The University Library of Groningen

Four hundred years ago, on 28February 1615, the University Library of Groningen was officially instituted. This book celebrates the four centuries during which the Library matured from a single room with chained books to a modern and busy centre which is an information hub and a social meeting place as well. This book not only marks the Library's four-hundredth anniversary, but it also appears in a time of many changes. From September 2014, over the next few years the building will undergo a complete transformation. This is another reason why it appropriately focuses on the present-day building and the organisation's long history. The forty collections presented here form a selection of the many delightful, fascinating and rare items in our care. Together they give an impression of the treasures preserved by our Library, a trust which, it is hoped, we will continue to honour for many centuries to come."