Special collections in the UB

• Alba amicorum
• Baehler
• Biblioteca Italiana
• Bibliotheca Unitariana
• Bibliotheek Backer
• Bibliotheek Pictura
• Boekbanden
• Brieven
• Brochures
• Conamur
• Emblemata
• Enschedé, Mr. J.J.C.
• Franse bibliotheek
• Gezelschap van Groningsche Geneeskundigen
• Groningse drukken uit de 17e en 18e eeuw
• Guyot
• Van Hamel
• Handschriften
• Hispanische collectie
• Illegale en clandestiene drukken, Exilliteratur
• Incunabelen
• Joodse Gemeente
• Kerkelijke Bibliotheek
• Kooyker, H.A.
• Leeuw, Gerardus van der
• Museum van Oudheden
• Natuurkundig Genootschap
• Nauta, H.J.
• Pamfletten
• Papyri
• Persoonlijke nalatenschappen
• Plessner, Helmuth
• Provinciale Bibliotheek
• Programmata
• Ranke, J.R.
• Riedel, H.
• Robinsonades
• Schoolmuseum
• Smith, E.P.
• Societas Pro Excolendo Iure Patrio
• Staverman
• Tijdschriften
• Verèl
• Vondel
• Vos, K.

Alba amicorum
41 albums from the 16th – 20th centuries belonging to people who studied in Groningen or were otherwise connected to the city or province. List of owners.

Backer Library
Over 800 books, some manuscripts and a number of maps, collected by Mello Backer, Esq. (1807-1883). Contains ‘Groningana’, in particular on the history and laws of the city and province, biographies of inhabitants of Groningen, catalogues of public and private collections. 25% dates from before 1800, 75% from the 19th century.
Literature
Catalogus van de boeken en de kaarten van 'De Groninger bibliotheek van Jhr. Mr. Mello Backer'/ M. Backer. – Handwritten list in UB archive (D II 39 and D II 39a);
Catalogus der boeken (Groningana) van het legaat Backer, voorzoverre op 1 dec. 1896 niet berustende tevens in het Museum van Oudheden. - Handwritten list in UB archive (D II 39b).

Baehler

-Description of the Baehler archive

-Archive inventory

Biblioteca Italiana
On loan from the Groningen department of the Società Dante Alighieri (since c. 1930). Contains approximately 900 books and 23 m of periodicals about art and culture, in particular from the first half of the twentieth century.
Literature
Kunst, cultuur en politiek in Italië 1920-1940. Studies ter begeleiding van een tentoonstelling van boeken en tijdschriften uit de bibliotheek van de Vereniging Dante Alighieri, afdeling Groningen. - Groningen, 1992. Call number: uokw 110S 539

Bibliotheca Unitariana
Collection of works on the history and principles of Unitarianism and freedom of religion, created for the endowed chair in the History and Principles of Unitarianism which was established in 1985. Loaned to the University Library in 1991. The Dr Duncan Howlett Library, presented in 1991, serves as the basis for the collection which now consists of approximately 4700 volumes.
Literature
Bibliotheca Unitariana : keuze van werken uit de collectie betreffende vrije religiositeit / Groningen, 1994. Call number: uokw 085A 040

Book covers
The ‘I’ collection: approx. 5000 Dutch volumes, mainly from the period 1892-1940 (Jugendstil, Art Nouveau), which, in addition to author and title can also be searched by cover designer.
You can search the ‘I’ collection of covers for various aspects via the Catalogue. Click on decentral subjectcode (LSC) in the list of search options and fill in ‘cover design’ followed by the surname of the artist, followed by a comma.
For example, ‘cover design nuiver,’
A list of books whose covers were designed by Jacob Nuiver will appear.
A complete list of names of cover designers will appear if you type ‘cover design 1’.
Similarly, you can also search by
‘dust jacket’, either or not followed by a name,
‘title design’, either or not followed by a name,
‘series book cover’.

Brochures
Approx. 100,000 brochures from the period 1855-1963. - A chronologically arranged card index can be consulted in the Old and Rare Books Reading Room.

