Chapter XIII: Front Matter (13)

The public libraries of the German empire are of four distinct types: state libraries, university libraries, town libraries and popular libraries. The administration and financial affairs of the state and university libraries are under state control. The earlier distinction between these two classes has become less and less marked. Thus the university libraries are no longer restricted to professors and students, but they are widely used by scientific workers, and books are borrowed extensively, especially in Prussia. In Prussia, as a link between the state and the libraries, there has been since 1907 a special office which deals with library matters at the Ministry of Public Instruction. Generally the state does not concern itself with the town libraries and the popular libraries, but there is much in common between these two classes. Sometimes popular libraries are under the supervision of a scientifically administered town library as in Berlin, Dantzig, &c.; elsewhere, as at Magdeburg, we see an ancient foundation take up the obligations of a public library. Only in Prussia and Bavaria are regulations in force as to the professional education of librarians. Since 1904 the librarians of the Prussian state libraries have been obliged to complete their university courses and take up their doctorate, after which they have to work two years in a library as volunteers and then undergo a technical examination. The secretarial officials since 1909 have to reach a certain educational standard and must pass an examination. This regulation has been in force as regards librarians in Bavaria from 1905.

Berlin.

Berlin is well supplied with libraries, 268 being registered by P.
Schwenke and A. Hortzschansky in 1906, with about 5,000,000 printed
vols. The largest of them is the Royal Library, which was founded by
the "Great Elector" Frederick William, and opened as a public library
in a wing of the electoral palace in 1661. From 1699 the library
became entitled to a copy of every book published within the royal
territories, and it has received many valuable accessions by purchase
and otherwise. It now includes 1,230,000 printed vols. and over 30,000
MSS. The amount yearly expended upon binding and the acquisition of
books, &c., is £11,326. The catalogues are in manuscript, and include
two general alphabetical catalogues, the one in volumes, the other on
slips, as well as a systematic catalogue in volumes. The following
annual printed catalogues are issued: _Verzeichnis der aus der neu
erschienenen Literatur von der K. Bibliothek und den Preussischen
Universitats-Bibliotheken erworbenen Druckschriften_ (since 1892);
_Jahresverzeichnis der an den Deutschen Universitaten erschienenen
Schriften_ (since 1887); _Jahresverzeichnis der an den Deutschen
Schulanstalten erschienenen Abhandlungen_ (since 1889). There is
besides a printed _Verzeichnis der im grossen Lesesaal aufgestellten
Handbibliothek_ (4th ed. 1909), the alphabetical _Verzeichnis der
laufenden Zeitschriften_ (last ed., 1908), and the classified
_Verzeichnis der laufenden Zeitschriften_ (1908). The catalogue of
MSS. are mostly in print, vols. 1-13, 16-23 (1853-1905). The library
is specially rich in oriental MSS., chiefly due to purchases of
private collections. The musical MSS. are very remarkable and form the
richest collection in the world as regards autographs. The building,
erected about 1780 by Frederick the Great, has long been too small,
and a new one was completed in 1909. The building occupies the whole
space between the four streets: Unter den Linden, Dorotheenstrasse,
Universitätsstrasse and Charlottenstrasse, and besides the Royal
Library, houses the University Library and the Academy of Sciences.
The conditions as to the use of the collections are, as in most German
libraries, very liberal. Any adult person is allowed to have books in
the reading-room. Books are lent out to all higher officials,
including those holding educational offices in the university, &c.,
and by guarantee to almost any one recommended by persons of standing;
borrowing under pecuniary security is also permitted. By special leave
of the librarian, books and MSS. may be sent to a scholar at a
distance, or, if especially valuable, may be deposited in some public
library where he can conveniently use them. In 1908-1909 264,000 vols.
were used in the reading-rooms, 312,000 were lent inside Berlin, and
32,000 outside. There is a regular system of exchange between the
Royal Library and a great number of Prussian libraries. It is the same
in Bavaria, Württemberg and Baden; the oldest system is that between
Darmstadt and Giessen (dating from 1837). There is either no charge
for carriage to the borrower or the cost is very small. The
reading-room and magazine hall are, with the exception of Sundays and
holidays, open daily from 9 to 9, the borrowing counter from 9 to 6.

Associated with the Royal Library are the following undertakings: the
_Gesamtkatalog der Preussischen wissenschaftlichen Bibliotheken_
(describing the printed books in the Royal Library and the Prussian
University Libraries in one general catalogue upon slips), the
Auskunftsbureau der Deutschen Bibliotheken (bureau to give information
where any particular book may be consulted), and the Kommission für
den Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke (to draw up a complete catalogue of
books printed before 1500).

The University Library (1831) numbers 220,000 vols. together with
250,000 academical and school dissertations. The number of volumes
lent out in 1908-1909 was 104,000. The library possesses the right to
receive a copy of every work published in the province of Brandenburg.

Some of the governmental libraries are important, especially those of
the Statistisches Landesamt (184,000 vols.); Reichstag (181,000
vols.); Patent-Amt (118,000 vols.); Haus der Abgeordneten (100,000
vols.); Auswärtiges-Amt (118,000 vols.).

The public library of Berlin contains 102,000 vols.; connected
therewith 28 municipal Volksbibliotheken and 14 municipal
reading-rooms. The 28 Volksbibliotheken contain (1908) 194,000 vols.

The Prussian university libraries outside Berlin include Bonn (332,000
printed vols., 1500 MSS.); Breslau (330,000 printed vols., 3700 MSS.);
Göttingen, from its foundation in 1736/7 the best administered library
of the 18th century (552,000 printed vols., 6800 MSS.); Greifswald
(200,000 printed vols., 800 MSS.); Halle (261,000 printed vols., 2000
MSS.); Kiel (278,000 printed vols., 2400 MSS.); Königsberg (287,000
printed vols., 1500 MSS.); Marburg (231,000 printed vols, and about
800 MSS.); Münster (191,000 printed vols., 800 MSS.). Under provincial
administration are the Königliche and Provinzialbibliothek at Hanover
(203,000 printed vols., 4000 MSS.); the Landesbibliothek at Cassel
(230,000 printed vols., 4400 MSS.); and the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Bibliothek
at Posen (163,000 printed vols.). A number of the larger towns possess
excellent municipal libraries; Aix-la-Chapelle (112,000 vols.);
Breslau (164,000 vols., 4000 MSS.); Dantzig (145,600 vols., 2900
MSS.); Frankfort a/M (342,000 vols, besides MSS.); Cassel Murhardsche
Bibliothek (141,000 vols., 6300 MSS.); Cologne (235,000 vols.); Treves
(100,000 vols., 2260 MSS.); Wiesbaden (158,000 vols.).

