On the 29th of August 2024, the ELTE University Library and Archives organised the twelfth conference entitled Traditions and Challenges. This year's programme featured presentations on the themes of Library Support for Journals and Innovation and Visibility.

Our event was widely attended, with nearly one hundred and thirty guests, academics and students, as well as representatives of service partners and sponsors. The guests were welcomed by Dr. Kulcsár Szabó Ernőné Gombos Annamária, Director General of the ELTE University Library and Archives and Dr. László Borhy, Rector of Eötvös Loránd University.

Following the opening speeches, Dr. Péter Sziklai, Vice Rector for Scientific Affairs of Eötvös Loránd University, gave a presentation entitled Journals and Visibility, followed by Dr. Bence Tóth, Deputy Secretary for Science and International Affairs of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, entitled How to Measure Innovation. Judit Fejes, Research Support Librarian of the ELTE University Library and Archives, presented important aspects of increasing the international visibility and recognition of ELTE-related scientific journals. Erika Bilicsi, Head of Department of the Library and Information Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, discussed the importance of appropriate metadata use and the issue of classification. The morning plenary session was closed by a presentation by Judit Fazekas-Paragh, Head of the Education and Research Support Department of the University and National Library of Debrecen, entitled Brilliant solutions, institutional opportunities in diamond open access publishing.

In the afternoon session, moderated by Ákos Lencsés, data economist (Government Information Technology Development Agency), Dávid Lovász, research support librarian (University of Pécs University Library and Knowledge Centre), gave an insight into the journal development practice of the University of Pécs. Tiffany Fülöp, Tamás Molnár and Szabolcs Hoczopán (Klebelsberg Kuno Library of the University of Szeged) presented the Diamond Open Access editorial support services, and Kata Beatrix Boros (University and National Library of Debrecen) informed the audience about their Diamond open access journal platform dEjournals. Following the presentation of Anikó Ézsiás, Deputy Director General (Central Library of the Technical University of Budapest, CELISR, Editor) on CELISR – the new online library journal, Edit Markó-Markechné Zelei, Head Librarian (ELTE Faculty of Humanities Institute of Archaeology) gave a presentation on Journal Support at the ELTE Faculty of Humanities. The session was concluded with a presentation by István Sipos, Managing Director (Softlink), entitled Automatic delivery, processing and personalised publishing of e-journals.

The session entitled Innovation and Visibility was moderated by Gyula Nagy, Director General of the Klebelsberg Kuno Library of the University of Szeged, where Tibor Kocsor, Senior Editor (Academic Publishing House Ltd.), first presented the role of XML in content production, and then Tibor Faragó-Szilvási, Research Support Librarian (ELTE University Library and Archives), presented the journal support platform of his institution. The presentation of László Garamvölgyi, Deputy Director General of the ELTE University Library and Archives entitled Open Source Discovery at ELTE – Challenges and Achievements was followed by the presentation of Adrienn Tamásné Kovács, Director of the Digital Humanities Centre of the ELTE, entitled MEK+ k –The Library of the Future Today. The session closed with a presentation by Balázs Peti, Managing Director (Tripont) entitled Heritázs 2.0 – The present of the digital archive.

The conference was supported by the University Library Foundation, Eisberg Hungary Ltd., the Scientific and Professional Library Section of the Hungarian Association of Librarians, ProQuest, Qulto, Softlink and Tripont. Abstracts of the presentations are available on our website. The ELTE University Library and Archives is planning to publish a booklet on Traditions and Challenges XII, which will be available in electronic form in the ELTE EDIT repository.

CHARM-EU (Challenge-driven, Accessible, Research-based, Mobile European University) is an innovative European university alliance that aims to reshape higher education through transnational collaboration. Formed by five founding universities, CHARM-EU emphasizes interdisciplinary and challenge-based learning, particularly focusing on sustainability and global environmental and societal challenges. One of the main achievements of the alliance is a unique Master’s programme, through which CHARM-EU has been able to develop and pilot innovative methodological and technological solutions, promoting international mobility and integrating diverse educational approaches to foster a comprehensive and inclusive learning environment. Our exhibition will give visitors a glimpse of our publications related to the nine universities.

