200 years of the first engineering library of the Hungarian mining sciences

Abstract

Special engineering librarian in Hungary started 200 years ago at Selmecbánya in the Higher Engineering Institution established in 1763. Founder of the library of the famous Mining Academy was professor of mathematics M. Poda by an acquisition of 106 volumes of books and periodicals in 1765. Books acquired for the Library of the Academy were enregistered in the accession book in 1770. According to this registration one can see the thematic distribution of the fond at the very beginning as follows: mathematics, physics and further chemistry, metallurgy and mine-engineering.
Fame of Selmecbánya originated from its natural resources, from the engineering developments introduced in the mining, and, from the early start of the engineers' education in Europe. Also the first international chemists' meeting was held in Selmecbánya in 1786. Its authority can be shown by being referred as a pattern by the famous chemist Fourcroy in a lecture held in the National Convent of the French Revolution in 1794 for the ends of establishing the École Polytechnique. The Academy was famous for its methodology on laboratory experiments applied in the curriculs. This practical training needed the handbooks and textbooks of importance.
Bulk of the fond of the Library of Academy consisted of concepts and monographs of the early famous professors M. Jacquin, J. Sopoi, K. Delius Traugott etc. Some of these were translated and published abroad, as the book on mine exploiting of Delius in French at Academy of Science, Paris. The book entitled Mine engineering at Selmec written by the first systematic augmentes prof. Poda is a very interesting one. His successor was professor of mechanics - mathematics K. Thierenberger, the first engineer-librarian, who cared the book collection of the Academy in the years of 1771-1779 as professor librarian. One can see, that the first engineering library was even at start cared by specialists familiar in natural sciences, processing technical knowledge as well, which made the due effect on the thematic distribution of the fond. In 1809 the Academy was augmented with an institute of forestry, so the collection themas were expanded to the forestry, too.
In the nineteenth century the library grows proportionately and, the national statistics of the year 1885 shows a fond of 17.000 volumes increased toward the years of the First World War to 38.000 volumes. In 1919 the Academy was settled to Sopron, so at Selmecbánya the higher education in mining and forestry were cut. This time the special education took place at the University of Forestry and Lumber Industry, Sopron and University of Mining and Metallurgy, Miskolc, where the classics from the first engineering library used in teaching.