The history of the Leuven University Library is commonly known as a history of two fires (both world wars) and the division of the collection at the start of the UCL. But thanks to digitization, it is possible to bring together collections split in the past.

1. War, division and digital
reunification
or what do the Omont collection and the
lecture notes kept at the Leuven
University Library have in common?
An Smets
What do we lose when we lose a library?
Friday September 11 2015

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

3. The history of the University Library (1)
1425: foundation of the university
1636: central university library
1639: first catalog
1736 > 8.000 volumes
1772: 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)

4. The history of the University Library (2)
1797: dissolution of the library
confiscation by the French
1806: city library
1817-1835: library of the
‘Rijksuniversiteit’ (state university)
1835-: library of the Catholic
university
Willem I

5. 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 books
1928: ca 750.000 volumes
1940: ca 900.000 volumes

6. 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 UCL
half of the collection goes to
Louvain-la-Neuve

7. The Special Collections Department (1)
= Division Heritage & Culture (° 2015)
• Collectio academica antiqua
• Collectio academica hollandica
• Lecture notes
• Modern academic collection
CaaA 826, fol. 2

8. 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

9. Lecture notes (1)
• 1914: 8 manuscripts (?)  burnt
• 1940: 68 manuscripts  burnt
• 1970: ca. 100 manuscripts  divided
21st century
KU Leuven: 175 manuscripts (2013)
UCL: 145 manuscripts (2003)
Ms. 212, fol. 2r

10. 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

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

12. The digital library
MS 1095, fol. 1r
MS 1096, fol. 1r
MS 1097, fol. 1r
MS 1098, fol. 1r

13. Copyright pictures
University Hall: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Universiteitshal_K.U.Leuven.jpg (Frie Van
Grunderbeeck)
Willem I
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Willem_I_in_kroningsmantel.jpg; Joseph Paelinck [Public domain], via
Wikimedia Commons
Place Louvain-la-Neuve
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Place_Louvain_la_Neuve.JPG (MaelaC)
Photos actual collection: Digital Lab KU Leuven