Leiden University Library, Leiden

Founded in 1575, the Leiden University Library in the Netherlands is a beacon of knowledge and culture, playing a pivotal role in the intellectual development of Europe, particularly during the Enlightenment. Founded during the Dutch Revolt alongside Leiden University, the library began with William of Orange's gift of the Polyglot Bible. By 1587, it was operational in the Academy Building's vault on Rapenburg.

The library was an innovator from the start. In 1595, it published the Nomenclator, the world’s first printed institutional library catalog, coinciding with its move to the Faliede Bagijnkerk. By the 19th century, the Leidse boekjes-bound catalog cards-had become iconic as a unique organizational system, persisting until 1988 when the library transitioned to digital cataloging under the PICA Project, a groundbreaking Dutch automation initiative.

Today, the library houses over 5.2 million volumes, 1 million e-books, and a wealth of rare materials, including 60,000 Oriental and Western manuscripts, 300,000 photographs, and 3,000 cuneiform tablets. Its unparalleled collections in Indonesia and the Caribbean are among the world’s largest. Moreover, it holds the distinction of being the only Dutch heritage institution with five UNESCO Memory of the World registrations.

Leiden University Library is at the forefront of scholarly innovation, supporting research and education through digital tools like Virtual Research Environments, and Datalabs, and expertise in data curation and text and data mining. Its strategic plan, Partner in Knowledge, emphasizes transforming the library into a hub for digital scholarship and information literacy.

Since its relocation to the Witte Singel in 1983, the library continues to serve as both a historical treasure and a modern center for global research, embodying its mission to preserve, disseminate, and advance knowledge.