Basel University Library (institution)

It contains more than 3,000,000 documents, including 1,750 medieval manuscripts and numerous incunabula dating from the time of the Council of Basel (1431–87). The majority of library resources are freely available to the public and most of its books can be electronically accessed and ordered.

• Name — Basel University Library • Native Name — Universitätsbibliothek Basel • Country — Switzerland • Type — Academic library • Location — Basel • Affiliation — University of Basel • Website — https: ub.unibas.ch/de

• Illustration — Basel University Library in 1896 • Illustration — Codex Basilensis – Mark 2,9-14 The first written evidence of the library's existence dates from the year 1471; its early date makes it one of the most important libraries of the country. The library began compiling its catalogue in volumes from 1559 to 1889, when began organizing its material by a so-called „Zettelform“ (or, roughly, list form, where the items of the catalogue can be found by author name). This was later changed to a subject heading catalogue in 1939. In 1886, ten years before the library was moved to its own building, the first curatorial librarian was employed. Between 1962 and 1968, the library's current location was found. The library of medicine was later founded, in 1978, as a subsidiary of the original library and which can now be found in the Basel University Hospital (earlier: Basel Cantonal Hospital). • 1471 – first evidence of existence of the library • 1559 – first catalogue • 1866 – newspaper of librarian • 1889 – catalogue on cards • 1896 – library relocated to the bigger building • 1939 – keyword catalogue • 1981 – informatic catalogue • 1985 – data base • 1988 – catalog OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog)

Computer cataloguing and application was used from 1981 onwards and the first database was installed in 1985. In 1988 the OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue), the library of the Economics faculty (Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Zentrum, WWZ) and the business archive of Switzerland (Schweizerisches Wirtschaftsarchiv, SWA) were also put into service. In 1995 (and continuing to this day) electronic borrowing was activated and the open stacks were put into service. Popular, public access to the internet has been possible for the public since 1997.

The library is open to anyone older than 14, as well as people who live and work in Switzerland and cross-border regions, members of the university and the EUCOR-universities. Registration and use of the library are free of charge. Books can be ordered online. If the book is either borrowed or not in the stacks, it can directly be taken from the self-service section.

Concerning the research of Nietzsche, the University of Basel is the second most important collecting point (preceded by the archive of Nietzsche in Weimar, Germany), because of the amount of resources that can be found about “Nietzsche in Basel” in the wake of Franz Overbeck.

Manuscripts in the Basel University Library include: • Basel roll • Family 1 • Minuscule 92 • Minuscule 817 • Minuscule 2816 • Minuscule 2817