The catalogue room of Vienna University

Home of encyclopedias

In the catalogue room can be found library catalogues of the old inventory of Vienna University Library as well as numerous general and technical reference books. These are primarily bibliographies, biographical reference books and encyclopedias.

A library rules book from 1834 can also be found here. It is in Latin and German and pays homage to the Habsburg rulers Maria Theresa, Joseph II and Franz I as well as to their reforms and construction that affected the library.

In addition, the rules of the library detail how its visitors are supposed to behave in 1834. Among other things it states that, “No one is to enter or reach into the cabinets secretively. Ask for your book, use it, keep it clean and free of cuts, pricks, marks.” Rules that are probably as no less relevant today.

As a special service there is a book scanner in the catalogue room and a copying zone with which pages of up to A2 in size can be gently scanned and saved on a USB stick.