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On the Public Character of the Seminary Library in Ljubljanai

Abstract

Occasionally it was possible to detect in technical literature a certain doubt whether the Seminary Library in Ljubljana, which was opened in 1701 as a public library, was indeed open to the public in the 18th century. In view of this, some authors bestowed the title of the first public scholarly library to the Lyceum Library that was established in Ljubljana in 1791. This article examines the issue of the public character of the Seminary Library, first by exploring 18th century sources, then by a critical review of technical literature, and finally by comparing this library with other domestic as well as foreign libraries with a similar function and character.