Editing University of Vienna (section)

== Library ==
[[File:Universität_Wien,_Großer_Lesesaal_-_Ausstellung_Wikiversity_2015-8795.jpg|thumb|The reading room in the university's main library]]
[[File:Universitatsbibliothek Wien Eingang grosser Lesesaal.jpg|thumb|Entrance to the large reading room]]
The University Library of the University of Vienna comprises the Main Library and the 50 departmental libraries at various university locations throughout [[Vienna]]. The library's primary responsibility is to the members of the university; however, the library's 350 staff members also provide access to the public. Use of the books in the reading halls is open to all persons without the need for identification, which is only required for checking out books. The library's website provides direct access to information such as electronic journals, online indices, and databases.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us – Vienna University Library |url=https://bibliothek.univie.ac.at/en/ueber_uns.html |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=bibliothek.univie.ac.at |language=en |archive-date=31 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531193230/https://bibliothek.univie.ac.at/en/ueber_uns.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== History ===
Rudolf IV had already provided for a ''publica libraria'' in the Foundation Deed of 12 March 1365, where the valuable books bequeathed by deceased members of the university should be collected. Through many legacies, this collection was subsequently greatly increased and became the basis of the old ''Libreye'' that was accommodated in the same building as the student infirmary. In addition, there were libraries in the separate Faculties and in the Duke's College.
[[File:Festsaal Universität Wien.jpg|thumb|Main Ceremonial Chamber (''Festsaal'') in the Main Building]]
From the 17th century onwards, interest in the old library, with its manuscripts and incunabulae, went into decline and the modern library in the Jesuit College came to the fore. In 1756, the oldest university library was finally closed down and its books, 2,787 volumes, were incorporated into the Court Library, of which [[Gerard van Swieten]] was then director. After the dissolution of the Jesuit order (1773), the new "Academic Library" was created out of the book collections of the five Lower Austrian Colleges and many duplicates from the Court Library. This was opened on 13 May 1777, the birthday of Maria Theresa of Austria, in the building of the Academic College. Initially, the stock consisted of some 45,000 books, and during Emperor Joseph II's dissolution of the monasteries, this was soon considerably extended. In contrast to its antecedents, the new library was open to the general public. Between 1827 and 1829, it acquired the classicist extension (Postgasse 9) to the Academic College, in which it was to be accommodated until 1884. In this year, the main library, with some 300,000 books, moved to [[Heinrich von Ferstel]]'s new Main Building on the Ring, where stacks for some 500,000 volumes had already been prepared. With an annual growth of up to 30,000 volumes, the surplus space was soon filled. Book storage space had to be extended continuously. One hundred years later, the complete library, including departmental and subject libraries, comprised more than 4.3 million volumes. Today, Vienna's University Library is the largest collection of books in Austria, still facing problems of space. In addition to the Main Library, which alone has to cope with an annual growth of 40,000 volumes, it includes three Faculty Libraries, 32 Subject Libraries and 26 Departmental Libraries.<ref>{{cite web |title=An Historical Tour of the University of Vienna |url=http://www.univie.ac.at/archiv/tour/12.htm |access-date=26 July 2014 |work=The University Library |publisher=University of Vienna Archives |archive-date=19 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141119235947/http://www.univie.ac.at/archiv/tour/12.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Statistics (2023) ===
* Book inventory: 7,782,104 (of which 2,936,580 belong to the Main Library)
* E-Journals: 155,072
* E-Books: 1,808,095
* Search queries in the online catalogue: 11.349.382
* Borrowings and renewals of books: 2,981,919
* Oldest book: Bible from the Dorothean monastery, 1392 ("Biblia manuscripta"; entry in the online catalogue: https://ubdata.univie.ac.at/AC16383568)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facts and Figures – Vienna University Library |url=https://bibliothek.univie.ac.at/en/zahlen_und_daten.html |access-date=2024-04-18}}</ref>