Presentation of restored and conserved old and rare library materials of the BCL through a special display case

The Holdings of old and rare books of the Belgrade City Library (BCL) are one of the largest and most valuable collections of this type in Serbia, with more than a thousand titles of exceptional and great importance. Since 2012, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, through five projects, almost all of the most valuable materials of this Fund have been restored and conserved – 45 titles of cultural assets of exceptional and great importance, among which are: Minej praznični (Sabornik), Venice, 1536−1538; Četvorojevanđelje, Belgrade, 1552, edition by Radiša Dmitrović i Trojan Gundulić, Belgrade, 1552; Della historia di Corfv Defcritta da Andrea Marmora, Venice: Presso il Curti, 1672; Auf genehmgehaltenes Gutachten und Veranlassung der Kön. Engell. Medicinischen Gesellschafft in Londen Durch, Nirnberg : Johann Zieger, 1686. and others. The cartographic collection of the 16th-19th century (31 maps) was also restored.

This project’s main intention is to procure a special exhibition display case (which enables controlled temperature and humidity) to ensure long-term conditions for presenting this valuable material to the professional and broader public, to all citizens and visitors of Belgrade.

The acquisition of the display case will allow the results of the BCL’s work on protecting old and rare materials to be displayed through a series of prepared exhibitions – by exhibiting restored books, maps and periodicals whose restoration was supported by the Ministry of Culture. Also, a specialized display case will enable the constant presentation of other valuable materials from our rich collection of old and rare materials.

Project value: 3,500,000.00 dinars
Realization period: 2021
Donor: Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia