The holdings of the National and University Library of Iceland run to about a million items of various kinds. The Library’s works are arranged by the Dewey Decimal Classification. They are also catalogued in the union catalogue of Icelandic libraries, which you can search at leitir.is.
Books for loan are on the 3rd and 4th floors of Þjóðarbókhlaða, the library building at Arngrímsgata 3; there are also books for loan in the Library’s storerooms, which staff fetch for you. The National Collection on the 1st floor keeps Icelandic books that can only be used in the National Collection Reading Room. Reference works are available for use on the 2nd floor but are not lent out.
Leitir
The Library’s collections
Bækur.is
Digital reproductions of books
Íslensk bókaskrá
All Icelandic books up to 1844
Íslensk útgáfuskrá
Material published in Iceland since 1999
Special collections
The special collections are part of the National Collection. Most of them were given to the National Library and the University Library by individuals and institutions on the condition that they be kept together. The collections are often given in memory of their former owners and are meant to strengthen research in their fields.
National Collection
The National Collection passes on the nation’s cultural heritage by collecting printed material published in Iceland, preserving it and giving access to it. Under the legal deposit act, copies of all printed material must be delivered to the Library.
Reference works
Printed reference works are available in the study and reading areas of Þjóðarbókhlaða and in Lögberg, the Faculty of Law’s building. The Library also has a selection of reference works in electronic form.
E-books
A great many e-books are available through the website of the National and University Library of Iceland. Some come through the Iceland Consortium for Electronic Subscriptions, some through the University of Iceland’s or the Library’s own subscriptions, and some are open access.
Islandica Extranea
Under the Act on the National and University Library of Iceland (No. 142/2011), the Library must collect books and other material relating to Iceland that is published in other countries. Such publications are known as Islandica extranea. The Library acquires this material by purchase and through donations.
Donations
The National and University Library of Iceland accepts donations that strengthen its collections and are in line with its acquisitions policy. If you want to donate material to the Library, you need to contact one of the Library’s contacts first.
Purchase suggestions
Requests and suggestions for purchases. Students, researchers and other users of the Library can suggest works for the Library to buy.
Interlibrary loans
The Library obtains books and journal articles for its users from other university and research libraries. Books are not ordered from Reykjavík City Library or the public libraries in the capital area.
ISBN numbers
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a standard of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Each number is unique, and the main purpose of the international book numbering system is to tell every publication apart from all others as clearly as possible.
New books
A list of new books in the National and University Library of Iceland