An SmetsWhat do we lose when we lose a library?Friday September 11 2015

Table• The history of the University Library• The Special Collections Department• The lecture notes (1425-1797)• The collection of Henri Omont• The digital library

The history of the University Library (1)

1425: foundation of the university1636: central university library1639: first catalog

1736 > 8.000 volumes1772: 40.000 volumes

Some librarians:• Valerius Andreas (1636-1655)• Cornelius F. Nelis (1755-1768)• Jean Noël Paquot (1768-1771)• Jan Frans Van de Velde (1772-1797)

The history of the University Library (2)1797: dissolution of the libraryconfiscation by the French

1806: city library

1817-1835: library of the ‘Rijksuniversiteit’ (state university)

1835-: library of the Catholic university

Willem I

The history of the University Library (3)08/25/1914: fire by German troops

1921-1928: new library building

05/16-17/1940: fire by German troops

1914: 1000 MSS, 800 incunabula, ca. 300.000 books1928: ca 750.000 volumes1940: ca 900.000 volumes

The history of the University Library (4)1951: reopening of the library

1961: retirement of Étienne Van Cauwenbergh> 1.000.000 volumes

1970-1979: start of the UCLhalf of the collection goes toLouvain-la-Neuve

The Special Collections Department (1)

= Division Heritage & Culture (° 2015)

• Collectio academica antiqua• Collectio academica hollandica• Lecture notes• Modern academic collection

CaaA 826, fol. 2

The Special Collections Department (2)• Susan Minns (1839-1938)• Archibald Corble (1883-1944)• Henri Omont (1857-1940)• Henry de Vocht (1878-1962)• Frans Cranevelt (1485-1564)• Jan Baptist Vervliet (1855-1942)

LC_Ep195_1r

Lecture notes (1)• 1914: 8 manuscripts (?) burnt• 1940: 68 manuscripts burnt• 1970: ca. 100 manuscripts divided

21st centuryKU Leuven: 175 manuscripts (2013)UCL: 145 manuscripts (2003)

Ms. 212, fol. 2r

Lecture notes (2)• history of the own institution• university history / history of education• iconography (!) urban geography, daily student life,…• scientific engravings

MS 250, fol. 28v

MS 211, fol. 65r

MS 206, fol. 19r

Collection of Henri Omont• manuscripts, incunabula, rare books• manuscript catalogues !• working material on manuscripts (e.g. offprints)

The digital library

MS 1095, fol. 1r

MS 1096, fol. 1r

MS 1097, fol. 1r

MS 1098, fol. 1r

Copyright picturesUniversity Hall: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Universiteitshal_K.U.Leuven.jpg (Frie Van Grunderbeeck)

Willem Ihttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Willem_I_in_kroningsmantel.jpg; Joseph Paelinck [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Place Louvain-la-Neuvehttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Place_Louvain_la_Neuve.JPG (MaelaC)

Photos actual collection: Digital Lab KU Leuven