The Royal Library in Copenhagen is the national library from Denmark and the university library at the University of Copenhagen. It is one of the largest libraries in the world and the largest in Northern Europe. In 2017, it merged with the State and University Library in Aarhus to form a unified national library. The United Library Organization (separate libraries in Copenhagen and Aarhus are preserved) is known as the Royal Danish Library.
It contains numerous historical treasures, and copies of all works printed in Denmark since the 17th century are kept here. Thanks to extensive donations in the past, the library keeps almost all the famous Danish printed works, including the first Danish books printed in 1482 by Johann Snell.
The library was founded in 1648 by King Frederick III, who provided an extensive collection of European works. It was opened to the public in 1793.
In 1989 it was merged with the prestigious Library of the University of Copenhagen (founded in 1482) (UB1). In 2005 it was merged with the Danish National Library of Science and Medicine (UB2), which is now the library of the Faculty of Natural and Medical Sciences. The official name of the organization since January 1, 2006. - Royal Library, National Library of Denmark and University Library of Copenhagen . In 2008, the Danish Folklore Archives was merged with the Royal Library.
The first librarian was Marcus Mabom, followed by Peder Griffenfeld in 1663-1671. [6] Among the later librarians were J.H. Schlegel, Jon Eriksen, Daniel Gotthilf Moldenhauer (1787-1823, known for stealing many books to enrich library collections) and Kr. Bruun. Since 1900, former librarians have been H.O. Lange (1901-1924), Karl S. Petersen (1924-1943), Svend Dahl (1943-1952), Palle Birkelund (1952-1982), Thorkil Olsen (1982-1986), Erlang Kolding Nielsen (1986-2017), then the current CEO of Svend Larsen.
nigi, magazines, newspapers, brochures and corporate publications, manuscripts and archives, maps, engravings and photographs, scores, documentation of folk traditions and folk traditions, four annual electronic copies of the Danish Internet on a mandatory copy.
As of 2017 the Royal Library had 36 975 069 physical units and 2 438 978 electronic books.
Today the Royal Library has five websites: the main library in Slotsholmen, Copenhagen Harbor (in Black Diamond), covering all items and special collections; one in Norre Alla, Department of Natural and Medical Sciences; one in Gothersgad, in the center of Copenhagen, the library of the Faculty of Social Sciences; one in Amager, the library of the Humanities Faculty; and another in Studiesstraed, in the center of Copenhagen, the Library of the Faculty of Law. The annual turnover is 11,400,000 credits (10,900,000 of which are electronic). Members - 32 196 active users. Annual budget: DKK 394 million (58 million USD), including construction and maintenance costs.
The library is open to everyone who is over 18 years old and really needs funds. There are special rules for using rare and valuable things.
The old building of Slotsholmen was built in 1906 by Hans Jorgen Holm. The central hall is a copy of the Chapel of Charlemagne Palace in Aachen Cathedral. The building is still used by the library.
In 1999, a new building was opened in Slotsholmen, adjacent to the old one, known as the Black Diamond. The building of the Black Diamond was designed by Danish architects Schmidt Hummer Lassen . The Black Diamond building, named after its black marble and glass exterior coating, houses a concert hall in addition to a library.
The Black Diamond is formed by two black cubes that are slightly inclined above the street. Between them is an eight-storey atrium with white wavy walls with a pair of transverse corridors connecting both sides and balconies on each floor. The outer wall of the atrium is glass; thus, you can see the sea; and on the opposite bank you can see the luxurious buildings of Kristianskhavn.
Three bridges connect the Black Diamond with the old part of the Royal Library; these three bridges (two small for inland transport and one large with a circulation table) cross the street. On the ceiling of the large bridge hangs a huge painting by Danish artist Per Kirkeby.
