Collection descriptions

Alba amicorum – 41 specimens from the 16th-20th century, of people who studied in Groningen or who have been connected to the city or province. List of owners.

Bakker, W.G. Gzn. [Willem Geert Geertzen]. Bakker donated in 1919 his collection of emblemata books to the University Library. Since then, the Library acquired over 200 books. Typescript list in the Library Archives (D II 1).

Literature: N.C.T. Weiland, Catalogus van de emblemata aanwezig in de Universiteitsbibliotheek Groningen (Groningen, 1992). Reference: uokw 085A 046

Biblioteca Italiana – Permanent loan (since approx. 1930) of the Groningen chamber of the Società Dante Alighieri. Contains approx. 900 books and 23 meters of periodicals on art and culture, mostly from the first part of the 20th century.

Literature: Jelle Kingma, 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). Reference: uokw 110S 539

Bibliotheca Unitariana – Collection concerning the history and principles of Unitarianism and Free Christianity, installed on the occasion of the establishment of the endowed chair History and principles of Unitarianism. Since 1991, this collection became a permanent loan to the University Library. The basis of this collection, which now contains approx. 4.700 volumes, is the Dr. Duncan Howlett Library, which was transferred to the Library in 1991.

Literature: S. Krikke (ed.), Bibliotheca Unitariana : keuze van werken uit de collectie betreffende vrije religiositeit (Groningen, 1994). Reference: uokw 085A 040

Backer Library – Over 800 books, some manuscripts and a few maps, collected by Jhr. Mr. Mello Backer (1807-1883). Contains Groningana, mostly history and law of the City and Province of Groningen, biographies of Groningen’s inhabitants, catalogues of public and private collections. Twenty-five percent of this collection is dated before 1800, seventy-five from the 19th century.

Literature: M. Backer, Catalogus van de boeken en de kaarten van 'De Groninger bibliotheek van Jhr. Mr. Mello Backer. - Manuscript list in the Library Archives (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. – Manuscript list in the Library Archives (D II 39b).

Brochures/ pamphlets – The library possesses approx. 100.000 brochures from the period 1855-1963. These brochures have been made available in the Catalogue. Almost 2800 pamphlets are listed in G.A. van Alphen, 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) (Groningen, 1944). Reference: uokw 085A 014. Furthermore, the University Library possesses a large number of pamphlets and ordonnances that are listed in W.P.C. Knuttel, Catalogus van de Pamfletten- verzameling berustende in de Koninklijke Bibliotheek (The Hague, 1889-1920). Reference: uokw 085A 013. The complete Knuttel collection of the Royal Library and the Van Alphen collection of the University of Groningen can be consulted full text on The Early Modern Pamphlets Online TEMPO.

Conamur – Library of the Conamur Society, founded in 1899, aimed at the study of social sciences. Donated in 1905/6. The collection comprises approx. 14 m., including more than 450 pamphlets and brochures, on the labour movement and societal issues.

Literature: A. Nienhuis, Catalogue of the library of "Conamur", Society to Promote the Social Sciences in Groningen (Groningen, 1903; 1912). Reference: uokw 085A 024

Correspondence - Some of the personal estates that are kept by the University Library contain letters. These were or will be catalogued in the Catalogus Epistolarum Neerlandicarum (CEN). The archive comprises: Theodorus P. van Baaren (1912-1989), historian of religion, poet; Johan Brouwer (1898-1943), literary scholar, Hispanist; Petrus Camper (1722-1789), physician; Ubbo Emmius (1547-1625), historian, geographer; Gerardus Johannes Geers (1891-1965), Hispanist; Gerardus van der Leeuw (1890-1950), theologian; Jan Willem Moll (1851-1933), biologist; Gerard Tjaard Suringar (1761-1827), classical scholar, lawyer; Lucas Suringar (1770-1833), theologian.

Enschedé, Mr. J. J. C. [Jacobus Johannes Christiaan] (?-1912) – Approx. 1.100 works on colonial history and politics, especially on the Netherlands and England, Asiatica, railways (mostly reports of railway companies in the Netherlands and the former Dutch East Indies).

French library – Approx. 1.000 books, mostly French literature from the 19th and 20th century, are kept in the University Library since 1925.

Literature: J. Nienhuis (ed.), Catalogus van de Franse bibliotheek in stand gehouden door de Vereniging tot bevordering der studie van het Frans (Amsterdam, 1956). With supplements from 1957 and 1959 (typescript lists in the Library Archives). Reference: uokw 085A 027

Groningen Society for the Promotion of Medicine – The Library of the Groningen branch of the Dutch Society for the Promotion of Medicine, containing works from the 18th and 19th century, was acquired in 1877 by the University Library.

Literature: Catalogus van de bibliotheek van de afdeeling Groningen van de Nederlandsche Maatschappij tot Bevordering der Geneeskunst (s.l. [Groningen], s.a. [1937]). Reference: uokw 085A 021

Groninger editions – Groninger editions from the 17th and 18th century.