Conamur
Library of the Conamur society, which was established in 1899 to study socialism. Received as a gift in 1905/6. The collection contains approximately 14 m of books, including over 700 pamphlets and brochures about the labour movement and social issues.
Literature
Catalogus van de bibliotheek van ‘Conamur’, vereeniging tot beoefening der sociale wetenschappen te Groningen. - Groningen, 1903; 1912. Call number: uokw 085A 023; uokw 085A 024

Emblems
W.G.Gzn. [Willem Geert Geertzn.] Bakker donated his books to the UB in 1919. The collection of emblem books is still being expanded (currently over 200). Typed list in UB archive, (D II 1);
Literature:
Catalogus van de emblemataboeken in de Universiteitsbibliotheek Groningen / N.C.T. Weiland. - Groningen, 1992 (internal publication). Call number: uokw 085A 046

Enschedé, J.J.C. [Jacobus Johannes Christiaan] (?-1912)
Approx. 1,100 works on colonial history and politics, in particular of the Netherlands and England, Asiatica, railways (in particular reports of railroad companies in the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies).

French library
Approx. 1,000 books, in particular French literature from the 19th and 20th centuries, in the UB since 1925.
Literature
Catalogus van de Franse bibliotheek in stand gehouden door de Vereniging tot bevordering der studie van het Frans / compiled by J. Nienhuis. - Amsterdam, 1956. With supplements from 1957 and 1959 (typed lists in the UB archive). Call number: uokw 085A 027

Gezelschap van Groningsche Geneeskundigen (Association of Groningen physicians)
The library of the Groningen branch of the Nederlandsche Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Geneeskunst (Netherlands society for the promotion of medicine), comprising medical works from the 18th and 19th centuries, was acquired by the UB in 1877.
Literature
Catalogus van de bibliotheek van de afdeeling Groningen van de Nederlandsche Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Geneeskunst. - s.l. [Groningen], s.a. [1937]. Call number: uokw 085A 021

Groningen prints
Groningen prints from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Literature
Groningse drukken uit de 17e en 18e eeuw: catalogus van de werken aanwezig in de Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit te Groningen / F.C. Willemse. - Groningen, 1979. Call number: uokw 085A 004
‘Gedruckt tot Groningen’: keuze van vijfenzestig uitgaven verschenen in Groningen 1603-1798 / [compiled by E.M.J. Braams et al.]. - Groningen, 1994. Call number: uokw 085A 006

Guyot
Approx. 500 manuscripts, printed books and periodicals in the field of the history of French Protestantism and the Réfugiés (refugees), collected by H.D. [Henri Daniël] Guyot (1832-1908) and presented to the library in 1908.

Hispanic collection
The library has acquired the Hispanic collections of F. [Fonger] de Haan (1859-1930), Johan Brouwer (1898-1943) and G.J. [Gerardus Johannes] Geers (1891-1965).
Literature
Catalogus van het geschenk-De Haan voor zoover dat betrekking heeft op Spanje, Portugal, het Spaansch en Portugeesch sprekende deel van Amerika en op Spaansche en Portugeesche taal- en letterkunde. - Groningen, 1926; followed by two supplements, the second of which appeared in 1931. Call number: uokw 085A 015
Catalogus van de Hispanistische bibliotheek van wijlen prof. dr. G.J. Geers. - Groningen, 1967 (typed list) Call number: uokw 085A 009
Catalogue du fonds hispanique ancien (avant 1800). - Groningen, 1967 (typed list). Call number: uokw 085A 008; 2C 694

Illegal and clandestine prints, Exile literature
Emphasis on the work of the Groningen printer Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman and Czech and Slovak emigrant literature.
Literature
Ondergronds en in ballingschap: een keuze van Tsjechische en Slowaakse boeken uit de jaren 1948-1989 / [ed. Geramè Wouters]. - Groningen. Call number: uokw 110S 543

Incunabula
The library possesses 210 incunabula, some of the oldest items in the library’s collection, acquired from churches and monasteries in the city and province. The collection comprises mainly works printed in Germany; over thirty books are of Dutch or Belgian origin.
Literature
Catalogus der incunabelen van de Universiteitsbibliotheek Groningen / A.G. Roos. - Groningen, 1920. Call number: uokw 085A 003
Incunabula in Dutch Libraries. A census of fifteenth-century printed books in Dutch public collections. / ed. Gerard van Thienen. - Nieuwkoop, 1983 (Bibliotheca Bibliographica Neerlandica, vol. XVII). - 2 vols. Call number: uokw 301A 030

