Central University Library of Bucharest

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Frontal view with Carol's statue
View from the south
The Central University Library of Bucharest (Romanian: Biblioteca Central Universitar is a
li!rary in central "ucharest, located across the street from the #ational $useum of %rt of Romania&
Contents
' (istory
) "ranch *i!raries
+ References
, -.ternal links
History
When the /niversity of "ucharest was created in '01,, there was no central university li!rary2 this
role was played !y the Central 3tate *i!rary of "ucharest until '045& That institution was moved to
and housed in the university !uildin6, and in '017 was specially reor6anised for the university's
needs !y the scholar %u6ust Tre!oniu *aurian& 8t had an unmistaka!le university 9uality, !ein6
6overned !y a special university committee (includin6 the rector, the faculties' deans, the school
ephor and the chief li!rarian as secretary, and the deans were always consulted for selection and
purchasin6& #evertheless, the need for a proper central university li!rary !ecame increasin6ly
apparent&
The present Central /niversity *i!rary was founded in '045 as the Carol 8 *i!rary of the /niversity
Foundation& 8t was !uilt on land !ou6ht !y :in6 Carol 8 of Romania for the ;Carol 8 /niversity
Foundation; (Funda ia Universitar Carol I and desi6ned !y French architect <aul =ottereau& The
!uildin6 was completed in '04+ and opened on ', $arch '045& 8n '4'', the !uildin6 was e.tended
!y the same architect and the new win6 was opened on 4 $ay '4',& 8t !e6an with an initial stock of
+,,>> volumes of !ooks and periodicals& The collection 6rew to 7,)1, volumes in '044, +',>0>
volumes in '4',, and 4',>>> volumes in '4,,& 8n '4,4 (after its reor6anisation on ') ?uly '4,0 as
the Central *i!rary of "ucharest /niversity, the collection contained 5'1,4'1 volumes2 in '41>,
a!out a million2 and over ) million in '47>&
@urin6 the Romanian Revolution of '404, a fire was started in the !uildin6 and over 5>>,>>>
!ooks, alon6 with +,7>> manuscripts, were !urnt& 3tartin6 in %pril '44>, the !uildin6 was repaired
and moderniAed, !ein6 reopened on )> #ovem!er )>>'&
Branch Libraries
8n parallel with the development of the central li!rary, a more comple. network of specialised
li!rary !ranches was developed& For e.ample, the *i!rary of the *aw Faculty was founded in '07+B
71 (!ased on <rofessor %le.andru *ahovary's donation of !ooks2 in '00, the %rchaeolo6ical
3eminary's *i!rary was esta!lished throu6h <rofessor =ri6ore Tocilescu's 6rant2 and in '04) the
*i!rary of the 3lavic *an6ua6es 3eminary !e6an, !ased on 8on "o6dan's donation& These li!raries
functioned within the Faculty of *etters& 3pecialised li!raries were also founded in the 3ciences
Faculty, such as the $athematical 3eminary's *i!rary (after '04>, the *a!oratory for %nimal
<hysiolo6y *i!rary ('04), on the !asis of <rofessor %le.andru VitAu's 6rant2 and the *a!oratory
for <lant $orpholo6y *i!rary ('04+, usin6 <rofessor @& Voinov's !ook donation& /ntil '014, the
Faculty of $edicine had only the customary collection, !ut !y '00, had a wellBor6anised,
specialised li!rary&
8n 6eneral, these li!raries were founded and developed usin6 teachers' donations, state 6rants and,
after '04>, a percenta6e (usually '>C of studentBpaid tuition&
References
:ent, %llen, et al& (eds&& Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, v& )1, pp& 4,D45&
'474: CRC <ress 83"# >B0),7B)>)1B'
External links
Efficial site
Coordinates: ,,F)1G)+&)1H# )1F5G5>&+5H-
Cate6ories:
*i!rary !uildin6s completed in '04+
"uildin6s and structures in "ucharest
(istoric monuments in "ucharest
%cademic li!raries in Romania
Calea Victoriei
This pa6e was last modified on )5 @ecem!er )>'+ at )':>7&