Jagiellonian Library
library of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków
The Jagiellonian Library (Polish: Biblioteka Jagiellońska, popular nickname Jagiellonka) is the library of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and with almost 6.7 million volumes, one of the largest libraries in Poland, serving as a public library, university library and part of the Polish national library system. It has a large collection of medieval manuscripts, for example the autograph of Copernicus' De Revolutionibus and Jan Długosz's Banderia Prutenorum, and a large collection of underground literature (so-called drugi obieg or samizdat) from the period of communist rule in Poland (1945–1989). The Jagiellonian also houses the Berlinka art collection, whose legal status is in dispute with Germany.
Organization
The deputy directors of Administration and Construction, 19th and 20th Century Materials, and Special Collections oversee a staff of 283 employees in fourteen different library departments.
Collections
Jagiellonian Library is one of the largest and most famous libraries in Poland; over its history it has received many donations and inherited many private collections.
Its collection contains 1,503,178 volumes of monographs, 557,199 volumes of periodicals, 104,012 early printed books, 3,586 incunabula, 24,258 manuscripts, 12,819 maps, 35,105 music scores, and 77,336 microforms. Among its music scores are many of Mozart's original autographs. “It was not until 1869 when the donation of Leon Rogalski from Warsaw became the foundation of a separate section of musical notes.” (para 1)
Notable rare manuscripts and books owned by the library include:
15th century copy of Bogurodzica
Jan Długosz – Banderia Prutenorum
Balthasar Behem Codex
Paulus Paulirini de Praga – Liber viginti artium
Nicolaus Copernicus – manuscript of De revolutionibus, and printed editions
Rembrandt van Rijn – Faust
Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 7 and Piano Trio, Op. 97 (Archduke Trio)
Frédéric Chopin – Scherzo in E major, Op.
The public source identifies “Jagiellonian Library” as library of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Jagiellonian, Library and library.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Jagiellonian Library”, the useful work is to connect “library of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 28, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q24101. VIAF identifies the subject as 148485690. The Library of Congress control number is n82138171. Authority coordinates are 50.062, 19.924. 1 of 5 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1945, 1989 and 1869.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Jagiellonian Library”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Jagiellonian Library primary sources, Jagiellonian Library archive and Jagiellonian research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Jagiellonian Library”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Jagiellonian Library” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.