On 1 November it is 75 years since the University Library was founded. The Main Building of the University of Iceland was inaugurated on 17 June 1940, and later that year the library was given a place in its rear wing. The libraries of the University of Iceland’s faculties of theology, medicine and law were then joined into one library. These libraries had originally been built up by the Seminary (founded 1847), the Medical School (founded 1876) and the Law School (founded 1908), and later kept up by the faculties concerned. The library of the Faculty of Philosophy also moved to the new library; that faculty was founded at the same time as the University itself, in 1911.
In an article by the former University Librarian Einar Sigurðsson, published in Sál aldanna (1997), he says of the inauguration of the new building on Melar: “It was a joyful moment for those connected with an institution that had long been short of space, even though it took place in the shadow of world war and occupation.”
The library was entered from a hall opposite the main door. It was on three floors, with the University’s Ceremonial Hall above. All the library’s work was housed in the University’s Main Building until 1963, but after that branches and reading rooms for students began to be set up in other buildings, as the library’s premises had become very cramped. At most there were eighteen branches, and in Lögberg there is still a fairly large branch for the University’s Faculty of Law. Most of the other branches have been closed and their collections moved to Þjóðarbókhlaða, the library building at Arngrímsgata 3. In 1986 the library was temporarily given the Ceremonial Hall because of the lack of space, and it was used as a reference room and study space. In the spring session of 1957 Alþingi (the Icelandic parliament) passed a resolution on merging the University Library and the National Library, and this always had a considerable effect on changes in the library, since they were always made with the coming merger in mind. A precondition for the merger was new premises, but Alþingi did not decide to build Þjóðarbókhlaða until 1970. The building was to be a gift to the nation for the 1100th anniversary of the settlement of Iceland in 1974. As is well known, the building was long delayed, and the new merged library did not become a reality until the fiftieth anniversary of the republic in 1994.
There were three University Librarians: Dr Einar Ólafur Sveinsson was University Librarian until 1945, when Dr Björn Sigfússon took over and held the post until 1974. That year Einar Sigurðsson took over and held the post until the library merged with the National Library and moved to Þjóðarbókhlaða.
At first the library had only one permanent member of staff, the University Librarian himself; in 1964–1974 the number grew to eight, and when the library finally moved to Þjóðarbókhlaða there were 22 staff in all, as well as several hired specially to prepare the move. In the 1960s the library began to offer organised library instruction, publish catalogues and brochures, and offer an interlibrary loan service. At the beginning of the 1970s things went well, but the years 1975–1985 were marked by a defensive struggle, as Einar’s overview shows. Even so, computer searches in foreign databases began at the end of that period. Various technical innovations were introduced, such as computer cataloguing, which began in 1986. Purchases of books and journals grew considerably in these years. The library system Libertas was introduced in December 1991 and was given the Icelandic name Gegnir. By the middle of the 1980s the lack of space was being felt seriously. The University’s Ceremonial Hall was turned into a reading and reference room, as mentioned above, and the special collection of Benedikt S. Þórarinsson was moved in 1991 to a classroom on the 2nd floor of the University’s Main Building, and its former space was turned into work space.
At the end of his article Einar says: “The University Library operated for half a century and four years more. For most of that time it had a rather hard struggle. A shortage of staff troubled it in the early years, and later the lack of space hampered it greatly. The library’s chief duties were of course to the university community, but it was also open to others with a legitimate need to use it, both scholars and lay people, whether they came in connection with their work or out of personal interest and a wish to enrich their minds.
The whole second half of the University Library’s working life was shaped, directly or indirectly, by preparation for what was to come, that is, becoming part of a larger whole and a stronger library after the merger with the National Library. Its staff worked hard to bring information technology into the library, they were active in preparing the new building for the new merged library, the National and University Library of Iceland, and they worked keenly on its organisation and operating plans.”
Based on: Einar Sigurðsson (1997): Háskólabókasafn 1940-1994 in “Sál aldanna. Safn greina um bókasöfn og skyld efni.” [Reykjavík]: Félagsvísindastofnun Háskóla Íslands, Háskólaútgáfan, pp. 99–109.