Swiss National Library
{{Short description|National library in Bern, Switzerland}}
{{Infobox library
| native_name = {{native name|de|Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek}}
{{native name|fr|Bibliothèque nationale suisse}}
{{native name|it|Biblioteca nazionale svizzera}}
{{native name|rm|Biblioteca naziunala svizra}}
| name = Swiss National Library
| logo = Logo der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft.svg
| logo_size = 300px
| logo_alt =
| image = Swiss_National_Library_building.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| alt =
| caption = Swiss National Library building in Bern
| location = Bern, Switzerland
| coordinates = {{coord|46.94140660|7.44970340|format=dms|type:landmark_region:CH-BE_source:googleearth|display=inline,title}}
| mapframe-zoom = 14
| established = {{Start date and age|1895|paren=yes}}
| ref_legal_mandate = Law about the Swiss National Library (available in [http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/c432_21.html German], [http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/c432_21.html French] and [http://www.admin.ch/ch/i/rs/c432_21.html Italian])
| items_collected = books, journals, newspapers, magazines, maps, official publications, posters, drawings and manuscripts
| collection_size = 5.1M items
| criteria = Helvetica: publications published in Switzerland or written by Swiss authors or concerning Switzerland
| legal_deposit = No, but agreements with publishers
| req_to_access = Reading rooms: free.
Registration for lending: be Swiss resident or citizen over 18
| budget = 37.8M Swiss francs (2023)
| director = Mr. Damian Elsig (since 2021)
| num_employees = 151 FTE (2023)
| website = {{URL|https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home.html|nb.admin.ch}}
}}
The Swiss National Library ({{langx|de|Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek}}, {{langx|fr|Bibliothèque nationale suisse}}, {{langx|it|Biblioteca nazionale svizzera}}, {{langx|rm|Biblioteca naziunala svizra}}) is the national library of Switzerland. Part of the Federal Office of Culture, it is charged with collecting, cataloging and conserving information in all fields, disciplines, and media connected with Switzerland, as well as ensuring the widest possible accessibility and dissemination of such data.
The Swiss National Library is intended to be open to all and, by the breadth and scope of its collection, aims to reflect the plurality and diversity of Swiss culture. It is a heritage site of national significance.{{Cite web |title=Kulturgüterschutzinventar mit Objekten von nationaler Bedeutung |url=https://api3.geo.admin.ch/rest/services/kgs/MapServer/ch.babs.kulturgueter/649/extendedHtmlPopup |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=api3.geo.admin.ch |language=de |archive-date=2022-06-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630204414/https://api3.geo.admin.ch/rest/services/kgs/MapServer/ch.babs.kulturgueter/649/extendedHtmlPopup |url-status=live }}
History
On June 28, 1894 the Swiss parliament created the library with the responsibility of collecting "Helvetica": all publications relating to the Swiss and Switzerland.[https://fedlex.data.admin.ch/eli/fga/1894/3_140_46_ Arrêté fédéral créant une bibliothèque nationale]. (Du 28 juin 1894.){{Cite journal |last=Kropf |first=Linda Stoddart |date=1974 |title=The Swiss National Library: {{as written|I|t's [sic]}} History, Collection and Prospects |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25540589 |journal=The Journal of Library History |volume=9 |issue=4 |pages=352–360 |jstor=25540589 |issn=0275-3650 |archive-date=2022-03-29 |access-date=2022-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329082404/https://www.jstor.org/stable/25540589 |url-status=live }}{{Rp|page=352}} In 1899, the library opened to the public in the Federal Archives building. In 1931, the library moved to a newly-constructed building on Hallwylstrasse.{{Cite web |date=27 June 2019 |title=History |url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/about-us/history.html |website=Swiss National Library NL |access-date=28 March 2022 |archive-date=15 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115221906/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/about-us/history.html |url-status=live }} The building was designed in the Modernist style of New Objectivity and is a listed historic monument.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Architecture |url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/geschichte/architektur.html |access-date=2022-03-27 |website=Swiss National Library |archive-date=2022-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328005934/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/geschichte/architektur.html |url-status=live }}
