KU Leuven Libraries Special Collections
@speccoll-kuleuven.bsky.social
We take care of KU Leuven Libraries' heritage collections housed in the University Library: rare books, lecture notes and other manuscripts, graphics... We also have a reference collection of more than 65.000 titles on book history.
Our #siteoftheweek this week is about the fairground. In “Science at the Fair”, researchers from Antwerp University study the role that travelling showmen played in disseminating information about scientific and technological advances at fairs in Western Europe between 1850 and 1914.
Science at the Fair | Science at the Fair | University of Antwerp
Performing Knowledge and Technology in Western Europe, 1850-1914
www.uantwerpen.be
November 17, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Our #siteoftheweek this week is about the fairground. In “Science at the Fair”, researchers from Antwerp University study the role that travelling showmen played in disseminating information about scientific and technological advances at fairs in Western Europe between 1850 and 1914.
The fourteenth International Conference of LECTIO will take place from 9 to 11 December. This year's theme is “Representing the Human and Animal Body”. The full programme and registration link are available on the website below.
LECTIO XIV International Conference 'Representing the Human and Animal Body'
www.kuleuven.be
November 14, 2025 at 11:28 AM
The fourteenth International Conference of LECTIO will take place from 9 to 11 December. This year's theme is “Representing the Human and Animal Body”. The full programme and registration link are available on the website below.
Yesterday, we welcomed our KBR colleagues who are responsible for modern heritage. Curator Dirk Van Eldere had selected several dozen works to show our Brussels colleagues, including a number of recent acquisitions.
November 6, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Yesterday, we welcomed our KBR colleagues who are responsible for modern heritage. Curator Dirk Van Eldere had selected several dozen works to show our Brussels colleagues, including a number of recent acquisitions.
The Repertorium Alborum Amicorum is the world's most comprehensive central search engine for friendship books (alba amicorum) and friendship book entries in public libraries, archives and museums, and sometimes in private ownership. #siteoftheweek
REPERTORIUM ALBORUM AMICORUM - REPERTORIVM ALBORVM AMICORVM
raa.gf-franken.de
November 3, 2025 at 12:14 PM
The Repertorium Alborum Amicorum is the world's most comprehensive central search engine for friendship books (alba amicorum) and friendship book entries in public libraries, archives and museums, and sometimes in private ownership. #siteoftheweek
This sounds interesting, so happy to share.
Context: survey by Janna Freiling (student of information management in Hanover, Germany). Her bachelor's thesis focuses on which info/facilities in special collections reading rooms at academic libraries are particularly important to users and why.
Context: survey by Janna Freiling (student of information management in Hanover, Germany). Her bachelor's thesis focuses on which info/facilities in special collections reading rooms at academic libraries are particularly important to users and why.
Fragebogen | Seite 1
www.soscisurvey.de
October 31, 2025 at 1:44 PM
This sounds interesting, so happy to share.
Context: survey by Janna Freiling (student of information management in Hanover, Germany). Her bachelor's thesis focuses on which info/facilities in special collections reading rooms at academic libraries are particularly important to users and why.
Context: survey by Janna Freiling (student of information management in Hanover, Germany). Her bachelor's thesis focuses on which info/facilities in special collections reading rooms at academic libraries are particularly important to users and why.
Those interested faces – that's what you do it for!
This photo was taken during the visit of students enrolled in the English-language Master's programme in History, one of the many student groups we have welcomed to Special Collections in recent weeks.
This photo was taken during the visit of students enrolled in the English-language Master's programme in History, one of the many student groups we have welcomed to Special Collections in recent weeks.
October 30, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Those interested faces – that's what you do it for!
This photo was taken during the visit of students enrolled in the English-language Master's programme in History, one of the many student groups we have welcomed to Special Collections in recent weeks.
This photo was taken during the visit of students enrolled in the English-language Master's programme in History, one of the many student groups we have welcomed to Special Collections in recent weeks.
Last week, filming took place at Special Collections! A promotional film was recorded for the STUDIUM.AI research infrastructure, which will be launched on 19.11. Afterwards, you will be able to search for new connections between students, professors and books from the Old University of Leuven.
October 28, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Last week, filming took place at Special Collections! A promotional film was recorded for the STUDIUM.AI research infrastructure, which will be launched on 19.11. Afterwards, you will be able to search for new connections between students, professors and books from the Old University of Leuven.
For our #siteoftheweek, we are turning to our colleagues at KBR. The BelgicaPeriodicals portal gives you access to 359 magazines and periodicals spanning four centuries: from 1622 to the present day. www.belgicaperiodicals.be?lang=EN
October 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
For our #siteoftheweek, we are turning to our colleagues at KBR. The BelgicaPeriodicals portal gives you access to 359 magazines and periodicals spanning four centuries: from 1622 to the present day. www.belgicaperiodicals.be?lang=EN
Yesterday, four groups of first-year history students visited us for an introduction to medieval manuscripts. They were impressed by the material on display!
