Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München (BSB)

As a treasure trove of cultural heritage, a multimedia information service provider for scholarly research and as an innovative force in the field of digital services, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek is one of the prime national and international addresses for researchers, students and all those seeking information. This puts it in an optimal position for rising to the challenges of the modern knowledge society. Founded in 1558 as court library of the house of Wittelsbach, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek is one of the prime European universal libraries and of world renown as international research library. It forms Germany's virtual national library together with other libraries. The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek is also the central state library and repository library of the Free State of Bavaria. With 10,5 million volumes, about 59,000 current periodicals in electronic or printed form and about 130,000 manuscripts the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek is one of the most important knowledge centers of the world. Every year approximately 130,000 volumes are added, which are selected and catalogued systematically according to scholarly criteria. The library's unique collection profile is characterised by extremely precious manuscripts, rare printed books and comprehensive special collections from thousands of years of cultural heritage. But at the same time, the library rises to the challenges of the future: The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek is continuously enhancing its digital and Internet-based services, for example in the areas of electronic journals, mass digitization of its collections and the development of innovative digitization technologies. With over 2 million digitized works, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek holds the largest digital data stock of all German libraries. A large variety of services is offered in the field of innovative digital use scenarios.

Royal Library of Belgium

The Royal Library of Belgium is the national scientific library. It collects all Belgian publications and plays an essential role in safeguarding the historical, scientific, academic and literary memory of the country. The fundamental mission of this institution is to provide scientific information as well as to acquire, preserve, manage and put to good use an important and extensive contemporary and historical cultural heritage.

Library of the Belgian Federal Parliament

The Library of the Belgian Federal Parliament was established in 1831, immediately after Belgian Independence. Since 1906 it has been the joint library for Chamber and Senate. It is a research library which collection essentially consists of monographs on national and international law and politics and Belgian political and socio-economical history. A small part of the collection comprises 16th, 17th and 18th century law and history books; the bulk of it however is 19th, 20th and 21st century monographs. Other parts of the collection are: journals, dating from the early 19th century onwards (paper and digital); mainly Belgian newspapers, also from the early 19th century onwards (paper and microfilm); and official publications, the published parliamentary documents of neighbouring countries. The total number of volumes kept in the library is around 350.000.

Library of the Royal Academy of Belgium

Founded in 1845, the library of the Académie royale de Belgique shelters nearly 900.000 documents. It grew rich during years, on the one hand, by the policy of exchange which it maintained with academic institutions and Belgian or foreign learned societies. In addition, by the many gifts received during the long story of the Academy. Thus constituted itself, in the course of time, aparticularly rich and varied library, agent of manyrare documents, even single in Belgium. Lastly, the Academy lodges since 2010 the prestigious library of local history of Belfius (old library of the Crédit communal de Belgique). They are the most complete data bases on the national history, regional and local of Belgium. An important part of these collections is already referred on our catalogue online.

Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (State Library of Berlin)

The State Library of Berlin – Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SBB-PK) is the largest German scientific research and specialist library with comprehensive historical and current collections and a wide variety of services. The internationally recognised quality of its holdings makes it a centre of supply of library materials, both in Germany and worldwide. The library originated in the Electoral Library at Cölln an der Spree, founded in 1661. In 1992 it acquired its current name. Today it offers its various services at two locations in the center of Berlin: at the Boulevard Unter den Linden and at the Cultural Forum on Potsdamer Straße. Approximately half of the collection consists of modern prints: over 7 million monographs and journals, published after 1945, in various languages. The other half is composed out of broad variety of special collections, comprising very rare and valuable works of scientific and cultural significance.

Nicolaus Copernicus University Library (UMK)

The University Library was officially established in September 1945, a fortnight after the establishment of NCU. Apart from 1000,000 books and almost 500,000 periodicals and regular publications, the Library has some 500,000 special items including 48,000 old prints (213 incunabulas) and 4,100 manuscripts. It also has valuable collections of drawings, charts, musical scores and other documents of social life. The total number of items amounts to over 2.5 million and places the University Library in Torun amongst the largest in Poland. The collection of old books contains many scientific and literary works, including a collection of all the editions of the works of University's patron Nicolaus Copernicus. Among others it has the first and third edition of De revolutionibus orbium coelestium.