Munich.

The libraries of Munich, though not so numerous as those of Berlin,
include two of great importance. The Royal Library, for a long time
the largest collection of books in Germany, was founded by Duke
Albrecht V. of Bavaria (1550-1579), who made numerous purchases from
Italy, and incorporated the libraries of the Nuremberg physician and
historian Schedel, of Widmannstadt, and of J. J. Fugger. The number of
printed vols, is estimated at about 1,100,000 and about 50,000 MSS.
The library is especially rich in incunabula, many of them being
derived from the libraries of over 150 monasteries closed in 1803. The
oriental MSS. are numerous and valuable, and include the library of
Martin Haug. The amount annually spent upon books and binding is
£5000. The catalogues of the printed books are in manuscript, and
include (1) a general alphabetical catalogue, (2) an alphabetical
repertorium of each of the 195 subdivisions of the library, (3)
biographical and other subject catalogues. A printed catalogue of MSS.
in 8 vols, was in 1910 nearly complete; the first was published in
1858. The library is open on weekdays from 8 to 1 (November to March
8.30 to 1), and on Monday to Friday (except from August 1 to September
15) also from 3 to 8. The regulations for the use of the library are
very similar to those of the Royal Library at Berlin. The building was
erected for this collection under King Louis I. in 1832-1843. The
archives are bestowed on the ground floor, and the two upper floors
are devoted to the library, which occupies seventy-seven apartments.
The University Library was originally founded at Ingolstadt in 1472,
and removed with the university to Munich in 1826. At present the
number of vols. amounts to 550,000; the MSS. number 2000. Forty-six
Munich libraries are described in Schwenke's _Adressbuch_, 15 of which
possessed in 1909 about 2,000,000 printed vols. and about 60,000 MSS.
After the two mentioned above the most noteworthy is the Königlich
Bayrische Armee-Bibliothek (100,000 printed vols., 1000 MSS.).

The chief Bavarian libraries outside Munich are the Royal Library at
Bamberg (350,000 vols., 4300 MSS.) and the University Library at
Würzburg (390,000 vols., 1500 MSS.); both include rich monastic
libraries. The University Library at Erlangen has 237,000 vols. The
Staats-Kreis and Stadtbibliothek at Augsburg owns 200,000 vols., and
2000 MSS.; Nuremberg has two great collections, the Bibliothek des
Germanischen National-museums (250,000 vols., 3550 MSS.) and the
Stadtbibliothek (104,000 vols., 2500 MSS.).

Dresden.

In 1906 there were in Dresden 78 public libraries with about 1,495,000
vols. The Royal Public Library in the Japanese Palace was founded in
the 16th century. Among its numerous acquisitions have been the
library of Count Bünau in 1764, and the MSS. of Ebert. Special
attention is devoted to history and literature. The library possesses
more than 520,000 vols. (1909); the MSS. number 6000. Admission to the
reading-room is granted to any respectable adult on giving his name,
and books are lent out to persons qualified by their position or by a
suitable guarantee. Here, as at other large libraries in Germany,
works of belles-lettres are only supplied for a literary purpose. The
number of persons using the reading-room in a year is about 14,000,
and about 23,000 vols. are lent. The second largest library in
Dresden, the Bibliothek des Statistischen Landes-Amtes, has 120,000
vols.

Leipzig is well equipped with libraries; that of the University has
550,000 vols. and 6500 MSS. The Bibliothek des Reichsgerichts has
151,000 vols., the Pädagogische Central-Bibliothek der
Comenius-Stiftung 150,000 vols., and the Stadtbibliothek 125,000
vols., with 1500 MSS.

Stuttgart.

The Royal Public Library of Stuttgart, although only established in
1765, has grown so rapidly that it now possesses about 374,000 vols.
of printed works and 5300 MSS. There is a famous collection of Bibles,
containing over 7200 vols. The annual expenditure devoted to books and
binding is £2475. The library also enjoys the copy-privilege in
Württemberg. The annual number of borrowers is over 2600, who use
nearly 29,000 vols. The number issued in the reading-room is 41,000.
The number of parcels despatched from Stuttgart is nearly 23,000.
Admission is also gladly granted to the Royal Private Library, founded
in 1810, which contains about 137,000 vols.

Of the other libraries of Württemberg the University Library of
Tübingen (500,000 vols. and 4100 MSS.) need only be noted.

Darmstadt.

The Grand-ducal Library of Darmstadt was established by the grand-duke
Louis I. in 1819, on the basis of the still older library formed in
the 17th century, and includes 510,000 vols. and about 3600 MSS.
(1909). The number of vols. used in the course of the year is about
90,000, of which 14,000 are lent out.

Among the other libraries of the Grand Duchy of Hesse the most
remarkable are the University Library at Giessen (230,000 vols., 1500
MSS.), and the Stadtbibliothek at Mainz (220,000 vols., 1200 MSS.) to
which is attached the Gutenberg Museum.

In the Grand Duchy of Baden are the Hof- und Landesbibliothek at
Carlsruhe (202,000 vols., 3800 MSS.), the University Library at
Freiburg i/B (300,000 vols., 700 MSS.), and the University Library at
Heidelberg. This, the oldest of the German University libraries, was
founded in 1386. In 1623 the whole collection, described by Joseph
Scaliger in 1608 as "locupletior et meliorum librorum quam Vaticana,"
was carried as a gift to the pope and only the German MSS. were
afterwards returned. The library was re-established in 1703, and after
1800 enriched with monastic spoils; it now contains about 400,000
vols. and 3500 MSS. for the most part of great value.

Among the State or University libraries of other German states should
be mentioned Detmold (110,000 vols.); Jena (264,000 vols.);
Neustrelitz (130,000 vols.); Oldenburg (126,000 vols.); Rostock
(275,000 vols.); Schwerin (225,000 vols.); and Weimar (270,000), all
possessing rich collections of MSS.

Gotha.

The Ducal Library of Gotha was established by Duke Ernest the Pious in
the 17th century, and contains many valuable books and MSS. from
monastic collections. It numbers about 192,000 vols., with 7400 MSS.
The catalogue of the oriental MSS., chiefly collected by Seetzen, and
forming one-half of the collection, is one of the best in existence.