October 21, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Yesterday, four groups of first-year history students visited us for an introduction to medieval manuscripts. They were impressed by the material on display!
Our #siteoftheweek is TAPITTA, an acronym for The Antwerp Printing Industry Through The Ages. It features 3 knowledge graphs on the following topics: (1) members of the Antwerp printing industry, (2) streets/ houses in Antwerp, and (3) professions and types of companies in the printing industry.
The Antwerp Printing Industry Through The Ages
tapitta.be
October 20, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Our #siteoftheweek is TAPITTA, an acronym for The Antwerp Printing Industry Through The Ages. It features 3 knowledge graphs on the following topics: (1) members of the Antwerp printing industry, (2) streets/ houses in Antwerp, and (3) professions and types of companies in the printing industry.
Last week, we welcomed more than 70 students who are taking the course ‘Book and Library History’ with Professor Pierre Delsaerdt. They also had the opportunity to browse through rare books themselves. Their interest was certainly piqued!
October 15, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Last week, we welcomed more than 70 students who are taking the course ‘Book and Library History’ with Professor Pierre Delsaerdt. They also had the opportunity to browse through rare books themselves. Their interest was certainly piqued!
A day to remember! Find out more on the 1543 edition of the 'Fabrica' and Vesalius' annotated copy of the 1555 edition here.
October 15, 2025 at 7:51 AM
A day to remember! Find out more on the 1543 edition of the 'Fabrica' and Vesalius' annotated copy of the 1555 edition here.
At numeriques.be, you can now also find a collection of satirical newspapers that were published in Liège in the 19th century. #siteoftheweek
La satire liégeoise à l'honneur : une collection de journaux du XIXe siècle désormais accessible en ligne
La Direction du Patrimoine numérique met en ligne une collection de journaux satiriques conservés à la Bibliothèque Ulysse Capitaine. Ces titres témoignent de la vivacité de la presse d'opinion liégeo...
patrimoineculturel.cfwb.be
October 13, 2025 at 3:34 PM
At numeriques.be, you can now also find a collection of satirical newspapers that were published in Liège in the 19th century. #siteoftheweek
In 1760, Guilielmus Henricus Lion was proclaimed primus of his year. Literature tells us that this son of the well-known Leuven clockmaker Alexander Lion studied pedagogy at The Castle (De Burcht), where he was also appointed professor in 1765. #leuven1425
October 6, 2025 at 3:12 PM
In 1760, Guilielmus Henricus Lion was proclaimed primus of his year. Literature tells us that this son of the well-known Leuven clockmaker Alexander Lion studied pedagogy at The Castle (De Burcht), where he was also appointed professor in 1765. #leuven1425
Exceptionnaly a #asiteoftheweek in Dutch. The Folktale Database of the Low Countries at the Meertens Institute contains over 100,000 stories from the past and present. All genres are represented: fairy tales, sagas, legends, riddles, jokes, urban myths and the like.
Volksverhalenbank van de Lage Landen
De Volksverhalenbank van de Lage Landen van het Meertens Instituut bevat ruim 100.000 verhalen uit heden en verleden. Alle genres zijn vertegenwoordigd: sprookje, sage, legende, raadsel, mop, broodjea...
www.verhalenbank.nl
October 6, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Exceptionnaly a #asiteoftheweek in Dutch. The Folktale Database of the Low Countries at the Meertens Institute contains over 100,000 stories from the past and present. All genres are represented: fairy tales, sagas, legends, riddles, jokes, urban myths and the like.
A rare book in an acid-free box: what is so special about that? Well, it is one of the first works to be moved to a depot with better storage conditions as part of the project #tomorrowsresearch. On Monday, all colleagues involved were given an explanation of the entire process.
September 30, 2025 at 2:47 PM
A rare book in an acid-free box: what is so special about that? Well, it is one of the first works to be moved to a depot with better storage conditions as part of the project #tomorrowsresearch. On Monday, all colleagues involved were given an explanation of the entire process.