In 1991, a plan was made to construct underground stacks and modernize the building. The first underground stack opened in 1997 and holds books, literary archives, and special collections. The second underground stack opened in 2009 and holds newspapers and periodicals. The library expects it will have reserve storage capacity until 2038.{{Cite web |date=20 Aug 2009 |title=The Swiss National Library opens its new underground stacks |url=https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-28467.html |access-date=2022-03-27 |website=Swiss National Library |archive-date=2022-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328005923/https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-28467.html |url-status=live }} Between 1994 and 2001, the library building was renovated to modernize and extend it.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Architecture |url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/geschichte/architektur.html |access-date=2022-03-27 |website=Swiss National Library |archive-date=2022-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328005934/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/geschichte/architektur.html |url-status=live }}
In 2000, the Centre Dürrenmatt Neuchâtel, a museum of Friedrich Dürrenmatt's works, opened as a unit of the library in Neuchâtel.{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.cdn.ch/cdn/en/home/centre/geschichte.html |access-date=2022-03-27 |website=Centre Dürrenmatt Neuchâtel |archive-date=2022-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706092446/https://www.cdn.ch/cdn/en/home/centre/geschichte.html |url-status=live }}
Collections
The Swiss National Library collection includes an extensive collection of books, newspapers, maps and atlases, official publications and printed music. The National Library's book collection contains the entire output of Swiss publishers in all languages and adds almost 15,000 new publications in a given year. There is no legal deposit law in place but rather an agreement with Swiss publishers.{{Cite web|last=NL|first=Swiss National Library|title=Books|url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/sammlungen/bibliothekssammlung/buecher.html|access-date=2021-03-05|website=nb.admin.ch|archive-date=2021-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024214845/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/sammlungen/bibliothekssammlung/buecher.html|url-status=live}} As of 2020, the library held 4.8 million publications.{{Cite web |date=10 June 2021 |title=Annual Report 2020 |url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/about-us/mandate/annual-report.html |website=Swiss National Library |access-date=28 March 2022 |archive-date=12 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712041944/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/about-us/mandate/annual-report.html |url-status=live }}
File:Swiss National Library Reading Room.jpg
Special collections that are housed at the National Library include the Lüthi Bible Collection, musical estates, the Archives of the New Helvetic Society and many more collections on topics including library science, press and radio, politics, sports, science and genealogy.{{Cite web|last=NL|first=Swiss National Library|title=Other special collections|url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/sammlungen/spezialsammlungen18/weiterespezialsammlungen.html|access-date=2021-03-05|website=nb.admin.ch|archive-date=2021-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031172227/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/sammlungen/spezialsammlungen18/weiterespezialsammlungen.html|url-status=live}}
The National Library has an extensive poster collection as part of its Prints and Drawings department that covers Swiss poster production.{{Cite web|last=NL|first=Swiss National Library|title=Posters: overview|url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/gs/sammlungen/plakate/plakateuebersicht.html|access-date=2021-03-05|website=nb.admin.ch|archive-date=2021-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101001318/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/gs/sammlungen/plakate/plakateuebersicht.html|url-status=live}} The poster collection includes the Claude Kuhn Archive, which features over 350 posters created by the Bernese artist.{{Cite web|last=NL|first=Swiss National Library|title=Claude Kuhn archive|url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/gs/sammlungen/plakate/kuhn.html|access-date=2021-03-05|website=nb.admin.ch|archive-date=2021-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101001322/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/gs/sammlungen/plakate/kuhn.html|url-status=live}}
The Library also collects born-digital publications. These are collectively known as “e-Helvetica”. This collection consists of six components:{{Cite web |last=NL |first=Swiss National Library |title=e-Helvetica: overview |url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/information-professionals/e-helvetica/e-helvetica-uebersicht.html |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=www.nb.admin.ch |language=en |archive-date=2024-12-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223132010/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/information-professionals/e-helvetica/e-helvetica-uebersicht.html |url-status=live }}
- Digital commercial publications
- Digital official publications
- Digital standards
- Digital university publications (e-Diss.ch)
- Websites (Web Archive Switzerland)
- Wikipedia articles
Activities
File:Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek - Magazin 2.jpg