The Ducal Library at Wolfenbüttel, founded in the second half of the
16th century by Duke Julius, was made over to the university of
Helmstedt in 1614, whence the most important treasures were returned
to Wolfenbüttel in the 19th century; it now numbers 300,000 vols.,
7400 MSS.

The chief libraries of the Hanse towns are: Bremen (Stadtbibliothek,
141,000 vols.), and Lübeck (Stadtbibliothek, 121,000 vols.); the most
important being the Stadtbibliothek at Hamburg, made public since 1648
(383,000 vols., 7300 MSS., among them many Mexican). Hamburg has also
in the Kommerzbibliothek (120,000 vols.) a valuable trade collection,
and the largest Volksbibliothek (about 100,000 vols.) after that at
Berlin. Alsace-Lorraine has the most recently formed of the great
German collections--the Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek at
Strassburg, which, though founded only in 1871 to replace that which
had been destroyed in the siege, already ranks amongst the largest
libraries of the empire. Its books amount to 922,000 vols., the number
of MSS. is 5900.

Austria.

The _Adressbuch der Bibliotheken der Oesterreich-ungarischen Monarchie_ by Bohatta and Holzmann (1900) describes 1014 libraries in Austria, 656 in Hungary, and 23 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Included in this list, however, are private lending libraries.

The largest library in Austria, and one of the most important collections in Europe, is the Imperial Public Library at Vienna, apparently founded by the emperor Frederick III. in 1440, although its illustrious librarian Lambecius, in the well-known inscription over the entrance to the library which summarizes its history attributes this honour to Frederick's son Maximilian. However this may be, the munificence of succeeding emperors greatly added to the wealth of the collection, including a not inconsiderable portion of the dispersed library of Corvinus. Since 1808 the library has also been entitled to the copy-privilege in respect of all books published in the empire. The sum devoted to the purchase and binding of books is £6068 annually. The number of printed vols. is 1,000,000; 8000 incunabula. The MSS. amount to 27,000, with 100,000 papyri of the collection of Archduke Rainer. The main library apartment is one of the most splendid halls in Europe. Admission to the reading-room is free to everybody, and books are also lent out under stricter limitations. The University Library of Vienna was established by Maria Theresa. The reading-room is open to all comers, and the library is open from 1st Oct. to 30th June from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; in the other months for shorter hours. In 1909 447,391 vols. were used in the library, 45,000 vols. lent out in Vienna, and 6519 vols. sent carriage free to borrowers outside Vienna. The number of printed vols. is 757,000. For the purchase of books and binding the Vienna University Library has annually 60,000 crowns from the state as well as 44,000 crowns from matriculation fees and contributions from the students.

The total number of libraries in Vienna enumerated by Bohatta and
Holzmann is 165, and many of them are of considerable extent. One of
the oldest and most important libraries of the monarchy is the
University Library at Cracow, with 380,000 vols. and 8169 MSS.

The number of monastic libraries in Austria is very considerable. They
possess altogether more than 2,500,000 printed vols., 25,000
incunabula and 25,000 MSS. The oldest of them, and the oldest in
Austria, is that of the monastery of St Peter at Salzburg, which was
established by Archbishop Arno (785-821). It includes 70,000 vols.,
nearly 1500 incunabula. The three next in point of antiquity are
Kremsmünster (100,000), Admont (86,000) and Melk (70,000), all of them
dating from the 11th century. Many of the librarians of these monastic
libraries are trained in the great Vienna libraries. There is no
official training as in Prussia and Bavaria.

Hungary.

Information about income, administration, accessions, &c., of the chief libraries in the Hungarian kingdom, are given in the Hungarian _Statistical Year Book_ annually. The largest library in Hungary is the Széchenyi-Nationalbibliothek at Budapest, founded in 1802 by the gift of the library of Count Franz Széchenyi. It contains 400,000 printed vols., 16,000 MSS., and has a remarkable collection of Hungarica. The University Library of Budapest includes 273,000 printed books and more than 2000 MSS. Since 1897 there has been in Hungary a Chief Inspector of Museums and Libraries whose duty is to watch all public museums and libraries which are administered by committees, municipalities, religious bodies and societies. He also has undertaken the task of organizing a general catalogue of all the MSS. and early printed books in Hungary.

The libraries of the monasteries and other institutions of the
Catholic Church are many in number but not so numerous as in Austria.
The chief among them, the library of the Benedictines at St
Martinsberg, is the central library of the order in Hungary and
contains nearly 170,000 vols. It was reconstituted in 1802 after the
re-establishment of the order. The principal treasures of this abbey
(11th century) were, on the secularization of the monasteries under
Joseph II., distributed among the state libraries in Budapest.

Switzerland.

Among the Swiss libraries, which numbered 2096 in 1868, there is none of the first rank. Only three possess over 200,000 vols.--the University Library at Basle founded in 1460, the Cantonal Library at Lausanne, and the Stadtbibliothek at Berne, which since 1905 is united to the University Library of that city. One great advantage of the Swiss libraries is that they nearly all possess printed catalogues, which greatly further the plan of compiling a great general catalogue of all the libraries of the republic. A valuable co-operative work is their treatment of Helvetiana. All the literature since 1848 is collected by the Landes-Bibliothek at Berne, established in 1895 for this special object. The older literature is brought together in the Bürgerbibliothek at Lucerne, for which it has a government grant. The monastic libraries of St Gall and Einsiedeln date respectively from the years 830 and 946, and are of great historical and literary interest.

AUTHORITIES.--Information has been supplied for this account by
Professor Dr A. Hortzschansky, librarian of the Royal Library, Berlin.
See also _Adressbuch der deutschen Bibliotheken_ by Paul Schwenke
(Leipzig, 1893); _Jahrbuch der deutschen Bibliotheken_ (Leipzig,
1902-1910); _Berliner Bibliothekenführer_, by P. Schwenke and A.
Hortzschansky (Berlin, 1906); A. Hortzschansky, _Die K. Bibliothek zu
Berlin_ (Berlin, 1908); Ed. Zarncke, _Leipziger Bibliothekenführer_
(Leipzig, 1909); J. Bohatta and M. Holzmann, _Adressbuch der
Bibliotheken der österreich-ungarischen Monarchie_ (Vienna, 1900); Ri.
Kukula, _Die österreichischen Studienbibliotheken_ (1905); A. Hübl,
_Die österreichischen Klosterbibliotheken in den Jahren 1848-1908_
(1908); P. Gulyas, _Das ungarische Oberinspektorat der Museen und
Bibliotheken_ (1909); _Die über 10,000 Bände zählenden
öffentlichen-Bibliotheken Ungarns, im Jahre 1908_ (Budapest, 1910); H.
Escher, "Bibliothekswesen" in _Handbuch der Schweizer
Volkswirtschaft_, vol. i. (1903).

