Tímanna safn

Crafting the National and University Library's Book of Treasures

Abstract

The National and University Library of Iceland reached a milestone in 2018 when 200 years had passed since the founding of the National Library. At that time, an idea emerged to publish a book containing articles written by staff members, describing daily tasks in relation to the library’s collections. The project got postponed due to various reasons, but six years later, in 2024, a decision was made to publish the book. This was another significant milestone in the library’s history, as 2024 marked the 30 year anniversary of the merger of the National Library and the library of the University of Iceland, as well as the opening of the library's current building "Þjóðarbókhlaðan". 

In this article, the editors of the book discuss their project—the origin of the book Tímanna safn—from the initial idea to the finished work.