The BP16 database (Bibliographie des éditions parisiennes du 16e siècle) aims to catalogue all works printed in Paris during the 16th c. This database pays particular attention to identifying shared publications, signalling emissions and identifying typographical material. #siteoftheweek bp16.bnf.fr
Accueil (BP16)
Renouard numérisées de la Bibliothèque nationale de France.
bp16.bnf.fr
September 29, 2025 at 11:22 AM
The BP16 database (Bibliographie des éditions parisiennes du 16e siècle) aims to catalogue all works printed in Paris during the 16th c. This database pays particular attention to identifying shared publications, signalling emissions and identifying typographical material. #siteoftheweek bp16.bnf.fr
The works of Khaled Hosseini, an American author of Afghan descent, are very popular, also in the Netherlands. By the end of 2007, more than a million copies of his debut novel, the Kite Runner, had been sold in the Netherlands. #bannedbooksweekNL
September 26, 2025 at 11:55 AM
The works of Khaled Hosseini, an American author of Afghan descent, are very popular, also in the Netherlands. By the end of 2007, more than a million copies of his debut novel, the Kite Runner, had been sold in the Netherlands. #bannedbooksweekNL
One of the books we want to present for #bannedbooksweeksNL is Alice in Wonderland.
Alice enters a fantastic +absurd world through a rabbit hole. In China, the book was criticised bc the animals in the story could talk (or was the real reason the indirect criticism of the government in the book?).
Alice enters a fantastic +absurd world through a rabbit hole. In China, the book was criticised bc the animals in the story could talk (or was the real reason the indirect criticism of the government in the book?).
September 25, 2025 at 7:45 AM
One of the books we want to present for #bannedbooksweeksNL is Alice in Wonderland.
Alice enters a fantastic +absurd world through a rabbit hole. In China, the book was criticised bc the animals in the story could talk (or was the real reason the indirect criticism of the government in the book?).
Alice enters a fantastic +absurd world through a rabbit hole. In China, the book was criticised bc the animals in the story could talk (or was the real reason the indirect criticism of the government in the book?).
Almost two years ago, we opened our exhibition (Un)chained Knowledge, subtitled “Fake news, censorship and information around 1500 and today”. The digital version of this exhibition is still available online. Why are we putting this exhibition back in the spotlight now?
(Un)chained Knowledge
In the mid-15th century, at the time when Dieric Bouts (ca. 1410-1475) settled in Leuven as a town painter, access to scientific knowledge was very limited. Professors could afford manuscripts, while ...
tinyurl.com
September 24, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Almost two years ago, we opened our exhibition (Un)chained Knowledge, subtitled “Fake news, censorship and information around 1500 and today”. The digital version of this exhibition is still available online. Why are we putting this exhibition back in the spotlight now?
Our #siteoftheweek is Old English Poetry in Facsimile (OEPF). This is a collaborative, open-access resource of facsimile editions, linking together moments of manuscript images, transcriptions, editorial annotations and translations of Old English poetry, to better allow people to study these works.
Old English Poetry in Facsimile
Old English poetry editions Anglo-Saxon poetry editions digital Old English editions
oepoetryfacsimile.org
September 22, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Our #siteoftheweek is Old English Poetry in Facsimile (OEPF). This is a collaborative, open-access resource of facsimile editions, linking together moments of manuscript images, transcriptions, editorial annotations and translations of Old English poetry, to better allow people to study these works.
Today we end our series of #tomorrowsresearch. For over 2y, we have posted weekly about a discovery in the collection. Now that we are preparing for the actual relocation, we are bringing this series to a close with a few photos that did not make it into a separate post.
August 28, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Today we end our series of #tomorrowsresearch. For over 2y, we have posted weekly about a discovery in the collection. Now that we are preparing for the actual relocation, we are bringing this series to a close with a few photos that did not make it into a separate post.
Reposted by KU Leuven Libraries Special Collections
Want to work with the FitMA-team? Here is your chance! Join our great project and get paid for it! Two postdoc positions open! #classicsky #medievalsky #philsky
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...
2 postdoctoral fellows for the ERC-project ‘Fluidity in the Medieval Aristotle. Readers and Readings of the Greek-Latin Translations’ (FitMA)
Intrigued by the Medieval Aristotle? Join our research group!
www.kuleuven.be
August 28, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Want to work with the FitMA-team? Here is your chance! Join our great project and get paid for it! Two postdoc positions open! #classicsky #medievalsky #philsky
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...
www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jo...
On Monday, we were visited by our colleagues from the manuscripts and rare books department of the KBR, the Royal Library of Belgium. We showed them some works linked to university history, as well as items from important donors.
August 27, 2025 at 7:43 AM
On Monday, we were visited by our colleagues from the manuscripts and rare books department of the KBR, the Royal Library of Belgium. We showed them some works linked to university history, as well as items from important donors.
Our #siteoftheweek is IThAC which aims to study the reception of ancient theatre in 16th-century Europe through an analysis of the scholarly paratexts devoted to it at the time, and to make the translation of this corpus into French available to the scholarly community.
IThAC ⠶
Page d'accueil
ithac.elan-numerique.fr
August 25, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Our #siteoftheweek is IThAC which aims to study the reception of ancient theatre in 16th-century Europe through an analysis of the scholarly paratexts devoted to it at the time, and to make the translation of this corpus into French available to the scholarly community.