_Italy._

As the former centre of civilization, Italy is, of course, the country in which the oldest existing libraries must be looked for, and in which the rarest and most valuable MSS. are preserved. The Vatican at Rome and the Laurentian Library at Florence are sufficient in themselves to entitle Italy to rank before most other states in that respect, and the venerable relics at Vercelli, Monte Cassino and La Cava bear witness to the enlightenment of the peninsula while other nations were slowly taking their places in the circle of Christian polity. The local rights and interests which so long helped to impede the unification of Italy were useful in creating and preserving at numerous minor centres many libraries which otherwise would probably have been lost during the progress of absorption that results from such centralization as exists in England. In spite of long centuries of suffering and of the aggression of foreign swords and foreign gold, Italy is still rich in books and MSS. The latest official statistics (1896) give particulars of 1831 libraries, of which 419 are provincial and communal. In 1893 there were 542 libraries of a popular character and including circulating libraries.

Governmental libraries.

The governmental libraries (_biblioteche governative_) number 36 and are under the authority of the minister of public instruction. The _Regolamento_ controlling them was issued in the _Bolletino Ufficiale_, 5 Dec. 1907. They consist of the national central libraries of Rome (Vittorio Emanuele) and Florence, of the national libraries of Milan (Braidense), Naples, Palermo, Turin and Venice (Marciana); the Biblioteca governativa at Cremona; the Marucelliana, the Mediceo-Laurenziana and the Riccardiana at Florence; the governativa at Lucca; the Estense at Modena; the Brancacciana and that of San Giacomo at Naples; the Palatina at Parma; the Angelica, the Casanatense, and the Lancisiana at Rome; the university libraries of Bologna, Cagliari, Catania, Genoa, Messina, Modena, Naples, Padua, Pavia, Pisa, Rome and Sassari; the Ventimiliana at Catania (joined to the university library for administrative purposes); the Vallicelliana and the musical library of the R. Accad. of St Cecilia at Rome; the musical section of the Palatine at Parma; and the Lucchesi-Palli (added to the national library at Naples). There are provisions whereby small collections can be united to larger libraries in the same place and where there are several government libraries in one city a kind of corporate administration can be arranged. The libraries belonging to bodies concerned with higher education, to the royal scientific and literary academies, fine art galleries, museums and scholastic institutions are ruled by special regulations. The minister of public instruction is assisted by a technical board.

The librarians and subordinates are divided into (1) librarians, or keepers of MSS.; (2) sub-librarians, or sub-keepers of MSS.; (3) attendants, or book distributors; (4) ushers, &c. Those of class 1 constitute the "board of direction," which is presided over by the librarian, and meets from time to time to consider important measures connected with the administration of the library. Each library is to possess, alike for books and MSS., a general inventory, an accessions register, an alphabetical author-catalogue and a subject-catalogue. When they are ready, catalogues of the special collections are to be compiled, and these the government intends to print. A general catalogue of the MSS. was in 1910 being issued together with catalogues of oriental codices and incunabula. Various other small registers are provided for. The sums granted by the state for library purposes must be applied to (1) salaries and the catalogues of the MSS.; (2) maintenance and other expenses; (3) purchase of books, binding and repairs, &c. Books are chosen by the librarians. In the university libraries part of the expenditure is decided by the librarians, and part by a council formed by the professors of the different faculties. The rules (_Boll. Ufficiale_, Sept. 17, 1908) for lending books and MSS. allow them to be sent to other countries under special circumstances.

The 36 _biblioteche governative_ annually spend about 300,000 lire in books. From the three sources of gifts, copyright and purchases, their accessions in 1908 were 142,930, being 21,122 more than the previous year. The number of readers is increasing. In 1908 there were 1,176,934, who made use of 1,650,542 vols., showing an increase of 30,456 readers and 67,579 books as contrasted with the statistics of the previous year. Two monthly publications catalogue the accessions of these libraries, one dealing with copyright additions of Italian literature, the other with all foreign books.

The minister of public instruction has kept a watchful eye upon the literary treasures of the suppressed monastic bodies. In 1875 there were 1700 of these confiscated libraries, containing two millions and a half of volumes. About 650 of the collections were added to the contents of the public libraries already in existence; the remaining 1050 were handed over to the different local authorities, and served to form 371 new communal libraries, and in 1876 the number of new libraries so composed was 415.

Vatican.

