Holdings

The incunabula collection of Göttingen State and University Library comprises around 3,100 volumes; among these is a Gutenberg Bible printed on vellum, a digital version of which was made available in 2000.

The department Special Collections and Conservation stores valuable printed works on all academic subjects from the 16th century to the present day in the rare books collection. In addition to this, the department takes care of the private libraries of famous collectors and academics (e.g. Johann Friedrich Armand von Uffenbach and Carl Friedrich Gauss). The works that form part of these holdings are marked as HSD in GöDiscovery and in the Göttingen University Catalogue.

A reference section comprising around 7,500 volumes (location mark HSD-LS) is freely accessible in the Reading Room for Manuscripts and Rare Books; among these are the most important incunabula catalogues and literature on the history of printing.

These volumes can be accessed in the Reading Room for Manuscripts and Rare Books in the Historical Building near the city centre (Papendiek 14; corner of Prinzenstraße / Papendiek) only (please be aware of our current opening hours). The requested documents can be made available to visitors only after the presentation of a valid national ID card or passport.

We would like to ask interested parties who are not directly affiliated with the university and have not yet received a guest pass to submit an advance notification (email).

You are welcome to order photocopies or scans of the material provided its condition allows for reproduction. Please take note of our price list for copy and scan orders. You are also welcome to bring along your own digital camera to photograph individual pages.

The volumes of the reference section made available in the reading room are part of the non-lending collection; these are reserved for local use only.