CHARM-EU connects three universities founded in the Middle Ages: the University of Montpellier (established in 1289), the University of Würzburg (1402), and the University of Barcelona (1450). The rich historical background of these universities as pioneers of European education and research, enhances innovation and collaboration across borders in higher education.

Early modern universities founded at the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries such as Trinity College Dublin (1592), Eötvös Loránd University (1635), and Utrecht University (1636) as centres of learning as well as hubs of intellectual collaboration and innovation played a crucial role in shaping the academic landscape and intellectual culture we recognize today.

Modern universities founded in the 20th and the 21st centuries such as Åbo Akademi University (1918), the University of Bergen (1946, with earlier roots), and Hochschule Ruhr West (2009), have played a pivotal role in shaping contemporary academic and research landscapes. Due to the emphasis on research and development, commitment to innovation, and dedication to diverse educational environments they play a crucial role European higher education.

Our exhibition includes a selection of library treasures from the nine institutions of the innovative European University Association. The exhibition will open on the 21st of September 2024, on the occasion of the Cultural Heritage Days. For a detailed programme, please, visit our homepage or the official website of the Cultural Heritage Days. All visitors are welcome!

Object of the month – Károly Than memorial plaque

The plaque depicts the facing bust of Károly Than (1834–1908) with a mustache and beard in old age. The man is wearing a suit, around his neck is the insignia of the Pro litteris et artibus civil award, founded by Ferenc József in 1887.

Inscription below the bust: „-THAN-”. In the lower right corner is the master's mark of the creator, Miklós Farkas. One-sided, rectangular bronze plaque from the material of the University Library and Archives - University History Collection.

Károly Than was a chemist, a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and a teacher at the Budapest University (today ELTE) from 1860 until his retirement in 1908. Between 1872 and 1880 he was the president of the Royal Hungarian Society of Natural Sciences, one of his significant achievements was in the field of analytical chemistry, and the concept of Than's equivalent can be linked to his name.

Founded in 1667, the Faculty of Law (now the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of ELTE) started to keep its personal register (Status personalis inclitae Facultatis Iuridicae ab anno 1777) after the university was taken over by the state in 1777.

The volume, known as the Liber Aureus, or Golden Book, because of its gilt-edged pages, recorded the names of the faculty directors, the rectors of the Faculty of Law, the deans, the professors and the holders of doctorates awarded by the faculty. The first volume contains data up to 1882 and the second volume up to 1886. Between 1778 and 1886, 2537 students obtained a doctorate at the Faculty. The index contains data on these students. The first column gives the name of the student  (in Latin, later in Hungarian from 1882), the second column gives the date of the doctorate, the third column gives the type of doctorate (Doctor of Law, Doctor of Civil Law, Doctor of State, Doctor of Canon Law), the fourth column gives the archival reference, the fifth column gives the volume number of the Liber Aureus, and the sixth column gives the corresponding page number.

The index is available: http://hdl.handle.net/10831/110233

According to the traditions of Eötvös Loránd University, the Senate of the University presented the awards to the lecturers, employees and staff who provided excellent work and outstanding performance at the opening Senate meeting of the academic year. This year's honorees included several staff members of the University Library Service, who are committed to the cause of the university and library development.

The University administration awarded the Trefort Ágoston Memorial Plaque to Tibor Móring, Research Support Librarian of the ELTE University Library and Archives, Krisztina Szigeti, Librarian of the English-American Institute Library at the ELTE Faculty of Humanities, Tímea Nagy, Informatics Librarian of the Némedi Dénes Library of the ELTE Faculty of Social Sciences, and Gabriella Kovács, Librarian of the Savaria Library and Archives of the ELTE University Library and Archives for their above-average performance over a long period of time. Judit Fejes and Tibor Faragó-Szilvási, research support librarians at the ELTE University Library and Archives, received a Rector's Commendation.

Congratulations to our colleagues on the occasion of their award, we wish them every success in their further work!

On the occasion of the Cultural Heritage Days, we are waiting for young and old, children and adults alike with special surprises.