The Biblioteca Vaticana stands in the very first rank among European libraries as regards antiquity and wealth of MSS. We can trace back the history of the Biblioteca Vaticana to the earliest records of the _Scrinium Sedis Apostolicae_, which was enshrined in safe custody at the Lateran, and later on partly in the Turris Chartularia; but of all the things that used to be stored there, the only survival, and that is a dubious example, is the celebrated Codex Amiatinus now in the Laurentian Library at Florence. Of the new period inaugurated by Innocent III. there but remains to us the inventory made under Boniface VIII. The library shared in the removal of the Papal court to Avignon, where the collection was renewed and increased, but the Pontifical Library at Avignon has only in part, and in later times, been taken into the Library of the Vatican. This latter is a new creation of the great humanist popes of the 15th century. Eugenius IV. planted the first seed, but Nicholas V. must be looked upon as the real founder of the library, to which Sixtus IV. consecrated a definite abode, ornate and splendid, in the Court of the Pappagallo. Sixtus V. erected the present magnificent building in 1588, and greatly augmented the collection. The library increased under various popes and librarians, among the most noteworthy of whom were Marcello Cervini, the first _Cardinale Bibliotecario_, later Pone Marcel II., Sirleto and A. Carafa. In 1600 it was further enriched by the acquisition of the valuable library of Fulvio Orsini, which contained the pick of the most precious libraries. Pope Paul V. (1605-1621) separated the library from the archives, fixed the progressive numeration of the Greek and Latin MSS., and added two great halls, called the Pauline, for the new codices. Under him and under Urban VIII. a number of MSS. were purchased from the Convento of Assisi, of the Minerva at Rome, of the Capranica College, &c. Especially noteworthy are the ancient and beautiful MSS. of the monastery of Bobbio, and those which were acquired in various ways from the monastery of Rossano. Gregory XV. (1622) received from Maximilian I., duke of Bavaria, by way of compensation for the money supplied by him for the war, the valuable library of the Elector Palatine, which was seized by Count Tilly at the capture of Heidelberg. Alexander VII. (1658), having purchased the large and beautiful collection formerly belonging to the dukes of Urbino, added the MSS. of it to the Vatican library. The _Libreria della Regina_, i.e. of Christina, queen of Sweden, composed of very precious manuscripts from ancient French monasteries, from St Gall in Switzerland, and others--also of the MSS. of Alexandre Petau, of great importance for their history and French literature, was purchased and in great part presented to the Vatican library by Pope Alexander VIII. (Ottoboni) in 1689, while other MSS. came in later with the Ottoboni library. Under Clement XI. there was the noteworthy purchase of the 54 Greek MSS. which had belonged to Pius II., and also the increase of the collection of Oriental MSS. Under Benedict XIV. there came into the Vatican library, as a legacy, the library of the Marchese Capponi, very rich in rare and valuable Italian editions, besides 285 MSS.; and by a purchase, the Biblioteca Ottoboniana, which, from its wealth in Greek, Latin, and even Hebrew MSS., was, after that of the Vatican, the richest in all Rome. Clement XIII. in 1758, Clement XIV. in 1769, and Pius VI. in 1775 were also benefactors. During three centuries the vast and monumental library grew with uninterrupted prosperity, but it was to undergo a severe blow at the end of the 18th century. In 1798, as a sequel to the Treaty of Tolentino, 500 MSS. picked from the most valuable of the different collections were sent to Paris by the victorious French to enrich the Bibliothèque Nationale and other libraries. These, however, were chiefly restored in 1815. Most of the Palatine MSS., which formed part of the plunder, found their way back to the university of Heidelberg. Pius VII. acquired for the Vatican the library of Cardinal Zelada in 1800, and among other purchases of the 19th century must be especially noted the splendid Cicognara collection of archaeology and art (1823); as well as the library in 40,000 vols. of Cardinal Angelo Mai (1856). Recent more important purchases, during the Pontificate of Leo XIII., have been the Borghese MSS., about 300 in number, representing part of the ancient library of the popes at Avignon; the entire precious library of the Barberini; the Borgia collection _De Propaganda Fide_, containing Latin and Oriental MSS., and 500 incunabula.

Few libraries are so magnificently housed as the Biblioteca Vaticana. The famous _Codici Vaticani_ are placed in the _salone_ or great double hall, which is decorated with frescoes depicting ancient libraries and councils of the church. At the end of the great hall an immense gallery, also richly decorated, and extending to 1200 ft., opens out from right to left. Here are preserved in different rooms the codici Palatini, Regin., Ottoboniani, Capponiani, &c. The printed books only are on open shelves, the MSS. being preserved in closed cases. The printed books that were at first stored in the Borgia Apartment, now with the library of Cardinal Mai, constitute in great part the _Nuova Sala di Consultazione_, which was opened to students under the Pontificate of Leo XIII. Other books, on the other hand, are still divided into 1^a and 2^(da) raccolta, according to the ancient denomination, and are stored in adjacent halls.

Well-reasoned calculations place the total number of printed books at 400,000 vols.; of incunabula about 4000, with many vellum copies; 500 Aldines and a great number of bibliographical rarities. The Latin manuscripts number 31,373; the Greek amount to 4148; the Oriental MSS., of which the computation is not complete, amount to about 4000. Among the Greek and Latin MSS. are some of the most valuable in the world, alike for antiquity and intrinsic importance. It is sufficient to mention the famous biblical _Codex Vaticanus_ of the 4th century, the two Virgils of the 4th and 5th centuries, the Bembo Terence, the palimpsest _De Republica_ of Cicero, conjectured to be of the 4th century, discovered by Cardinal Mai, and an extraordinary number of richly ornamented codices of great beauty and costliness. The archives are apart from the library, and are accessible in part to the public under conditions. Leo XIII. appointed a committee to consider what documents of general interest might expediently be published.

The Biblioteca Vaticana is now open from October 1st to Easter every morning between 9 and 1 o'clock, and from Easter to June 29 from 8 o'clock to 12, with the exception of Sundays, Thursdays and the principal feast days.

Catalogues of special classes of MSS. have been published. The Oriental MSS. have been described by J. S. Assemani, _Bibliotheca orientalis Clementino-Vaticana_ (Rome, 1719-1728, 4 vols. folio), and _Bibl. Vat. codd. MSS. catalogus ab S. E. et J. S. Assentano redactus_ (ib., 1756-1759, 3 vols. folio), and by Cardinal Mai in _Script. Vet. nova collectio_. The Coptic MSS. have been specially treated by G. Zoega (Rome, 1810, folio) and by F. G. Bonjour (Rome, 1699, 4to). There are printed catalogues of the Capponi (1747) and the Cicognara (1820) libraries. The following catalogues have lately been printed: E. Stevenson, _Codd. Palatini Graeci_ (1885), _Codd. Gr. Reg. Sueciae et Pii II._ (1888); Feron-Battaglini, _Codd. Ottobon. Graeci_ (1893); C. Stornaiolo, _Codd. Urbinates Gr._ (1895); E. Stevenson, _Codd. Palatini Lat._ tom. 1 (1886); G. Salvo-Cozzo, _Codici Capponiani_ (1897); M. Vattasso and P. Franchi de' Cavalieri, _Codd. Lat. Vaticani_, tom. 1 (1902); C. Stornaiolo, _Codices Urbinates Latini_, tom. 1 (1902); E. Stevenson, _Inventario dei libri stampali Palatino-Vaticani_ (1886-1891); and several volumes relating to Egyptian papyri by O. Marucchi. Some of the greatest treasures have been reproduced in facsimile.

Other Roman libraries.

The most important library in Italy for modern requirements is the
Nazionale Centrale Vittorio Emanuele. From its foundation in 1875,
incorporating the _biblioteca maior o secreta_ of the Jesuits in the
Collegio Romano, and all the cloister libraries of the Provincia
Romana which had devolved to the state through the suppression of the
Religious Orders, it has now, by purchases, by donations, through the
operation of the law of the press increased to about 850,000 printed
vols., and is continually being ameliorated. It possesses about 1600
incunabula and 6200 MSS. Noteworthy among these are the Farfensi and
the Sessoriani MSS. of Santa Croce in Jerusalem, and some of these
last of the 6th to the 8th centuries are real treasures. The library
has been recently reorganized. It is rich in the history of the
renaissance, Italian and foreign reviews, and Roman topography. A
monthly _Bollettino_ is issued of modern foreign literature received
by the libraries of Italy.

