Legacy Collections
Historically the oldest part of the documents consists of private library and family collections donated or bequeathed to the library, these established and are still today the most valuable part of the holdings. Some of the remarkable private collections of the library are the books of Imre Révész (1826-1881), reformed minister, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and his descendants; Count József Dessewffy of Büdszentmihály (1771-1843) and his family; Imre Csécsy (1893-1961), writer; Baron Béla Radvánszky of Sajókaza (1849-1906), historian of civilization; Béla Vikár (1849-1945), ethnographer and translator; Gábor Oláh (1881-1942), poet.
Traditionally the library stores and protects the private collections of the university's famous late teachers and professors and treats them as special collections.
László Országh was a very famous professor of the Institute of English and American Studies. His collection of 4000 books reflects his diversified interest, his passion for books and information. The some 150 dictionaries of his legacy - ranging from a Johnson dictionary published in 1785 to the special marine dictionary or to the collection of vulgar expressions - and the rich lexicological material introduce the lexicographer László Országh. His works dedicated to his students and fellow scholars, as well as his densely noted books make us acquainted with the remarkable teacher. Apart from his own notes, images and articles complementing the subject of the given work can also be seen as the signs of his systematizing mind. In his collection some variant editions of the classical English literature can be found and he had some books from the 16th and 17th centuries, too. His library is rich in issues and guide books introducing the different landscapes and towns of the world, and in historical works.
Usage:
One part of the legacy collection is indicated by the family name or monogram before the call number of the documents (e.g. OL stands for László Országh, OG for Gábor Oláh, BR for Róbert Berki, or Csécsy for Imre Csécsy). In the 1930s and 1940s the private collections were not treated as special collections, and these were put into the stacks with call numbers beginning with 100 000. These collections can be used in the Research Room of the Main Building and can be ordered with a call slip.
