Austrian National Library, Wien

The Austrian National Library originated as the Imperial Court Library, founded by the Habsburgs. Its beginnings trace back to Duke Albert III's move of books into a library during the Middle Ages, with the oldest recorded book dating to 1368.

Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, consolidated Habsburg art treasures, bringing valuable books to Vienna. Maximilian I acquired important books from Burgundy and Northern France through his marriage, and Bianca Maria Sforza added Italian works, contributing to the library's growing collection.

Hugo Blotius was appointed as the first head librarian in 1575 by Emperor Maximilian II. His primary task was to inventory the library, which had grown to approximately 9,000 books, leading to systematic additions and incorporation of other libraries.

On August 26, 1624, Ferdinand II regulated the delivery of copies to the Imperial Library. The library also expanded through purchases, notably acquiring the library of Philipp Eduard Fugger, which significantly increased its holdings, including early periodic printing elements known as Fugger newspapers.

In 1722, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, authorized the construction of a permanent home for the library within the Hofburg Palace, following plans initiated by Leopold I. The wing was begun by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and began housing the library in the 18th century.

A significant addition to the library was the extensive collection of Prince Eugene of Savoy, comprising 15,000 volumes, including valuable books from France and Italy. At this time, the State Hall housed approximately 200,000 books.

Gottfried van Swieten, son of Maria Theresia's physician, supplemented the collection with scientific works and successfully introduced the card index system. This innovation facilitated the continuous updating of the library's inventory.

During Empress Maria Theresia's reign, cracks appeared in the dome of the Prunksaal. Court architect Nikolaus Pacassi reinforced the structure with an iron ring, and the wing was extended on both ends, connecting the Prunksaal to the Hofburg and St. Augustine's Church, forming Josefsplatz.

Following the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and the proclamation of the Austrian Empire, the library was reorganized. It served as a library for instruction, a repository for literary rarities, and the library of the Hofburg, collecting German, Slavic, and Hungarian language books.

During the March Revolution of 1848, the Imperial Library faced extreme danger when the burning of the Hofburg, where it was located, occurred due to the bombardment of Vienna.

The papyrus collection, acquired through the Viennese antique dealer Theodor Graf, became an important part of the Imperial Library.

After the proclamation of the Republic of Austria, the Imperial Library was renamed the Austrian National Library in 1920.

During the Nazi period, hundreds of thousands of writings were accommodated in the library, or the library served as a transit point for seized works into German libraries. After the fall of the Nazi regime, the Austrian National Library retained many of these seized works.

In December 2003, the Library submitted a report to the Commission for Provenance Research detailing seized works not yet returned to their rightful owners, following a 1998 art restitution law.

In 1966, large parts of the collections were moved from the Josefsplatz building to the Neue Burg wing at Heldenplatz, where new reading halls were established. In 1992, the library expanded its reading hall capacity to accommodate approximately 4 million works.

After a long period of using a card-catalog index, the library implemented an electronic system in 1995, which went online in 1998.

The Vienna Dioscurides, a notable item in the manuscripts and rare books collection, was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme Register in 1997 due to its world significance and outstanding universal value.

The 17th-century Atlas Blaeu-Van der Hem, considered the most beautiful and remarkable atlas ever composed, was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme Register in 2003.

The Papyrus Collection, the largest such collection worldwide with about 180,000 objects, was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme Register in 2001.

On January 1, 2002, the library gained full legal capacity to dismiss staff, granting it complete control over budget and personnel matters. It is state-funded but also raises additional funds through sponsorships and services.

The Prunksaal (State Hall), the central structure of the old imperial library, was begun in 1721 by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and finished after his death in 1723 by his son Joseph Emanuel. It is adorned with sculptures by Lorenzo Mattielli and frescoes by Daniel Gran.

The collection of manuscripts and rare books spans from the 4th century CE to the present, encompassing antique, medieval, and modern manuscripts from nearly every literate culture, including the 7th-century Notitia ecclesiarum urbis Romae.

The map collection dates back to the 16th century and has existed since 1905, incorporating the Habsburg 'Family Estate Library'. The Globe Museum, existing since 1956, is the world's only public globe museum with over 380 globes, many predating 1850.

The papyrus collection contains approximately 180,000 objects from the 15th century BCE to the 16th century CE. It includes papyri, clay tablets, stone tablets, leathers, textiles, bones, and gold, silver, and bronze articles with inscriptions.

Since 1826, the music collection has housed scores and first-printings of composers like Anton Bruckner and Richard Strauss, alongside numerous recordings and handwritten notes.

The collection of Incunabula, established as an independent collection in 1995, is one of the five largest in the world, covering approximately 8,000 incunabula, block printings from 1501-1850, and rare bibliophile printings, including Chinese and Japanese works.

This department encompasses a collection of materials related to planned languages, including the Esperanto Museum.

Founded in 1992, the Ariadne department collects, digitizes, and promotes publications on women and gender studies to increase the visibility of women's contributions to Austrian history and society.

The library has been archiving websites since 2009, with themed collections including women's and gender studies, media, and politics, as well as event collections reflecting significant historical moments.