The Biblioteca Casanatense, founded by Cardinal Casanate in 1698,
contains about 200,000 printed vols., over 2000 incunabula, with many
Roman and Venetian editions, and more than 5000 MSS., among which are
examples of the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries. They are arranged in
eleven large rooms, the large central hall being one of the finest in
Rome. It is rich in theology, the history of the middle ages,
jurisprudence and the economic, social and political sciences. An
incomplete catalogue of the printed books by A. Audiffredi still
remains a model of its kind (Roma, 1761-1788, 4 vols. folio, and part
of vol. v.).

The Biblioteca Angelica was founded in 1605 by Monsignor Angelo Rocca,
an Augustinian, and was the first library in Rome to throw open its
doors to the public. It contains about 90,000 vols., of which about
1000 are incunabula; 2570 MSS., of which 120 are Greek, and 91
Oriental. It includes all the authentic acts of the Congregatio de
Auxiliis and the collections of Cardinal Passionei and Lucas
Holstenius.

The Biblioteca Universitaria Alessandrina was founded by Pope
Alexander VII., with the greater part of the printed books belonging
to the dukes of Urbino, and was opened in 1676. In 1815 Pius VII.
granted to it the right to receive a copy of every printed book in the
States of the Church, which grant at the present time, by virtue of
the laws of Italy, is continued, but limited to the province of Rome.
The library possesses 130,000 printed books, 600 incunabula, 376 MSS.

The library of the Senate was established at Turin in 1848. It
contains nearly 87,000 vols. and is rich in municipal history and the
statutes of Italian cities, the last collection extending to 2639
statutes or vols. for 679 municipalities. The library of the Chamber
of Deputies contains 120,000 vols. and pamphlets. It is rich in modern
works, and especially in jurisprudence, native and foreign history,
economics and administration.

The Biblioteca Vallicelliana was founded by Achille Stazio (1581), and
contains some valuable manuscripts, including a Latin Bible of the 8th
century attributed to Alcuin, and some inedited writings of Baronius.
It now contains 28,000 vols. and 2315 MSS. Since 1884 it has been in
the custody of the R. Società Romana di Storia Patria. The Biblioteca
Lancisiana, founded in 1711 by G. M. Lancisi, is valuable for its
medical collections.

In 1877 Professor A. Sarti presented to the city of Rome his
collection of fine-art books, 10,000 vols., which was placed in charge
of the Accademia di San Luca, which already possessed a good artistic
library. The Biblioteca Centrale Militare (1893) includes 66,000
printed vols. and 72,000 maps and plans relating to military affairs;
and the Biblioteca della R. Accad. di S. Cecilia (1875), a valuable
musical collection of 40,000 volumes and 2300 MSS.

Subiaco.

Among the private libraries accessible by permission, the Chigiana
(1660) contains 25,000 vols. and 2877 MSS. The Corsiniana, founded by
Clement XII. (Lorenzo Corsini) is rich in incunabula, and includes one
of the most remarkable collections of prints, the series of
Marc-Antonios being especially complete. It was added to the Accademia
dei Lincei in 1884 and now extends to 43,000 vols. The library of the
Collegium de Propaganda Fide was established by Urban VIII. in 1626.
It owes its present richness almost entirely to testamentary gifts,
among which may be mentioned those of Cardinals Borgia, Caleppi and Di
Pietro. It is a private collection for the use of the congregation and
of those who belong to it, but permission may be obtained from the
superiors. There are at least thirty libraries in Rome which are more
or less accessible to the public. At Subiaco, about 40 m. from Rome,
the library of the Benedictine monastery of Santa Scolastica is not a
very large one, comprising only 6000 printed vols. and 400 MSS., but
the place is remarkable as having been the first seat of typography in
Italy. It was in this celebrated Protocoenobium that Schweynheim and
Pannartz, fresh from the dispersion of Fust and Schoeffer's workmen in
1462, established their press and produced a series of very rare and
important works which are highly prized throughout Europe. The Subiaco
library, although open daily to readers, is only visited by students
who are curious to behold the cradle of the press in Italy, and to
inspect the series of original editions preserved in their first home.

Florence.

The Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale of Florence, formed from the union
of Magliabechi's library with the Palatina, is the largest after the
Vittorio Emanuele at Rome. The Magliabechi collection became public
property in 1714, and with accessions from time to time, held an
independent place until 1862, when the Palatina (formed by Ferdinand
III., Grand Duke of Tuscany), was incorporated with it. An old statute
by which a copy of every work printed in Tuscany was to be presented
to the Magliabechi library was formerly much neglected, but has been
maintained more rigorously in force since 1860. Since 1870 it receives
by law a copy of every book published in the kingdom. A _Bollettino_
is issued describing these accessions. There are many valuable
autograph originals of famous works in this library, and the MSS.
include the most important extant _codici_ of Dante and later poets,
as well as of the historians from Villani to Machiavelli and
Guicciardini. Amongst the printed books is a very large assemblage of
rare early impressions, a great number of the _Rappresentazioni_ of
the 16th century, at least 200 books printed on vellum, and a copious
collection of municipal histories and statutes, of _testi di lingua_
and of maps. The Galileo collection numbers 308 MSS. The MS.
portolani, 25 in number, are for the most part of great importance;
the oldest is dated 1417, and several seem to be the original charts
executed for Sir Robert Dudley (duke of Northumberland) in the
preparation of his _Arcano del Mare_. The library contains (1909)
571,698 printed vols., 20,222 MSS., 9037 engravings, 21,000 portraits,
3847 maps, and 3575 incunabula. In 1902 the Italian parliament voted
the funds for a new building which is being erected on the Corso dei
Tintori close to the Santa Croce Church.

Milan.

The Biblioteca Nazionale of Milan, better known as the Braidense,
founded in 1770 by Maria Theresa, consists of 243,000 printed vols.
1787 MSS. and over 3000 autographs. It comprises nearly 2300 books
printed in the 15th century (including the rare _Monte Santo di Dio_
of Bettini, 1477), 913 Aldine impressions, and a xylographic _Biblia
Pauperum_. Amongst the MSS. are an early Dante and autograph letters
of Galileo, some poems in Tasso's autograph, and a fine series of
illustrated service-books, with miniatures representing the advance of
Italian art from the 12th to the 16th century. One room is devoted to
the works of Manzoni.