Literature: F.C. Willemse, Groningse drukken uit de 17e en 18e eeuw: catalogus van de werken aanwezig in de Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit te Groningen (Groningen, 1979). Reference: uokw 085A 004; E.M.J. Braams et al. (eds.), ‘Gedruckt tot Groningen’: keuze van vijfenzestig uitgaven verschenen in Groningen 1603-1798 (Groningen, 1994). Reference: uokw 085A 006

Guyot – Approx. 500 manuscripts, printed editions and periodicals on the history of French Protestantism and the Réfugiés, collected by Mr. H.D. [Henri Daniël] Guyot (1832-1908), donated in 1908 to the library.

Van Hamel – Approx. 1.200 publications on the linguistics and literary studies of the French language in the Middle Ages, collected by Romanist A.G. [Antonius Gerardus] van Hamel (1842-1907). Parts of the collection were on loan to the University Library from 1917 onwards. Literature: manuscript list in the Library Archives (D II 48).

Hispanist collection - The library acquired the Hispanist collection of Fonger de Haan (1859-1930), Johan Brouwer (1898-1943) and 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 part appeared in 1931. Reference: uokw 085A 015; Catalogus van de Hispanistische bibliotheek van wijlen prof. dr. G.J. Geers. - Groningen, 1967 (typescript list) Reference: uokw 085A 009; Catalogue du fonds hispanique ancien (avant 1800) - Groningen, 1967 (typescript list). Reference: uokw 085A 008.

Illegal and clandestine printing, Exil literature – Highlights are the work of the Groningen printer Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman and Czech and Slowak publications printed in exile. Literature: Geramè Wouters (ed.), Ondergronds en in ballingschap : een keuze van Tsjechische en Slowaakse boeken uit de jaren 1948-1989 – Groningen, 1993. Reference: uokw 110S 543

Incunabula The library possesses 210 incunabula, for the most part originating from the oldest collections, donated by churches and convents in the city and province of Groningen. The collection mostly comprises books that were printed in Germany; over thirty are originating from the Netherlands.

Literature: A.G. Roos, Catalogus der incunabelen van de Universiteitsbibliotheek Groningen - Groningen, 1920. Reference: uokw 085A 003; Gerard van Thienen (ed.), Incunabula in Dutch Libraries. A census of fifteenth-century printed books in Dutch public collections - Nieuwkoop, 1983 (Bibliotheca Bibliographica Neerlandica, vol. XVII). - 2 vols. Reference: uokw 301A 030

Jewish community – Collection of the Dutch-Israelite Community of Groningen, approx. 1.000 volumes of Judaica, bibles, books of psalms and bible commentaries from the 18th-20th centuries; on loan to the library since 1983.

Kooyker , H.A. [Hendrik Albert] (1832-1904), physician. Medical library of approx. 1.200 publications, mostly from the 19th century.

Manuscripts – The library possesses over a thousand manuscripts, dating from the 8th until the 20th century. More than two hundred are from the 16th or earlier centuries. Furthermore, there are lecture notes and over a hundred printed works with manuscript annotations.

Literature: M.J. de Goeje, Codices orientales bibliothecarum Groninganae, Daventriensis, Leovardensis, Societatis Remonstrantium Amstelodamensis cet. - s.l., s.a. [1860]. Signature: uokw 085A 012. H. Brugmans, Catalogus Codicum Manu Scriptorum Universitatis Groningana Bibliothecae - Groningen, 1898. Reprint: Hildesheim etc., 1984. Signature: uokw 085A 001. Manuscripta Addenda: getypte lijst van aanwinsten verworven sinds 1898. - Ter inzage op de studiezaal Oude en Kostbare Werken. Signature: uokw 085A 002. The dated manuscripts are listed in: G.I. Lieftinck, Manuscrits datés conservés dans les Pays-Bas, vol. 1 - Amsterdam, 1964, nrs. 39-46, and in: idem, vol. 2 / J.P. Gumbert. - Leiden, 1988, nrs. 373- 390. Signature: uokw 565A 001.

Museum of Antiquities (over 70 meters) of the Groningen Museum of Antiquities, founded in 1890, containing books and brochures on the history of the City and Province of Groningen, including almanacs, brochures and manuscripts, and on art and art history, on loan since 1919.

Natural History Society - Collection of 4.500 works, including the books that were self-published by the Natural History Society (founded in 1801), and many proceedings and works published by other learned societies. The scientific part of the library of the Society has been on loan since 1907.

Literature: C. Mulder, Lijst der boeken van het Natuur- en Scheikundig genootschap te Groningen. - Groningen, 1821. Signature: 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. Signature: uklu BACKER 825. Een alfabetische kaartcatalogus bevindt zich op de studiezaal Oude en Kostbare Werken.

Nauta , H.J., [Henricus Johannes], lawyer. Collection of more than 300 works, mostly on alchemy, astrology, astronomy, chronology, magic, etc., donated in 1807. Literature: Manuscript list in Archives of the UB (D II 37). The collection was put together under the signature uklu NAUTA, followed by the number that corresponds with the manuscript list.