In 1901, the library published the first volume of the Swiss Book, the national bibliography of Switzerland. Editions are published each year.{{Cite journal |last=Beck |first=Marcel |date=1947 |title=Bibliography in Switzerland |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4303589 |journal=The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=215–218 |doi=10.1086/617357 |jstor=4303589 |pmid=20272329 |s2cid=10738492 |issn=0024-2519 |archive-date=2022-03-28 |access-date=2022-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328005928/https://www.jstor.org/stable/4303589 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}{{Rp|page=215}}{{Cite web |date=2 April 2019 |title="The Swiss Book" national bibliography |url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/recherche/bibliografien/schweizer-buch.html |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=Swiss National Library |archive-date=2022-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328005926/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/recherche/bibliografien/schweizer-buch.html |url-status=live }}
In 1928, the Swiss Union Catalog was formed to create a central catalog for all Swiss libraries. In 1979, the National Library took over the catalog's management from the Swiss Librarians' Association. In 2010, with the advent of digital catalogs, the service closed.{{Cite web |date=21 Nov 2018 |title=History of the Swiss Union Catalogue of monographs |url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/geschichte/gk.html |access-date=2022-03-27 |website=Swiss National Library |archive-date=2022-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328005928/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/geschichte/gk.html |url-status=live }}
Since 1995,Annual Report September 1994 - August 1995 Swiss National Library, cenl.org, [https://www.cenl.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/switzerland94-95.pdf PDF] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223110811/https://www.cenl.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/switzerland94-95.pdf |date=2024-12-23 }} the library has housed the ISSN Centre Switzerland which assigns ISSNs to Swiss serial publications.{{Cite web |date=22 April 2020 |title=ISSN Centre Switzerland |url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/fachinformationen/issn.html |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=Swiss National Library |archive-date=2022-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328005931/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/fachinformationen/issn.html |url-status=live }}
In 1998, the Swiss Literary Archives were established as division of the National Library to collect literary estates and archives.{{Cite web |date=4 July 2006 |title=Swiss Literary Archives (SLA) |url=http://www.snl.admin.ch/slb/org/organisation/00783/index.html?lang=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061010055123/http://www.snl.admin.ch/slb/org/organisation/00783/index.html?lang=en |archive-date=10 Oct 2006 |website=Swiss National Library}} In 2016, the Swiss National Sound Archives came under the organization of the library.{{Cite web |date=2016-01-14 |title=Nationalphonothek kommt zur Nationalbibliothek |url=https://www.news.admin.ch/de/nsb?id=60301 |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=Schweizerischen Nationalbibliothek |language=de |archive-date=2022-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706050201/https://www.news.admin.ch/de/nsb?id=60301 |url-status=live }} In 2011, the library created Swiss Press Online, an online archive of digitized Swiss newspapers in its collection. This was upgraded in 2018 to the successor service e-newspaperarchives.ch.{{Cite journal |last=Regamey |first=Liliane |date=2021-12-02 |title=La numérisation à la Bibliothèque nationale suisse : la presse à l'honneur |trans-title=Digitization at the Swiss National Library: the press in the spotlight |url=https://www.cairn.info/revue-i2d-information-donnees-et-documents-2021-2-page-96.htm |journal=I2D - Information, donnees documents |language=fr |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=96–102 |doi=10.3917/i2d.212.0096 |issn=2428-2111 |access-date=2024-07-10 |via=Cairn.info|url-access=subscription }}
Quarto is the journal of the Swiss National Library and focuses on a different one of Switzerland's four literatures (German, French, Italian and Romansh) with texts and essays on the featured literature. The journal is published once or twice each year.{{Cite web|author=Swiss National Library|title=Quarto|url=https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/sla/publikationen/quarto.html|access-date=2021-03-05|website=nb.admin.ch|archive-date=2021-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211101003437/https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home/ueber-uns/sla/publikationen/quarto.html|url-status=live}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{official|https://www.nb.admin.ch/snl/en/home.html}} {{in lang|en}}
- [https://www.helveticall.ch/discovery/search?vid=41SNL_51_INST:helveticall&lang=en HelveticAll] – Online library catalogue
{{National libraries of Europe}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1895 establishments in Switzerland
Category:Buildings and structures in Bern
Category:Cultural property of national significance in the canton of Bern
Category:Libraries established in 1895
Category:Libraries in Switzerland