Jewish Society
Library of the Dutch-Israeli community of Groningen, approx. 1,000 volumes of Judaica, bibles, psalm books and commentaries from the 18th-20th centuries, given on loan in 1983.
Literature
Catalogus van de boekerij van de Nederlands-Israëlitische Gemeente te Groningen / Groningen, 1996. Call number: uokw 085A 043

Kerkelijke Bibliotheek (Church library)
Theological library (1,000 volumes), created in 1878 for the professors who were appointed at the university by the Dutch Reformed Church. On loan since 1905.
Literature
Catalogus der boekverzameling behoorende aan de Nederlandsche Hervormde Kerk en berustende in de Bibliotheek der Rijks-Universiteit te Groningen. - Groningen, 1907. Call number: uokw 085A 037
Catalogus der boekverzameling behoorende aan de Nederlandsche Hervormde Kerk en berustende in de bibliotheek der Rijks-Universiteit te Groningen. Supplement. - Groningen, 1914; copies with additions in UB archive (D II 43a en 43b). Call number: uokw 085A 037

Kooyker, H.A. [Hendrik Albert] (1832-1904), medical scholar.
Medical library comprising of approx. 1,200 volumes, mostly from the 19th century.

Leeuw, Gerardus van der (1890-1950), theologian
Description of the archive

Legacies
The UB has been the recipient of several dozen legacies. Please contact the Special Collections Department for details.

Letters
The library possesses a number of legacies containing correspondence. The following have been or will be catalogued in the CEN:
Baaren, Theodorus P. van (1912-1989), religious historian, poet
Brouwer, Johan (1898-1943), literary scholar, hispanic scholar
Camper, Petrus (1722-1789), medical scholar
Emmius, Ubbo (1547-1625), historian, geographer
Geers, Gerardus Johannes (1891-1965), Hispanic scholar
Leeuw, Gerardus van der (1890-1950), theologian
Moll, Jan Willem (1851-1933), biologist
Suringar, Gerard Tjaard (1761-1827), classicist, legal scholar
Suringar, Lucas (1770-1833), theologian

Manuscripts
The library possesses over 1,000 manuscripts, dating from the 8th to the 20th centuries. Over 200 of these date from the 16th century or earlier. The collection also includes lecture notes and over 100 printed works with handwritten notes.
Literature
Codices orientales bibliothecarum Groninganae, Daventriensis, Leovardensis, Societatis Remonstrantium Amstelodamensis cet. / M.J. de Goeje. - s.l., s.a. [1860]. Call number: uokw 085A 012
Catalogus Codicum Manu Scriptorum Universitatis Groningana Bibliothecae / H. Brugmans. - Groningen, 1898. Reprint: Hildesheim etc., 1984. Call number: uokw 085A 001
Manuscripta Addenda: typed list of works acquired since 1898. – Available for perusal in the Old and Rare Books Reading Room. Call number: uokw 085A 002
The dated manuscripts are described in
Manuscrits datés conservés dans les Pays-Bas, vol. 1 / G.I. Lieftinck. - Amsterdam, 1964, nos. 39-46, and in idem, vol. 2 / J.P. Gumbert. - Leiden, 1988, nos. 373- 390. Call number: uokw 565A 001

Museum van Oudheden (Museum of Antiquities)
Library (over 70 m) of the Museum of Antiquities, created in 1890, containing books and brochures on the history of the city and province, including almanacs, brochures and manuscripts, and on art and art history, in permanent loan since 1919.

Natuurkundig Genootschap (Physics Association)
Collection of 4,500 works, including the Physics Association’s own publications, created in 1801, and many reports of and works published by scholarly associations. The academic part of the library of the Association was given on loan to the UB in 1907.
Literature
Lijst der boeken van het Natuur- en Scheikundig genootschap te Groningen. - Groningen, 1821. Call number: uokw 090A 002
Lijst der boeken van het Genootschap ter bevordering der natuurkundige wetenschappen, te Groningen (Gedrukt voor de Leden des Genootschaps).- s.a. [Groningen], 1845. Call number: uklu BACKER 825
An alphabetical card index can be found in the Old and Rare Books Reading Room.

