To mark the centenary of Dr Áskell Löve, Professor of Botany, his descendants gave the National and University Library of Iceland the diaries Áskell kept from the age of 18 until shortly before his death, from 1935 to 1989. There are 35 books in all, as well as some loose sheets from the winter of 1945–46.
Áskell took his matriculation examination at Reykjavík Junior College (Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík) in 1937 and a doctorate in botany at Lund University in spring 1942, at the age of 26. He returned home to Iceland in 1945 and worked as a specialist at the University of Iceland’s Department of Industrial Research until he moved with his family to Winnipeg in Canada in 1951, where he took up a professorship. He later worked in Montreal, Boulder, Colorado, and San José, California.
Áskell was a productive and respected scholar in his field and left a great many scientific articles, among them the offprints he regularly sent to the National Library.
National Librarian Ingibjörg Steinunn Sverrisdóttir receives a deed of gift from Gayle Löve Swanson, Áskell Löve’s daughter. Steingrímur Jónsson organised the programme and spoke about Áskell’s life and work.