Papyri In 1926, a collection of 127 Greek papyri was acquired, dated from the second until the seventh century.

Literature (available at the Study 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, nr. 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.

Personal estates - The University Library possesses dozens of personal estates. The Special Collections department is happy to provide further information.

Pictura Library – Library (11 m.) of the Art Loving Association Pictura, founded in 1832, containing works mostly from the 18th and 19th century on the subject of the fine arts. On permanent loan since 1904.

Literature: Manuscript list in the Library Archives (D II 47).

Proclamations Collection of official historical proclamations and broadsheet academic ordinances.

Provincial Library The historical collection of the Library of the Province of Groningen, comprising approx. 10.000 books, including many books related to Groningen. On loan since 1989. Literature: Catalogus van de bibliotheek der provincie Groningen. Provinciehuis te Groningen. - s.l. [Groningen], 1950. Signature: uokw 090A 001

Ranke , J.R. [Johann Rudolph] [1849-1887], physician. Medical library of approx. 800 books and over 90 journals from the 19th century, bequeathed in 1887 to the library. Literature: Manuscript list in the archives of the University Library (D II 46).

Religious books – Theological library (1.000 publications), collected in 1878 to be used by professors at the University of Groningen who were appointed 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. Reference: uokw 085A 037

Riedel , H. [Hendrik], (1796-1871), classics scholar. Approx. 1.100 editions and translations of, and commentaries of the works by the Latin poet Horatius, acquired in 1871 by the library. The collection is continually 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. Signature: ualg 760M 004. A. Bijker, Riedel Horatiana. A Catalogue of the Horace Collection in Groningen University Library - Nieuwkoop, 1996 (Bibliotheca Bibliographica Neerlandica, 30). Signature: uokw 085A 042

Robinsonades (Staverman legacy) This collection was originally a legacy of the Dutch scholar W.H. [Werner Hendrik] Staverman (1881-1956). Collection of over 400 'Robinsonades': the work of Daniel Defoe in earlier and later editions, translations and adaptations, and utopian literature that is often related to Robinson Crusoe. The Robinson Crusoe collection is not kept separately in the library but is merged with the rest of the collection.

Literature: W.H. Staverman, Robinson Crusoe in Nederland : een bijdrage tot de geschiedenis van den roman in de XVIIIe eeuw. - Groningen, 1907. Signature: 22B 3643. T.J. Broos, J. Kingma, A. Bossers (red.), Robinson Crusoe in the Old and New Worlds - Ann Arbor etc., 1992. Signature: uokw 085A 041 A; Tonnis Musschenga (red.), Chronologische lijst van de Robinson Crusoe collectie in de Universiteitsbibliotheek van Groningen - Groningen, 1993. Signatuur: uokw 085A 041 .

Schoolmuseum Collection of approx. 3.000 vols. of school books and books on education, teaching methods and teacher training books. The school books are mostly the older editions, until 1850, including all disciplines, such as reading, language, mathematics, geography and history. The collection contains important editions of early 19th-century educational scientists, such as Van Niewold, Prinsen, Rijkens, Wester. The school books after 1850 are limited to the subjects of sports, games, arts and crafts, singing and music, drawing and writing. The books on educational sciences, psychology, teaching methods and teacher training are from before and after 1850. Acquired in 1988 from the Noordelijk Instituut voor Opvoeding en Onderwijs, Groningen.

Catalogus van het Schoolmuseum te Groningen. - Groningen : Wolters, [1908] (Dit is een catalogus van de oorspronkelijke collectie, slechts een selectie van de titels bevindt zich in de Universiteitsbibliotheek). Signature uokw 085A 047

Smith , E.P. [Edzard Pompejus], lawyer. Collection of over 500 mostly juridical and historical works from the 17th and 18th centuries, acquired in 1805. Literature: Manuscript list in the archives of the University Library (D II 36).

Smith, P.B. [Philip Bartlett] (1923-2005). Scientific archive of Philip B. Smith, who was appointed at the University of Groningen as professor of general and experimental physics.

Societas Pro Excolendo Iure Patrio Approx. 3.500 juridical and historical works, including over 100 manuscripts, mostly on state jurisdiction and town privileges. The SPEIP was found in 1761 with the aim of studying natural law and national law. The collection has been on loan to the library since 1853. Literature: Lijst van de handschriften, kaarten en boeken van het Genootschap Pro Excolendo Iure Patrio, opgerigt te Groningen in het jaar 1761. - s.l. [Groningen], 1879. Signature: uokw 085A 007

Tijdschriften - Halcyon

Vos , K. [Karel] (1874-1926), theologian. Mennonite collection of approx. 400 parts, mostly on the history of Mennonites in Holland. Typescript list in the Archives of the University Library (D II 1). Literature: P. Coolman et al. (ed), Menno op doortocht : geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Groningen - Groningen, 1996. Signature: BM 42327