Naples.

The Biblioteca Nazionale at Naples, though only opened to the public
in 1804, is the largest library of that city. The nucleus from which
it developed was the collection of Cardinal Seripando, which comprised
many MSS. and printed books of great value. Acquisitions came in from
other sources, especially when in the year 1848 many private and
conventual libraries were thrown on the Neapolitan market, and still
more so in 1860. The Biblical section is rich in rarities, commencing
with the Mainz Bible of 1462, printed on vellum. Other special
features are the collection of _testi di lingua_, that of books on
volcanoes, the best collection in existence of the publications of
Italian literary and scientific societies and a nearly complete set of
the works issued by the Bodoni press. The MSS. include a palimpsest
containing writings of the 3rd, 5th and 6th centuries under a
grammatical treatise of the 8th, 2 Latin papyri of the 6th century,
over 50 Latin Bibles, many illuminated books with miniatures, and the
autographs of G. Leopardi. There are more than 40 books printed on
vellum in the 15th and 16th centuries, including a fine first Homer;
and several MS. maps and portolani, one dating from the end of the
14th century. The library contains about 389,100 printed vols., 7990
MSS. and 4217 incunabula.

Palermo.

The Biblioteca Nazionale of Palermo, founded from the Collegio Massimo
of the Jesuits, with additions from other libraries of that suppressed
order, is rich in 15th-century books, which have been elaborately
described in a catalogue printed in 1875, and in Aldines and
bibliographical curiosities of the 16th and following centuries, and a
very complete series of the Sicilian publications of the 16th century,
many being unique. The library contains 167,898 printed vols., 2550
incunabula, 1537 MSS.

Turin.

Venice.

The Biblioteca Nazionale Universitatia of Turin took its origin in the
donation of the private library of the House of Savoy, which in 1720
was made to the University by Vittorio Amedeo II. The disastrous fire
of January 1904 destroyed about 24,000 out of the 300,000 vols. which
the library possessed, and of the MSS., the number of which was 4138,
there survive now but 1500 in a more or less deteriorated condition.
Among those that perished were the palimpsests of Cicero, Cassidorus,
the Codex Theodosianus and the famous _Livre d'Heures_. What escaped
the fire entirely was the valuable collection of 1095 incunabula, the
most ancient of which is the _Rationale Divinorum Officiorum_ of 1459.
Since the fire the library has been enriched by new gifts, the most
conspicuous of which is the collection of 30,000 vols. presented by
Baron Alberto Lumbroso, principally relating to the French Revolution
and empire. The library was in 1910 about to be transferred to the
premises of the Palazzo of the Debito Publico. The Biblioteca
Marciana, or library of St Mark at Venice, was traditionally founded
in 1362 by a donation of MSS. from the famous Petrarch (all of them
now lost) and instituted as a library by Cardinal Bessarione in 1468.
The printed vols. number 417,314. The precious contents include 12,106
MSS. of great value, of which more than 1000 Greek codices were given
by Cardinal Bessarione, important MS. collections of works on Venetian
history, music and theatre, rare incunabula, and a great number of
volumes, unique or exceedingly rare, on the subject of early
geographical research. Amongst the MSS. is a Latin Homer, an
invaluable codex of the laws of the Lombards, and the autograph MS. of
Sarpi's _History of the Council of Trent_. Since the fall of the
republic and the suppression of the monasteries a great many private
and conventual libraries have been incorporated with the Marciana,
which had its first abode in the Libreria del Sansovino, from which in
turn it was transferred in 1812 to the Palazzo Ducale, and from this
again in 1904 to the Palazzo della Zecca (The Mint).

University libraries.

Among the university libraries under government control some deserve
special notice. First in historical importance comes the Biblioteca
della Università at Bologna, founded by the naturalist U. Aldrovandi,
who bequeathed by his will in 1605 to the senate of Bologna his
collection of 3800 printed books and 360 MSS. Count Luigi F. Marsili
increased the library by a splendid gift in 1712 and established an
Istituto delle Scienze, reconstituted as a public library by Benedict
XIV. in 1756. The printed books number 255,000 vols., and the MSS.
5000. The last comprise a rich Oriental collection of 547 MSS. in
Arabic, 173 in Turkish, and several in Persian, Armenian and Hebrew.
Amongst the Latin codices is a Lactantius of the 6th or 7th century.
The other noteworthy articles include a copy of the Armenian gospels
(12th century), the Avicenna, with miniatures dated 1194, described in
Montfaucon's _Diarium Italicum_, and some unpublished Greek texts.
Amongst the Italian MSS. is a rich assemblage of municipal histories.
Mezzofanti was for a long time the custodian here, and his own
collection of books has been incorporated in the library, which is
remarkable likewise for the number of early editions and Aldines which
it contains. A collection of drawings by Agostino Caracci is another
special feature of worth. The grand hall with its fine furniture in
walnut wood merits particular attention. The Biblioteca della
Università at Naples was established by Joachim Murat in 1812 in the
buildings of Monte Oliveto, and has thence been sometimes called the
"Biblioteca Gioacchino." Later it was transferred to the Royal
University of studies, and was opened to the public in 1827. It was
increased by the libraries of several monastic bodies. The most
copious collections relate to the study of medicine and natural
science. It possesses about 300,000 printed books, 404 incunabula, 203
Aldines, and 196 Bodoni editions, but the more important incunabula
and MSS. about the middle of the 19th century went to enrich the
Biblioteca Nazionale. Other important university libraries are those
of Catania (1755), 130,000 vols.; Genoa (1773), 132,000 vols., 1588
MSS.; Pavia (1763), 250,000 vols., 1100 MSS.; Padua (200,000 vols.,
2356 MSS.), which in 1910 was housed in a new building; Cagliari
(90,000 vols.); Sassari (74,000 vols.). Messina, destroyed in the
earthquake of 1908, preserved, however, beneath its ruins the more
important part of its furniture and fittings, and in 1910 was already
restored to active work, as regards the portion serving for the
reawakened Faculty of Law in the University.

Mediceo-Laurenziana.

Modena.

