Following the kick-off meeting of our Book of Your Life library project, a series of furniture refurbishment workshops entitled „UNICycle upcycling” was launched for the planned community space of our library.

In order to promote intercultural dialogue and the integration of international students, the Book of Your Life (BoYL) project was launched at the beginning of March, and at the first meeting of the project, the Director General of the ELTE University Library and Archives, Dr. Kulcsár Szabó Ernőné Gombos Annamária, in her welcoming speech, emphasised that the event was another milestone in the service of the university, national and international students.

Through thought-provoking presentations and collective reflection, ELTE’s international student ambassadors raised inspiring ideas on how to create community space and promote intercultural dialogue, highlighting that artistic and cultural activities, sharing reading experiences, and programmes that stimulate creativity can be a real bridge between national and international students.

Inspired by these suggestions, a campaign on ELTE's social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram) will seek students' favourite books, with the aim of acquiring those that are part of our collection and available.

In the spirit of the green library and sustainability, students are invited to a series of furniture refurbishment workshops in our library, entitled UNICycle upcycling. On the 26th of March 2024, for the first time, we will be painting scrapped university furniture, chairs and tables, and on the 11th of April 2024, Hungarian Poetry Day, we will be breathing new life into the objects with colour and soul.

More details and current events about the project can be found at https://www.elte.hu/boyl and on our Facebook page. Everyone is welcome!

Elsevier Publishing provides trial access to its new product, Scopus AI, until the 4th of April 2024. The service is available from the university premises after logging into ELTE's internet network directly, or remotely via VPN.

Scopus AI is an intuitive and intelligent search tool based on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) that helps you navigate the vast amount of information available in Scopus. It allows us to find articles using a natural language query, as well as prepares easy-to-understand summaries of research results. It provides assistance in mapping new research areas and finding opportunities for interdisciplinary cooperation.

More information about Scopus AI can be found in the attached flyer and the following link:

https://www.elsevier.com/products/scopus/scopus-ai

Elsevier Publishers welcomes your experiences and comments regarding the use of Scopus AI.

Oxford University Press offered trial access to its product, Oxford English Dictionary (OED) until end of May. The service is available at ELTE after logging into the university's Internet network or remotely via VPN.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history, and usage of 500,000 words and phrases past and present, from across the English-speaking world.

As a historical dictionary, the OED is very different from dictionaries of current English, in which the focus is on present-day meanings. You will still find present-day meanings in the OED, but you will also find the history of individual words, sometimes from as far back as the 11th century, and of the language – traced through 3.5 million quotations, from classic literature and specialist periodicals to film scripts, song lyrics, and social media posts.

In the framework of our book adoption programme, our restorer and old book librarian offered our adopter a detailed presentation of the supported book.

Georgina Sofia Lazaridisz adopted the book Amores Josephini ... (The Love of Saint Joseph...) by Gábor Hevenesi on behalf of Healthwhatelse Ltd. The ceremonial presentation of the certificate and the book launch took place on Joseph's Day.

Gábor Hevenesi (1656–1715) was a Jesuit theologian and historian, and the provincial of the Hungarian Jesuit Province. First he taught in Trnava, then in Vienna and Graz. He was the counsellor of Leopold Kollonich, archbishop of Esztergom. At the archbishop's request Hevenesi launched the collection of historical documents pertaining to Hungary. The material gathered during this enterprise fills 91 manuscript volumes preserved today in the University Library and Archives.

Hevenesi was a prolific author: he published more than 30 books. His book titled Amores Josephini was published in 1692 in Vienna at the Leopold Voigt’s University Press that published a great number of Hungarian documents. Although the strengthening of the cult of St. Joseph in the West had started already in the high Middle Ages, the real heyday of the production of writings and meditative treatises on him took place in the 16th and 17th centuries. Emperor Leopold (r. 1657–1705) offered the Habsburg realms to the patronage of St. Joseph and named his son after him. According to Hevenesi, who relied on earlier literary tradition, the saint was born without pain by his mother and took a vow of chastity as a mature man. Joseph is represented in this work as the head of the Holy Family and a caring father, who lays his son to sleep and feeds the baby Jesus, later teaches him to read and write, as well as carpentry. After his death, Joseph could occupy his place next to his spouse before Christ.

We would like to thank our book-adoptor for saving this book.

For detailed information about our book adoption programme, please visit our website. Adopt a book yourself! Our list of books for adoption is available here.

Our adopted book:

RMK III 557/2
 

Amores Josephini, sive divorum amabilissimi, divini amoris nutritii, Mariae sponsi, ditionum Austriacae domui subditarum patroni tutelaris, Josephi vita, fovendis piorum cordium amoribus ab ejusdem honori addictissimo academico, e caesareo Societatis Jesu Collegio Viennensi iconibus, et affectibus illustrata, anno MDCXCII Viennae Austriae [Wien]: typis Leopoldi Voigt, Universitatis Typographi, [1692]

Object of the month – Theodor von Sickel commemorative medal

In the 245-piece numismatic collection of the ELTE University Library and Archives – University History Collection, we keep many commemorative medals and plaques. Mainly objects made in the 20th century were collected, but we also have 18 commemorative medals from the 1800s.

