University of Graz Library

The University of Graz Library stands in the city of Graz, Austria. It is the largest research and public library in Styria and the third largest in the country. The library includes a main building, two faculty libraries, and several branch libraries, all open to the public. It holds the right of legal deposit, meaning it receives copies of all publications issued in the region. The library’s origins trace back to the Jesuit university founded in 1573 during the Counter-Reformation. After the Jesuits were expelled in 1773, the institution became a state university. The library grew rapidly, absorbing books from dissolved monasteries and benefiting from donations. By the 20th century, its collections expanded to nearly three million printed books, along with manuscripts, incunabula, and periodicals. Visitors find a complex of interconnected buildings with reading rooms, stacks, and special collections. The Special Collections Department holds rare items such as ancient Georgian manuscripts and Johannes Kepler’s letters. The library also preserves early codex bindings from Oxyrhynchos papyri. Modern additions include a media library and branch facilities, supporting research and public access across disciplines.