Chief among the remaining government libraries comes the world-famed
Biblioteca Mediceo-Laurenziana at Florence, formed from the
collections of Cosimo the Elder, Pietro de' Medici, and Lorenzo the
Magnificent (which, however, passed away from the family after the
expulsion of the Medici from Florence, and were repurchased in 1508 by
Cardinal Giovanni, afterwards Leo X.). It was first constituted as a
public library in Florence by Clement VII., who charged Michelangelo
to construct a suitable edifice for its reception. It was opened to
the public by Cosimo I. in 1571, and has ever since gone on increasing
in value, the accessions in the 18th century alone being enough to
double its former importance. The printed books it contains are
probably no more than 11,000 in number, but are almost all of the
highest rarity and interest, including 242 incunabula of which 151
_editiones principes_. It is, however, the precious collection of
MSS., amounting to 9693 articles, which gives its chief importance to
this library. They comprise more than 700 of dates earlier than the
11th century. Some of them are the most valuable codices in the
world--the famous Virgil of the 4th or 5th century, Justinian's
_Pandects_ of the 6th, a Homer of the 10th, and several other very
early Greek and Latin classical and Biblical texts, as well as copies
in the handwriting of Petrarch, about 100 codices of Dante, a
_Decameron_ copied by a contemporary from Boccaccio's own MS., and
Cellini's MS. of his autobiography. Bandini's catalogue of the MSS.
occupies 13 vols. folio, printed in 1764-1778. Administratively united
to the Laurentian is the Riccardiana rich in MSS. of Italian
literature, especially the Florentine (33,000 vols., 3905 MSS.). At
Florence the Biblioteca Marucelliana, founded in 1703, remarkable for
its artistic wealth of early woodcuts and metal engravings, was opened
to the public in 1753. The number of these and of original drawings by
the old masters amounts to 80,000 pieces; the printed volumes number
200,000, the incunabula 620, and the MSS. 1500. At Modena is the
famous Biblioteca Estense, so called from having been founded by the
Este family at Ferrara in 1393; it was transferred to Modena by Cesare
D'Este in 1598. Muratori, Zaccaria and Tiraboschi were librarians
here, and made good use of the treasures of the library. It is
particularly rich in early printed literature and valuable codices.
Between 1859 and 1867 it was known as the Biblioteca Palatina. The
printed vols. number 150,570, the incunabula 1600, the MSS. 3336,
besides the 4958 MSS. and the 100,000 autographs of the Campori
collection.

Parma.

The oldest library at Naples is the Biblioteca Brancacciana, with many
valuable MSS. relating to the history of Naples. Two planispheres by
Coronelli are preserved here. It was founded in 1673 by Cardinal F. M.
Brancaccio, and opened by his heirs in 1675; 150,000 vols. and 3000
MSS. The Regia Biblioteca di Parma, founded definitively in 1779, owes
its origin to the grand-duke Philip, who employed the famous scholar
Paciaudi to organize it. It is now a public library containing 308,770
vols. and 4890 MSS. Amongst its treasures is De Rossi's magnificent
collection of Biblical and rabbinical MSS. Also worthy of note are the
Bibl. Pubblica or governation of Lucca (1600) with 214,000 vols., 725
incunabula and 3091 MSS. and that of Cremona (1774), united to that of
the Museo Civico.

Ambrosiana.

Among the great libraries not under government control, the most
important is the famous Biblioteca Ambrosiana at Milan, founded in
1609 by Cardinal Fed. Borromeo. It contains 230,000 printed vols. and
8400 MSS. Amongst the MSS. are a Greek Pentateuch of the 5th century,
the famous Peshito and Syro-Hexaplar from the Nitrian convent of St
Maria Deipara, a Josephus written on papyrus, supposed to be of the
5th century, several palimpsest texts, including an early Plautus, and
St Jerome's commentary on the Psalms in a volume of 7th-century
execution, full of contemporary glosses in Irish, Gothic fragments of
Ulfilas, and a Virgil with notes in Petrarch's handwriting. Cardinal
Mai Was formerly custodian here. In 1879 Professor C. Mensinger
presented his "Biblioteca Europea," consisting of 2500 vols., 300 maps
and 5000 pieces, all relating to the literature and linguistics of
European countries. The Melzi and Trivulzio libraries should not pass
without mention here, although they are private and inaccessible
without special permission. The former is remarkable for its
collection of early editions with engravings, including the Dante of
1481, with twenty designs by Baccio Bandinelli. The latter is rich in
MSS. with miniatures of the finest and rarest kind, and in printed
books of which many are unique or nearly so. It consists of 70,000
printed vols. At Genoa the Biblioteca Franzoniana, founded about 1770
for the instruction of the poorer classes, is noteworthy as being the
first European library lighted up at night for the use of readers.

Monte Cassino.

Vercelli.

The foundation of the monastery of Monte Cassino is due to St
Benedict, who arrived there in the year 529, and established the
prototype of all similar institutions in western Europe. The library
of printed books now extends to about 20,000 vols., chiefly relating
to the theological sciences, but including some rare editions. A
collection of the books belonging to the monks contains about the same
number of volumes. But the chief glory of Monte Cassino consists of
the _archivio_, which is quite apart; and this includes more than
30,000 bulls, diplomas, charters and other documents, besides 1000
MSS. dating from the 6th century downwards. The latter comprehend some
very early Bibles and important codices of patristic and other
medieval writings. There are good written catalogues, and descriptions
with extracts are published in the _Bibliotheca Casinensis_. The
monastery was declared a national monument in 1866. At Ravenna the
Biblioteca Classense has a 10th-century codex of Aristophanes and two
14th-century codices of Dante. At Vercelli the Biblioteca dell'
Archivio Capitolare, the foundation of which can be assigned to no
certain date, but must be referred to the early days when the
barbarous conquerors of Italy had become christianized, comprises
nothing but MSS., all of great antiquity and value. Amongst them is an
Evangeliarium S. Eusebii in Latin, supposed to be of the 4th century;
also the famous codex containing the Anglo-Saxon homilies which have
been published by the Ælfric Society.

La Cava.

The Biblioteca del Monastero della S. Trinità, at La Cava dei Tirreni
in the province of Salerno, is said to date from the foundation of the
abbey itself (beginning of the 11th century). It contains only some
10,000 vols., but these include a number of MSS. of very great rarity
and value, ranging from the 8th to the 14th century. Amongst these is
the celebrated Codex Legum Longobardorum, dated 1004, besides a
well-known geographical chart of the 12th century, over 100 Greek
MSS., and about 1000 charters beginning with the year 840, more than
200 of which belong to the Lombard and Norman periods. The library is
now national property, the abbot holding the office of Keeper of the
Archives.