Based on their nature and provenance research, these could be gifts from partner institutions’ and important people's anniversaries or other events. For example, the historian Sándor Szilágyi (1827–1899), the former director of the University Library, received some medals as a gift, and after his death he left them to our institution in his will. Among these, we chose the decorative Theodor von Sickel commemorative medal as the object of the month.

The bronze commemorative medal was made in Vienna in 1887 and was designed by the Austrian Anton Scharff (1845–1903). The medal image on the obverse depicts a bust of a man with a beard and mustache facing right, as well as a coat of arms on the lower right side. On the left side of the image, the master mark is visible, the rim is decorated with a string of pearl motif. Inscription: „THEODORO EQITI AB SICKEL”; in the inner circle: „PROF. P. XXX ANNOS VINDOBONENSI”.

The reverse of the medal depicts a seated female figure holding a tablet and writing implements, surrounded by three young boys holding instruments symbolizing the sciences. In the background, the facade of the main building of the University of Vienna, handed over in 1884, can be seen. The rim is decorated with a string of pearl motif. Circumscription in Latin: „RERUM GESTARUM INVESTIGATORI SUBTILISSIMO”.

The inscription below the medal image: „AMICI ET DISCIPULI / VENERABUNDI / MDCCCLXXXVII”.

Theodor von Sickel (1826–1908) was a historian researching the Middle Ages, and a significant representative of diploma studies. In 1867, he received his appointment at the University of Vienna, and the commemorative medal was created for the 30th anniversary of his professorship.

Oxford University Press offered trial access to its product, Oxford English Dictionary (OED) until end of May. The service is available at ELTE after logging into the university's Internet network or remotely via VPN.

Oxford University Press is also organizing a webinar in English to help you get to know and use the database at the following times.

Oxford English Dictionary

Thu, Mar 14

12:00 AM - 1:00 PM CET

Online event

Oxford English Dictionary

Wed, Mar 20

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CET

Online event

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history, and usage of 500,000 words and phrases past and present, from across the English-speaking world.

As a historical dictionary, the OED is very different from dictionaries of current English, in which the focus is on present-day meanings. You’ll still find present-day meanings in the OED, but you’ll also find the history of individual words, sometimes from as far back as the 11th century, and of the language—traced through 3.5 million quotations, from classic literature and specialist periodicals to film scripts, song lyrics, and social media posts.

Elsevier Publishing provides trial access to its new product, Scopus AI, from the 4th of March to the 4th of April 2024. The service is available from the university premises after logging into ELTE's internet network directly, or remotely via VPN.

Scopus AI is an intuitive and intelligent search tool based on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) that helps you navigate the vast amount of information available in Scopus. It allows us to find articles using a natural language query, as well as prepares easy-to-understand summaries of research results. It provides assistance in mapping new research areas and finding opportunities for interdisciplinary cooperation.

More information about Scopus AI can be found in the attached flyer and the following link:

https://www.elsevier.com/products/scopus/scopus-ai

Elsevier Publishers welcomes your experiences and comments regarding the use of Scopus AI.

The publisher welcomes all interested parties to its webinar in English, in which it presents the use and possibilities of Scopus AI.

Date of the webinar: 5 March 2024 (Tuesday) 11.00 AM

Registration

The ambassadors of the National Association of Doctoral Students, doctoral students studying in Hungary with the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship visited the University Library and Archives on the 24th of February 2024.

Within the framework of the ambassadorial scheme of the National Association of Doctoral Students, foreign doctoral students studying in Hungary represent the scientific community of their country, organising conferences, lectures and outreach events.

The delegation, which visited the Franciscan Square Library Palace, represented nearly thirty countries from Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, with the aim of strengthening international scientific, professional and cultural cooperation.

The cultural programme of the two-day workshop, which took place over the weekend, included an insight into our library history, a chamber exhibition of documents related to the Hungarian Jesuit missions in South America, and an interactive exhibition on the life and work of Loránd Eötvös. The project aims to promote the integration and cultural integration of foreign doctoral students living in the country, and to broaden and enrich the spectrum of international professional cooperation.

De Gruyter has offered trial access to the De Gruyter All eBooks package. Trial access lasts until the 30th of April 2024.

Contents of the package available during trial access: more than 63,000 e-books, 29 disciplines, including the latest books in the humanities, natural sciences and technology.

The content is available by clicking the Search results (degruyter.com) link, connecting to ELTE's internet network, or using a VPN service.

With the support of the ELTE University Library and Archives, Kipcor Kft. has launched a book exchange programme in the Library Club.

From 19 February 2024, the guests of the Library Club will be able to choose freely from the new bookshelf opposite the entrance, where anyone is invited to bring in their books for free. A reading corner will be provided for the comfort of reading on the spot. Our library has contributed to the success of the book exchange programme by officially displaying twenty carefully selected books on fiction, literature and economics, welcoming the initiative. The event was organised with the participation of the Student Council representatives from the ELTE Faculty of Humanities and the ELTE Faculty of Economics as well as several students. We wish all visitors a pleasant reading experience!