Istituto per la storia del Risorgimento italiano

The 'Istituto per la storia del Risorgimento italiano' was officially born in 1935 following the R. D. 20th June 1935 that changed the name of the 'National Society for the history of the Risorgimento' in the current Institute for the 'history of the Italian Risorgimento'. The roots of the institute date back to 1906: with R.D. 17th May, n. 212, a National Committee was established for the history of the Risorgimento, with the task of: 'collecting, preparing and ordering documents, books and all other memorials that affect the history of the Italian Risorgimento and to prepare and facilitate its study'. Currently the Institute is one of the National Historical Institutes and is part of the Central Council for Historical Studies. The Institute is based in Rome in the “Vittoriano” (National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II) and administers the Central Museum of the Risorgimento. It publishes a Scientific Library ('Fonti', 'Memorie', 'Atti di congressi') and, from 1914, the quarterly review 'Rassegna storica del Risorgimento'. The Historical Archive of the Institute preserves more than a million documents concerning the Risorgimento period and the history of Italy between the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as a substantial iconographic collection consisting of a total of about 20,000 engraved and drawn drawings and 75,000 photographs.

Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych (AGAD)

The Central Archives of Historical Records is the oldest archival institution in Poland. It was founded by decree of Duke Frederick Augustus I from 2 September 1808 under the name of the General Home Archives. The function of the Archives was twofold: it operated as an office of public trust and as an archival holding, gathering and preserving historical manuscripts produced by authorities and offices of the Republic. In August 1939 it contained 1750 thousand volumes and files, 5 thousand parchment records, 10 thousand plans and maps which all amounted to 1,500 archival fonds. During the II World War 90% of its collection has been irretrievably destroyed by the Nazi forces. Nowadays, after including into its collection numerous documents from other archives after 1945 it contains more 300.000,00 archival units, ranging from XII until XX centauries. It is located in the centre of Warsaw, in the Raczyńskich Palace (Długa Street 7) and can be accessed daily from 9 till 16 and on Mondays and Wednesdays additionally between 16 and 19.

National Museum in Cracow (The Princes Czartoryskich Library)

The collection of the Princes Czartoryskich Library in Cracow goes back to 2nd half of XVIII century, where it was established by Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski and his wife Izabela Czartoryska. In the year 1783 the collection was transferred to Puławy, the than residence of the Czartoryski family. It was then substantially enlarged by Prince Adam Jerzy Czartoryski who also created a library open for the wide public and fostered studies. After the fall of the November Uprising, the collection was scattered and since 1834 it was being successively brought to Paris, to Hôtel Lambert. After the 1870, following the precarious political situation in France, a decision was taken to transfer the collection to Cracow. Here, a new library was opened in the year 1876 and the collection remained here until the year 1950, when it was nationalized by the communist government. Since 1960 the collection is stored in a new building at Saint Marcus Street 17 in Cracow. In 2016 the Princes Czartoryskich Library became part of the National Museum in Cracow. It remains one of the most important collections of manuscripts and old-prints in Poland.

Bibliothèque polonaise de Paris

Bibliothèque polonaise de Paris was founded in the year 1838 and is the longest still-standing Polish cultural institution beyond the Republic of Poland. In the year 2013 it was incorporated by UNESCO to the Memory of the World International Register and nowadays contains more than 220.000 volumes, including highly valuable historic sources from XVI till XX centauries. It is located at 6 Quai d’Orléans at the Île Saint-Louis, one of the two islands on the Seine in central Paris. The library is in the hands of La Société Historique et Littéraire Polonaise, which jointly governs the library jointly with PAU in Cracow. Its head is Prof. Dr. Casimir Pierre Lubicz-Zaleski. The library can be accessed from Wednesday till Saturday between 14.15 and 18.00.