Guided through every step, you can make your own hard-cover booklet in our bookbinding workshop on the 21st of September 2024 in the ELTE University Library and Archives (1053 Budapest, Ferenciek tere 6.). We are glad to offer you the opportunity to make unique souvenirs and special booklets between 11.00 and 17.00. More details about our programs are available on our homepage and the official website of the Cultural Heritage Days. Let’s spend an early autumn day together in the library! We look forward to seeing you soon.

Our guided tours in the frame of the Cultural Heritage Days focus on the history of the University Library and Archives, Eötvös Loránd University.

The library palace was designed by Antal Szkalnitzky. Up-to-date technology of the time was used for ventilation, heating and illumination. The tour will take you through the entrance hall decorated with sgraffiti to the reading room with figures on its ceiling which symbolise sciences and arts. Besides the magnificent art and architecture of the reading room of the University Library and Archives, you can also see an oil-painting of the middle-aged Franc Joseph I. by Mór Than. Our librarians will tell you the secrets, and show you the hidden nooks and crannies of the library.

Join our library tour! More details about our programs are available on our homepage and the official website of the Cultural Heritage Days. All visitors are welcome!

Guided tours:

University Library and Archives, Eötvös Loránd University

1053 Budapest, Ferenciek tere 6.

21/09/2024, Saturday – 12:00–12:30

21/09/2024, Saturday – 13:00–13:30

21/09/2024, Saturday – 14:00–14:30

21/09/2024, Saturday – 15:00–15:30

The ELTE University Library and Archives hosted a delegation from Ningbo University on the 9th of July 2024.

The Chinese delegation took part in a guided tour of the library, a guided tour of the Copernicus Memorial Exhibition and a Chinese-themed book presentation to foster international cultural relations. In the spring, the Tienji Library and Museum, also in Ningbo, shared their history and collections in an online discussion. The institutions remain committed to deepening international and inter-institutional cultural relations and cooperation.

The training of secondary school teachers began at the Faculty of Humanities of our university in the mid-19th century. Candidates had to pass an examination before the Secondary School Teachers’ Examination Board, set up in 1862, to obtain their teaching diplomas. The Commission functioned until 1949.

During this period, almost 17 000 students from all over the country passed the examinations. All the examination registers in the Commission's archives between 1864 and 1949 have been catalogued and the database contains the names of the students who sat the examinations, their degree, the date of the examination and the archival reference of the register. The database is here available.

At the second quarterly report of the K21 Quality Coordination Committee 2024, the leaders of the working groups reported on the results of the past quarter, ongoing work and changes.

The University Library Service (ULS) Quality Improvement Report and the Non-Compliant Services Report were completed and approved. The Accessible Library Working Group has reviewed and modified the Guide to Facilities and Rules for Serving Readers with Disabilities in ULS Libraries. The document has been uploaded to EDIT and is now available to all ULS librarians. 

The Primary Research Working Group has started to evaluate the data of the 2024 Student Needs and Satisfaction Survey provided by the ELTE Quality Office and is continuously revising the text on surveys in the Quality Handbook. The Process Management Working Group has also made suggestions for the Library Process Control chapter of the Quality Handbook and will hold a meeting to discuss the modification of the Process Management and Process Audit forms.

The Communication Working Group provided information on the tasks and achievements of the K21 Quality Coordination Committee through our website, newsletter and short film entitled 3 months – 3 minutes, and contributed to the success of the preparation and administration of the K21 reporting days meetings. The Green Library Working Group has continued a review of the environmental awareness survey.

The library leaders held five meetings in the second quarter to discuss, among other things, the new communication strategy and the ULS-CHANGE newsletter, the current tasks of the EISZ 2025 order, the schedule for uploading theses from the previous academic year to EDIT and related tasks, and the development of the new thesis repository. The leaders reviewed and updated their library assimilation documents and attended a two-day leadership training in mid-May. The ULS Strategy Workshop took place on the 18th and 19th of June 2024, during which the mission statement and vision of the ULS and the tasks related to the strategic objectives were finalised.

An update on the achievements of the K21 Quality Coordination Committee and our new developments will be posted on our website soon.