Manuscripts Reading Room

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Opening hours of the Special Collection Reading Room:

  • Tuesday–Thursday: 10 am–6 pm
  • Friday–Saturday: 9 am–7 pm

 

From 18 October 2022, the Manuscript, Early Printed Book, Map, Poster and Small Print, and the Theatre History and Music Collections will be open to the public in a shared reading room.

Research in the reading room of the special collections is only available to our readers by prior reservation. 
If possible, please make your reservation at least 24 hours in advance by emailing helyfoglalas.kulongyujtemenyek@oszk.hu.
If you are unable to come despite your reservation, please let us know so that we can make the seat available to someone else.

We expect your document requests by 16.30 on the day before your scheduled visit during the week and by 13.00 on Friday for Saturday.

Reference service is available until 16.30 on weekdays and until 14.00 on Fridays.

Our staff will also be happy to help you by phone or email. Questions can be addressed by e-mail to manuscriptum[at]oszk.hu, or by phone at (+36-1) 224-3700/890, (+36) 30 311 3519, (+36) 30 312 3782 or (+36) 30 310 9377.

 

How to use the reading room:

  • If you would like to reserve a place in the shared reading room (15 reading places) of the Manuscript, Early Printed Book, Map, Poster and Small Print, and the Theatre History and Music Collection  (floor 6, formerly the Theatre History and Music Collection reading room), please send an e-mail to helyfoglalas.kulongyujtemenyek@oszk.hu.
  • We respond to all reservation requests, but out-of-hours emails can only be processed on the next opening day, so we kindly ask for your patience.
  • Please include your telephone contact details in your e-mail request, if possible, so that our staff can contact you more easily if necessary.
  • Documents from the special collections can still only be consulted with a reader pass valid for at least six months, while a day pass is only valid for accessing the catalogues and the open shelves.
  • The number of documents that can be requested at the same time is limited: 2 manuscript volumes (also for multivolume works) and 5 loose leaf manuscript (Analecta / Correspondence / Fonds).
  • Volumes from the reference library, located in the locked reading room of the Manuscript and Early Printed Book can be checked out by our staff on request. Our colleagues will accompany you to examine the card catalogues located next to the locked reading room.

 

How to make copies:

No cameras are allowed in the reading room. The library's digitisation centre can make copies of the material on request, provided that the condition of the document allows it. Photocopies may not be made of any old document.

The completion of an electronic request form for a copy does not imply automatic authorisation to make a copy; the decision to do so is at the discretion of the Head of Department.

If the photograph is to be used for publishing purposes, this must be disclosed and by the customer and must be subject to specific authorisation. The customer must pay the library a fee for the use of the photograph, which is determined by the Head of Department.

 

Getting around in the collection

We kindly draw our researchers’ attention to the fact that following the foundation of National Széchényi Library in 1802, after the establishment of the Hungarian National Museum in 1810, NSZL had been integrated in the organization of the Museum and the Library had worked within this framework up until 1949. That is the reason why old releases and bibliographic references usually state the name of the Hungarian National Museum as the place of storage (e.g. Hungarian National Museum, Library of the Hungarian National Museum, National Széchényi Library of the Hungarian National Museum). All such names cover National Széchényi Library of Budapest, Hungary.

Electronic catalogues
Researchers can get information about material, which has been processed until 2000, from the following electronic catalogue: www.arcanum.hu/oszk.

Card catalogues
Researchers can get information about material, which has been processed until 2000, in a card catalogue placed in the corridor of the Research Room.

Fond unit lists
A detailed list of personal fond units is made available for researchers in the Research Room. Electronic version: Arcanum database.