Nauta, H.J., [Henricus Johannes], legal scholar.
Collection of over 300 works, mostly on alchemy, astrology, astronomy, chronology, magic, etc., donated in 1807.
Literature
Handwritten list in UB archive (D II 37).

Pamphlets
Copies held by the UB of titles included in the Catalogus van de Pamflettenverzameling berustende in de Koninklijke Bibliotheek / W.P.C. Knuttel. – The Hague, 1889- 1920 (Call number: uokw 085A 013), can be found in the OPC by searching by Knuttel’s number under the ‘decentral subjectcode’ option. Approx. 2800 titles have been included in Catalogus der Pamfletten van de Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit te Groningen 1542-1853 (niet voorkomende in de catalogi van Broekema, Knuttel, Petit, Van Someren, Tiele en Van der Wulp) / G.A. van Alphen. - Groningen, 1944. Call number: uokw 085A 014

The Early Modern Pamphlets Online (TEMPO) comprises both the complete Knuttel collection from the National Library of the Netherlands and the Van Alphen collection from Groningen University Library.

See also: http://tempo.idcpublishers.info/protected/

Papyri
A collection of 127 Greek papyri from the 2nd – 7th centuries was acquired in 1926.
Literature (available for perusal in the Old and Rare Books Reading Room)
A.G. Roos, ‘Papyri Groninganae: Griechische Papyri der Universitätsbibliothek zu Groningen nebst zwei Papyri der Universitätsbibliothek zu Amsterdam.’ In Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Academie van Wetenschappen, afd. Letterkunde, N.R. 32, no. 4. Amsterdam 1933;
P.J. Sijpesteijn, ‘Bemerkungen zu einigen Papyri Groninganae’. In Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 11 (1973), pp. 161-168;
I.H.M. Hendriks, P.J. Parsons & K.A. Worp, ‘Papyri from the Groningen Collection I: Encomium Alexandreae’. In Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 41 (1981), pp. 71-83;
I.H.M. Hendriks & K.A. Worp, ‘Papyri aus der Groninger Sammlung II’. In Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 55 (1984), pp. 201-213.

Periodicals
Halcyon

Pictura Library
Library (11 m) of the Kunstlievend Genootschap Pictura, founded 1832, containing in particular works from the 18th and 19th centuries in the field of the fine arts. On loan since 1904.
Literature
Handwritten list in the UB archive (D II 47).

Plessner, Helmuth (1892-1985), philosopher

Description of the Plessner archive

Inventory of the legacy of Helmuth Plessner in the University Library Groningen.

See also the Helmuth Plessner Website

Programmes
A collection of historical official academic announcements in broadside format. Provincial Library
The historical collection of the Library of the Province of Groningen, containing approx. 10,000 books, particularly about Groningen. Given on loan in 1989.
Literature
Catalogus van de bibliotheek der provincie Groningen. Provinciehuis te Groningen.

s.l. [Groningen], 1950. Call number:

uokw 090A 001Ranke, J.R. (Johann Rudolph) [1849-1887], medical scholar.
Medical library comprising approx. 800 books and over 90 periodicals from the 19th century, bequeathed to the library in 1887.
Literature
Handwritten list in UB archive (D II 46).

Riedel, H. [Hendrik], (1796-1871), classicist

Approx. 1,100 editions and translations of and commentaries on the works of the Latin poet Horace, acquired by the library in 1871. The collection is being supplemented. Literature W.R.H. Koops, ‘Dr. H. Riedel, een negentiende-eeuwse Groningse boekenverzamelaar’. In Boeken verzamelen: opstellen aangeboden aan mr. J.R. de Groot. - Leiden, 1983, 198-210. Call number: ualg 760M 004 Riedel Horatiana. A Catalogue of the Horace Collection in Groningen University Library / A. Bijker. - Nieuwkoop, 1996 (Bibliotheca Bibliographica Neerlandica, 30). Call number: uokw 085A 042

Robinsonades (Staverman legacy)

Originally the legacy of the Netherlands scholar W.H. [Werner Hendrik] Staverman (1881-1956).
Collection of approx. 400 ‘Robinsonades’: earlier and later editions, translations and adaptations of Daniel Defoe’s work, and utopian literature related to Robinson Crusoe. The Robinson Crusoe collection is not stored separately in the library but incorporated in the collection.

