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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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
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 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?).
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.
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.
The text of the Décret is followed by a signed text from the printer on the same page, promising to take legal action against any counterfeiters.
August 22, 2025 at 11:23 AM
The text of the Décret is followed by a signed text from the printer on the same page, promising to take legal action against any counterfeiters.
Tomorrow, 15 August, we celebrate the Assumption of Our Lady and the library will be closed. #service-announcement
Print of the Assumption of Mary by Henri Hendrickx and William Brown, published in Mechelen by François Pierre Jean Hanicq in Mechelen in the first half of the 19th century (GA00985).
Print of the Assumption of Mary by Henri Hendrickx and William Brown, published in Mechelen by François Pierre Jean Hanicq in Mechelen in the first half of the 19th century (GA00985).
August 14, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Tomorrow, 15 August, we celebrate the Assumption of Our Lady and the library will be closed. #service-announcement
Print of the Assumption of Mary by Henri Hendrickx and William Brown, published in Mechelen by François Pierre Jean Hanicq in Mechelen in the first half of the 19th century (GA00985).
Print of the Assumption of Mary by Henri Hendrickx and William Brown, published in Mechelen by François Pierre Jean Hanicq in Mechelen in the first half of the 19th century (GA00985).
The difference in death between those who have led a good life and sinners is clearly highlighted on this frontispiece, especially in the illustrations. For the intended audience of this ‘Qvadriga æternitatis’ from 1619 (RA54207), this was probably a clear message. #rarebooks #tomorrowsresearch
August 13, 2025 at 1:39 PM
The difference in death between those who have led a good life and sinners is clearly highlighted on this frontispiece, especially in the illustrations. For the intended audience of this ‘Qvadriga æternitatis’ from 1619 (RA54207), this was probably a clear message. #rarebooks #tomorrowsresearch
Parchment that was no longer read was often used to reinforce book bindings (1st pic). Sometimes printed paper was also used for this purpose (2nd pic). But ca 130y later, we find it regrettable that ex dono's were glued onto paper that was once labelled as unusable. #rarebooks #tomorrowsresearch
August 6, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Parchment that was no longer read was often used to reinforce book bindings (1st pic). Sometimes printed paper was also used for this purpose (2nd pic). But ca 130y later, we find it regrettable that ex dono's were glued onto paper that was once labelled as unusable. #rarebooks #tomorrowsresearch
Translation of the curse: “If anyone secretly puts his claws in this book, hard chains will hang around his neck”.
August 1, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Translation of the curse: “If anyone secretly puts his claws in this book, hard chains will hang around his neck”.
“Brunck” can probably be identified as the French researcher Richard François Philippe Brunck (1729-1803), which means that the notes date from the second half of the 18th century. @adendros.bsky.social
July 30, 2025 at 7:38 AM
“Brunck” can probably be identified as the French researcher Richard François Philippe Brunck (1729-1803), which means that the notes date from the second half of the 18th century. @adendros.bsky.social
This work from 1730 contains three books on the origins of civil law by Gian Vincenzo Gravina, followed by a book on the Roman Empire. #rarebooks #tomorrowsresearch
July 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This work from 1730 contains three books on the origins of civil law by Gian Vincenzo Gravina, followed by a book on the Roman Empire. #rarebooks #tomorrowsresearch
Something you won't see very often in this age of mobile phones, tablets and laptops: a “Lofdigt der penne” (Praise of the pen). This text is found in a beautiful calligraphy album from 1773 (ms. 1583).
July 23, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Something you won't see very often in this age of mobile phones, tablets and laptops: a “Lofdigt der penne” (Praise of the pen). This text is found in a beautiful calligraphy album from 1773 (ms. 1583).
The artwork “In Motion, In Learning, In Changing” by Elif Erkan has ‘a coat of arms with a book being handed down from heaven', which, according to the artist, refers to ‘to an early KU Leuven book seal and the importance of religion at the old university’. #leuven1425
July 8, 2025 at 9:46 AM
The artwork “In Motion, In Learning, In Changing” by Elif Erkan has ‘a coat of arms with a book being handed down from heaven', which, according to the artist, refers to ‘to an early KU Leuven book seal and the importance of religion at the old university’. #leuven1425
Summer exhibition in the University Library! From 1900 onwards, the American magazine The Saturday Evening Post had its cover designed by an artist for sixty years. The choice of subject was free. Only artists with a reputation were allowed to submit, being accepted was the highlight of a career.
July 8, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Summer exhibition in the University Library! From 1900 onwards, the American magazine The Saturday Evening Post had its cover designed by an artist for sixty years. The choice of subject was free. Only artists with a reputation were allowed to submit, being accepted was the highlight of a career.
In the 19th c. manuals on phtography and other arts certainly came in handy. In 1877, an anonymous author wrote this ‘Manuel de peinture, de photographie et d’autres techniques’, now ms. 1844 in our collection. He or she even added a few drawings, such as a photographer in a ‘station à la campagne’.
July 8, 2025 at 8:55 AM
In the 19th c. manuals on phtography and other arts certainly came in handy. In 1877, an anonymous author wrote this ‘Manuel de peinture, de photographie et d’autres techniques’, now ms. 1844 in our collection. He or she even added a few drawings, such as a photographer in a ‘station à la campagne’.
Ms. 1343 is a recently catalogued #manuscript consisting of 8 v., of which several are titled ‘Mes souvenirs’. The anonymous work can be dated to the 1790's. Some of the memories were sentimental, as is testified by an artfully knotted lock of hair in a specifically designed bag at the back of v. 2.
July 2, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Ms. 1343 is a recently catalogued #manuscript consisting of 8 v., of which several are titled ‘Mes souvenirs’. The anonymous work can be dated to the 1790's. Some of the memories were sentimental, as is testified by an artfully knotted lock of hair in a specifically designed bag at the back of v. 2.
During the years of the Republican calendar (1792-1805), prize books were also given to outstanding students. It is striking that this time it is not a religious work, but classical Latin poetry (7A4818). #tomorrowsresearch #rarebooks
July 2, 2025 at 10:19 AM
During the years of the Republican calendar (1792-1805), prize books were also given to outstanding students. It is striking that this time it is not a religious work, but classical Latin poetry (7A4818). #tomorrowsresearch #rarebooks
Due to the even higher rise in temperatures, we are forced to activate phase 2 of our heat plan. This means that Special Collections will close this afternoon (from 1 p.m.) and tomorrow. Scan-on-demand requests will still be possible. We apologise for the inconvenience. #serviceannouncement
July 1, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Due to the even higher rise in temperatures, we are forced to activate phase 2 of our heat plan. This means that Special Collections will close this afternoon (from 1 p.m.) and tomorrow. Scan-on-demand requests will still be possible. We apologise for the inconvenience. #serviceannouncement