Printed catalogues

  • First printed catalogue of National Széchényi Library:
    Catalogus manuscriptorum Bibliothecae Nationalis Hungaricae Széchényiano-Regnicolaris, I-III. Sopron, 1815.
  • Catalogue of codices in Latin, acquired until 1940:
    BARTONIEK, Emma: Codices manu scripti Latini. Vol. 1. Codices Latini medii aevi.Budapest, 1940. (Catalogus Bibliothecae Musei Nationalis Hungarici – Title Register of the National Széchényi Library of the Hungarian National Museum 12.) Electronic version: Arcanum database
  • Catalogue of codices in Latin, acquired after 1940:
    VIZKELETY, András: Mittelalterliche lateinische Handschriften der Széchényi-Nationalbibliothek. Budapest, 2007. (Fragmenta et codices in bibliothecis Hungariae, VI)
  • Catalogue of codices in German:
    VIZKELETY, András: Beschreibendes Verzeichnis der altdeutschen Handschriften in ungarischen Bibliotheken. Bd. I. Széchényi-Nationalbibliothek. Budapest, 1969.
  • Catalogue of new-age manuscript volumes in Hungarian, acquired until 1950:
    Az Országos Széchényi Könyvtár magyar nyelvű újkori kötetes kéziratainak katalógusa, 1-3. (Compiled by the staff of the Manuscripts Archive of National Széchényi Library, in collaboration with a working team operating with support of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.) Budapest, 1956. Electronic version: Arcanum database
  • Catalogue of manuscript volumes in Hungarian, acquired after 1950 – electronic version: Arcanum database
  • Catalogue of manuscript volumes in French:
    Az Országos Széchényi Könyvtár francia nyelvű kötetes kéziratainak katalógusa. - Catalogue des volumes manuscrits français. Compiled by Ágnes Cz. Musztács in cooperation with Helga J. Hajdu. Budapest, 1960. (Publications of National Széchényi Library 52)
  • Catalogue of manuscripts in Greek held by National Széchényi Library and by other collections in Budapest:
    KUBINYI, Mária: Libri manuscripti Graeci in bibliothecis Budapestiensibus asservati.Budapest, 1956.
  • Catalogue of manuscript volumes in Latin of the National Széchényi Library – electronic version: Arcanum database
  • Catalogue of Slavonic manuscripts:
    Catalogue of the Slavonic Cyrillic Manuscripts in the National Széchényi Library. Ed. by Ralph CLEMINSON, Elissaveta MOUSSAKOVA and Nina VOUTOVA. Budapest, 2006. (CEU Medievalia, 9)
  • Analecta catalogue – electronic version: Arcanum database
  • Letter collection  – electronic version: Arcanum database

Monographs, statements, printed and manuscript aids supporting research

  • Art historical presentation of codices acquired in until 1928:
    HOFFMANN, Edith: A Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum Széchényi-Könyvtárának illuminált kéziratai. BUDAPEST, 1928. (Az OSZK Tudományos Kiadványai, 1)
  • Register of selected historical sources:
    Kéziratos források az Országos Széchényi Könyvtárban, 1789-1867. Budapest, 1950.
  • Arabic manuscripts:
    GOLDZIHER, Ignác: A Magyar Nemzeti Múzeumi Könyvtár keleti kéziratai, I. = Magyar Könyvszemle 1880, 102-125.
  • Turkish manuscripts:
    GOLDZIHER, Ignác: A Magyar Nemzeti Múzeumi Könyvtár keleti kézirata, II. = Magyar Könyvszemle 1880, 222-243.
  • Hebrew manuscripts:
    KOHN, Sámuel: A Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum héber kéziratai. = Magyar Könyvszemle 1877, 16-27.
  • Manuscripts in Rumanian held by National Szécéhnyi Library and by other libraries in Budapest:
    POPA, Mircea: Manuscrise româneşti in bibliotecile budapestane. = Anuarul de Istorie şi Arheologie Cluj-Napoca. Extras. XXIII (1980).
  • Armenian manuscripts:
    P. FOGOLYÁN, Vilmos András: Örmény kódexek az Országos Széchényi Könyvtárban. = Magyar Könyvszemle 1943, 16-23.
  • Manuscripts in Italian:
    ZAMBRA, Luigi: I manoscritti italiani nella Biblioteca Széchényi del Museo Nazionale Ungherese di Budapest. = Bibliofilia (Ed. Leo Olschki) 1911.
  • Manuscripts on alchemy in NSZL:
    Typewritten list of Andrea SCOTTI. (Placed in the Research Room of Manuscripts Archive.)

Catalogue of the auxiliary library
Researchers can get information about the material of the auxiliary library in a card catalogue placed on the corridor of Research Room as well as in the Central Database of National Széchényi Library.

 

Unprocessed documents
Staff of Manuscripts Archive will give you information about documents acquired after 2000 and also about still unprocessed manuscripts, based on the inner register of Manuscripts Archive.

 

Related contents:
Manuscripts