---
_id: '11444'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: "This article investigates library-related documents written by Gerard van
Swieten (1700–72) during his tenure as Library Prefect in the Imperial Library
of Vienna (1745–72). Van Swieten’s time as Library Prefect is considered through
a textual analysis. Handwritten letters were deconstructed in terms of their appearance,
layout, and tone in order to mine them for meaning. Furthermore, the contents
were examined for library matters such as censorship, catalogues, and collection
development. The Imperial Court Library held a prominent role as a repository
for rare and valuable works, later becoming the National Library of Austria.\r\nGerard
van Swieten’s work as a librarian tends to be overlooked, perhaps because he is
better known as the private physician of Maria Theresia, as well as a medical
reformer. Nevertheless, he was a hard-working chief librarian deeply involved
in all aspects of librarianship. Van Swieten endorsed modern scientific works,
which were otherwise banned officially by the censorship commission, for the use
of scholars in the library, expanded the collection by acquiring books through
his network of scholars and publishers, and reissued library catalogues. He also
provided for the comfort of users in the library reading room, at a time when
such considerations were unusual. In conclusion, a proposal is made that van Swieten
viewed his role as librarian with some importance and pride."
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
author:
- first_name: Clara A
full_name: Chlebak, Clara A
id: 8b945eb4-e2f2-11eb-945a-df72226e66a9
last_name: Chlebak
orcid: 0000-0002-3385-3865
- first_name: Peter H.
full_name: Reid, Peter H.
last_name: Reid
citation:
ama: 'Chlebak CA, Reid PH. From the prefect’s desk: Gerard van Swieten’s library
correspondence. Library and Information History. 2022;38(1):23-41. doi:10.3366/lih.2022.0097'
apa: 'Chlebak, C. A., & Reid, P. H. (2022). From the prefect’s desk: Gerard
van Swieten’s library correspondence. Library and Information History.
Edinburgh University Press. https://doi.org/10.3366/lih.2022.0097'
chicago: 'Chlebak, Clara A, and Peter H. Reid. “From the Prefect’s Desk: Gerard
van Swieten’s Library Correspondence.” Library and Information History.
Edinburgh University Press, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3366/lih.2022.0097.'
ieee: 'C. A. Chlebak and P. H. Reid, “From the prefect’s desk: Gerard van Swieten’s
library correspondence,” Library and Information History, vol. 38, no.
1. Edinburgh University Press, pp. 23–41, 2022.'
ista: 'Chlebak CA, Reid PH. 2022. From the prefect’s desk: Gerard van Swieten’s
library correspondence. Library and Information History. 38(1), 23–41.'
mla: 'Chlebak, Clara A., and Peter H. Reid. “From the Prefect’s Desk: Gerard van
Swieten’s Library Correspondence.” Library and Information History, vol.
38, no. 1, Edinburgh University Press, 2022, pp. 23–41, doi:10.3366/lih.2022.0097.'
short: C.A. Chlebak, P.H. Reid, Library and Information History 38 (2022) 23–41.
date_created: 2022-06-12T22:01:45Z
date_published: 2022-04-01T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2023-02-21T09:51:29Z
day: '01'
department:
- _id: E-Lib
doi: 10.3366/lih.2022.0097
intvolume: ' 38'
issue: '1'
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1635939
month: '04'
oa: 1
oa_version: Submitted Version
page: 23-41
publication: Library and Information History
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1758-3497
issn:
- 1758-3489
publication_status: published
publisher: Edinburgh University Press
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: 'From the prefect’s desk: Gerard van Swieten’s library correspondence'
type: journal_article
user_id: 8b945eb4-e2f2-11eb-945a-df72226e66a9
volume: 38
year: '2022'
...