The Robinsonades in the UB collection can be found in the catalogue by searching by ‘decentral subjectcode’. Enter ‘Robinsonade’ and the titles will appear.

Literature
Robinson Crusoe in Nederland : een bijdrage tot de geschiedenis van den roman in de XVIIIe eeuw / W.H. Staverman. - Groningen, 1907. Call number: 22B 3643
Robinson Crusoe in the Old and New Worlds / ed. T.J. Broos, J. Kingma, A. Bossers. - Ann Arbor etc., 1992. Call number: 12A 668
Chronologische lijst van de Robinson Crusoe collectie in de Universiteitsbibliotheek van Groningen / complied by Tonnis Musschenga. - Groningen, 1993 (internal publication).

School museum
Collection of approx. 3,000 volumes on pedagogy, psychology, teaching methods for sport and games, handicraft and needlework, singing and drawing. The editions up to 1850 represent all kinds of schoolbooks (reading, writing, language, calculation etc.) and the works of the most important education reformers of the beginning of the 19th century. (Niewold, Prinsen, Rijkens, Wester e.a.). The later editions in the collection are about pedagogy, psychology, teaching methods,  and also schoolbooks for sports and games, handicraft and needlework, singing, drawing and writing.

Acquired in 1988 from the Noordelijk Instituut voor Opvoeding en Onderwijs (Northern Institute for Education and Teaching) in Groningen.

Smith, E.P. [Edzard Pompejus], legal scholar.
Collection of over 500 mostly legal and historical works from the 17th and 18th centuries, acquired in 1805.
Literature
Handwritten list in UB archive (D II 36).

Societas Pro Excolendo Iure Patrio
Approx. 3,500 legal and historical works, including over 100 manuscripts, mostly related to land law and city books. The SPEIP was established in 1761 for the study of natural law and national law. The collection was given on loan in 1853.
Literature
Catalogus der handschriften, kaarten en boeken van het Genootschap Pro Excolendo Iure Patrio, opgerigt te Groningen in het jaar 1761. - s.l. [Groningen], 1897. Call number: uokw 085A 007

Van Hamel
Approx. 1,200 publications on French language and literature of the Middle Ages, collected by the Romance scholar A.G. [Antonius Gerardus] van Hamel (1842-1907) and given on loan in sections since1917.
Literature
Handwritten list in UB archive (D II 48).

Verèl, D. [Dirk] (1892-1971), playwright.

Collection of approx. 3,000 volumes on pedagogy, psychology, teaching methods for sport and games, handicraft and needlework, singing and drawing. Acquired in 1988 from the Noordelijk Instituut voor Opvoeding en Onderwijs (Northern Institute for Education and Teaching) in Groningen. Collection of over 500 mostly legal and historical works from the 17th and 18th centuries, acquired in 1805. Handwritten list in UB archive (D II 36).Approx. 3,500 legal and historical works, including over 100 manuscripts, mostly related to land law and city books. The SPEIP was established in 1761 for the study of natural law and national law. The collection was given on loan in 1853. Catalogus der handschriften, kaarten en boeken van het Genootschap Pro Excolendo Iure Patrio, opgerigt te Groningen in het jaar 1761. - s.l. [Groningen], 1897. uokw 085A 007Approx. 1,200 publications on French language and literature of the Middle Ages, collected by the Romance scholar A.G. [Antonius Gerardus] van Hamel (1842-1907) and given on loan in sections since1917. Handwritten list in UB archive (D II 48).

Description of the Verèl archive

Archive inventory

Vos, K. [Karel] (1874-1926), theologian.
Collection of approx. 400 volumes relating to Mennonitism, in particular the history of baptism in the Netherlands. Typed list in UB archive (D II 1).

Literature
Menno op doortocht : geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Groningen / [ed. P. Coolman et al.]. - Groningen, 1996. Call number: BM 42327