Wroclaw University Library historical highlights

1811-1815 The Library is founded as a result of a fusion between Leopold University in Wroclaw and Viadrina University in Frankfurt, as well as various libraries of secularized Lower Silesia monasteries. The seat of the library was the former Augustinian Order building on Sand Island. The structure was built by abbot Baltazar Seidel at the beginning of 18th century.

1815 Official opening of the Royal University Library in Wroclaw.

1823 Library Collections count reaches 120 thousand items.

1824 (December) First mandatory copy (required from a publisher by law) donated to the Library.

1825 Mandatory copies from Silesian publishers.

1886 The Library acquired the collection of the Schlesische Gesellschaft für vaterländische Kultur, 68 thousand items.

1919-1945 The Library functions as the Staats- and Universitätsbibliothek.

1933 The Royal Technical Academy Library is incorporated into the Library but operates in its own building as it used to.

1940 Evacuation of the most important parts of the collection outside Wroclaw (manuscripts, incunabula, Silesiaca, books published before 1700, bibliographies and encyclopedias from the reading room, some of the catalogs).

1943 The Library holdings count about 800 thousand of print materials, 4,5 thousand of manuscripts, 19 thousand of autographs, 5 thousand maps, 6 thousand graphics, 3 thousand incunabula.

1945 In spite of the heavy bombardments, that destroyed about 50 thousand items, mainly from Classical Philological Collection, The Library continues to function and was lending books to the public.

1945 (March) A German Festung Breslau commander decides that the cellars of the building on Sand Island are to be used as headquarters of the city of Wroclaw defense against the Soviets.

About 300 thousand items were moved to the St Anne’s Church, in front of the bulding on the Sand Island (today Russian Orthodox church).

1945 (May) Books in St Anne’s Church burned down during the fire.

After receiving a message of the destruction of the collection held in St Anne’s Church, first Polish mayor of the city of Wroclaw, Boleslaw Drobner, decided to turn the City Library to University.

City Library collection count at the time is about 400 thousand items, including 5300 manuscripts, 600 incunabula, 32 thousand occasional prints, 20 thousand maps, pictures and portraits.

Polish librarians, led by Antoni Knot, began to create a new University Library in the former building of City Library.

1946 First mandatory copy after World War II arrives.

1946 (May) On basis of Resolution of City National Council of Wroclaw City from 28th May 1946 collections of City Library has been delivered to University of Wrocław.

1948-1949 Parts of the Potocki collection from Krzeszowice and the Sanguszko collection from Tarnow region were passed over to the Library.

1958 After rebuilding of monastery on Sand Island, special collections were moved to that site.

1966 Separate catalog of textbooks for students of University of Wroclaw was created in the Library.

1973 Centralization of the collections processing throughout the Library departments

1982 (November) Senate of the Wroclaw University decides to build a new building for the University Library

1988 Social Committee for the New Wroclaw University Library Building is founded under prof. Jan Kosik chairmanship.

1991 Wroclaw University is registered in the official City documents as “user for life” of lot No. 2/1 near the Peace Bridge (ground for the new library building).

The New Wroclaw University Library blueprint is prepared by Ewa Barska and Marian Barski, the architects.

1993 Computerization of Wroclaw University Library begins, thanks to the financial support of the American A. Mellon Foundation.

1994 Access to the internet is granted; beginning of VTLS system testing.

1995 VTLS module for collection processing begins its operation in the Library.

As an offspring of ‘Acta Universitatis Vratislaviensis’ scientific series a special library publication entitles ‘Bibliothecalia Vratislaviensis’ is issued for the first time.

1996 Opening of the computer catalog for the library users.

1997 Reorganization of the Social Committee for the New Wroclaw University Library Building; new members and board are registered and prof. Henryk Ratajczak was elected a new chairman.

1997 (July) Flood in Poland, all the basement areas at Św. Jadwigi 3/4 St., Szajnochy 7/9 St. and Szajnochy 10 St., as well as Department of Law at Uniwersytecka St., are heavily damaged; several thousand books and other library holdings are soaked, some of them are saved.

1998 VTLS module for circulation begins its operation in the Library.

1999 (June) An architectural contest for the new Library building design begins.

1999 (December) final results of the contest are announced: a winner is a group of architects from Warsaw: Jacek Rzyski, Jerzy Ruszkowski and Jacek Kopczewski.

2001 (September) Department of Architecture of the Office of the City of Wroclaw approves the design of the new Library building; main architect Jacek Rzyski is appointed.

2001 (December) Underground press (from the era of communism) catalog is opened to the public.

Wroclaw University Library collection count, together with departmental libraries stands at more than 3,5 million items.

2002 (May) Polish Parliament passes a bill about observances of the Wroclaw University Tercentenary Jubilee (includes a support for the new Library building)

2002 (July) VTLS integrated library system is changed into VIRTUA system.

2002 (November) Erection Act on the construction site of the new Library building was signed by Aleksander Kwasniewski, President of the Republic of Poland, Krystyna Lybacka, Minister of Education and Sport, prof. Michal Kleiber, Minister of Science and President of the Scientific Research Comitee, prof. Henryk Ratajczak, President of Social Committee for the New Wroclaw University Library Building, Ryszard Nawrat, the governor of Lower Silesia, and prof. Zdzislaw Latajka, the Rector of the Wroclaw University.

2003 (May) Results of the bidding for a contractor of the new Library building are announced; the winner is Mitex Co. from Kielce, Poland.

2003 (November) A ground-breaking ceremony for the new Library building: the corner stone is officially dedicated by the Cardinal Henryk Gulbinowicz and other guests of honor.

2004 (July) In Report "Rozwój eGovernment w Polsce – trzecia edycja badań eEuropa” (eGovernment development in Poland – third edition of eEurope research) prepared by experts’ team for Prof. Kleiber who is the Ministry of Scientific Research and Information Technology - the “Online Services” of Wroclaw University Library (available from Library’s web page) were highly assessed and presented as an example of the best practices of eGovernment in Poland.

2004 (September) – 2005 (August) Library took part in “Bibliotheca Sonans” project – conservation and digitalization of middle age music manuscripts, incunabula and old prints, funded by European Union in the framework of “Culture 2000 Program”.

2004 (November) Wroclaw University Library’s web page was assessed as the best in the country and was awarded the first prize for the best web page in the category of libraries of high educations’, scientific and central institutions.

2005 Process of Library’s traditional card catalogs digitalization has begun.

2005 (July) Digitized card catalogs of: periodicals and Silesia-Lausitz Cabinet are accessible through the Library web page.

2005 (October) - 2006 (November) Library took part in the project “Preservation of European cultural heritage – protective microfilming, digitalization and popularization of chosen, popular Silesian periodicals from 19^th century from collections of Wroclaw University Library”, funded mostly by The Leopold Kronenberg Foundation.

2006 (December) Celebration of opening Digital Library of University of Wrocław.

top