Árbók Landsbókasafns Íslands - Nýr flokkur - 01.01.1988, Side 84

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ENGLISH SUMMARY
Grímur M. Helgason: Jón Jónsson í Simbakoti og handrit hans. Landsbókasafn
íslands. Árbók. Nýr Jlokkur 12 (1986). Rv. 1988, pp. 58-64.
Jón Jónsson (1834—1912) of Simbakot was one of many self-educated persons
belonging to the Icelandic working class who have, in the course of the centuries,
made a contribution to Icelandic culture by their literary enthusiasm and love of
books. Most of his life he lived at Eyrarbakki, a village on the south coast, and
earned his living as the owner of a small plot of land and a fisherman. All his life he
was an avid book-collector. Very often he acquired his copies by borrowing a book or
manuscript he wanted and having a copy made. Most of his collection consisted of
the popular entertainment literature of the day, stories of heroes and kings of distant
lands in particular. He lent his books freely, sometimes accepting a small fee. At the
auction after his death 177 books/manuscripts were sold, to 27 buyers. At least 20 of
his manuscript books have found their way to the Department og Manuscripts in the
National Library.
Finnbogi Guðmundsson: Ræða flutt 30. nóvember 1985. Landsbókasafn íslands.
Árbók. Nýr flokkur 12 (1986). Rv. 1988, pp. 65-69.
A speech held on the 25th anniversary of the Icelandic Library Association of
November 30, 1985. With reference to the Saga of King Harald Graycloak, parallels
are drawn in a light-hearted manner between the avarice of Queen Gunnhild and
her sons as experienced by Eyvindur Skáldaspillir, the poet, and the far from
generous support given by present-day governments to libraries, the new National
and University Library building in particular. Just as there was a happy ending to
the story of Eyvindur when he was generously rewarded for composing a drápa about
all Icelanders, it is to be hoped that the government will show their generous
appreciation of the important róle of this library of all Icelanders by making an effort
to complete the building.
Landsbókasafnið 1986 [a report]. Landsbókasafn Islands. Arbók. Nýr Jlokkur 12
(1986). Rv. 1988, pp. 70-81.
Accessions. At the end of the year, the number of printed books in the National
Library was, according to the accessions catalogue, 384,718 volumes. A great
number of books were given to the library or acquired through exchanges (cf. a list
on pp. 70-72).
Department of Manuscripts. The total number of catalogued manuscripts was at the
end of the year 13,925. Most of the manuscripts acquired during the year are
mentioned briefly on pp. 72-75.
National Department. There was no increase in staff during the year and the
department is still seriously undermanned. Accessions to the National Department
were 5,292 in 1986. An exhibition of works by Professor Sigurður Nordal, to
commemorate the lOOth' anniversary of his birth, was opened in the hall of the
National Library building on September 14.