Benedikt Collection

Benedikt Sigurður Þórarinsson (1861–1940), a merchant in Reykjavík, donated his library to the University of Iceland in 1935, which was handed over in 1941. The collection contains about 8,000 volumes, including newspapers, magazines and various small prints. Benedikt also had a large collection of clippings and postcards. His collection includes many rare books, and he has emphasized acquiring travel books and foreign publications about Iceland. His collection of Icelandic literature from the 19th and 20th centuries is also large and remarkable. Benedikt's book mark is on all bound material in the collection, and it was drawn by sculptor Ríkarður Jónsson. Benedikt's collection was the largest collection of Icelandic books in private ownership at the time. The collection is in a separate room in the special collection space.