HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF NORWEGIAN LIBRARIANSHIP WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE MEDICAL FACULTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OSLO MARGOT ELIZABETH VIRGINIA LINDSAY THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON SCHOOL OF LIBRARY, ARCHIVE AND INFORMATION STUDIES UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON 2002 ProQuest Number: 10042761 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest. ProQuest 10042761 Published by ProQuest LLC(2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 ABSTRACT The thesis provides an historical account of the development of Norwegian book collections and libraries from the earliest beginnings in the 17th century until the Public Libraries Act of 1971. The social and educational context, the growth of the book trade and the power relations expressed in the language conflict provide the background for the main discussion. The public library service and notable figures in its development, with special emphasis on the Deichman Library in Oslo, are outlined and the strong influence of American practices brought back by returning emigrants is emphasized. The development of the first largest academic and public libraries illustrates the importance of individual personalities in the organisation of library practice in a small country. Data selected from archival and printed sources, hitherto only available in Norwegian, are supplemented by a series of interviews conducted with notable librarians from all sectors and from a wide age range. This material is especially valuable in the section that deals with the role of libraries and the activities of librarians during the period of occupation in the Second World War. The growth of professionalism, both in the establishment of the Norwegian Library Association and in the promotion of education for librarians, which culminated in the establishment of the State Library School in 1940, is covered and library architecture and foreign influences on the building and organisation of libraries are discussed. The thesis concludes with a case study of the development of the University of Oslo Library, with special reference to the medical collection there. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I welcome this opportunity to express my thanks to Professor L McEwaine for her expert guidance and invaluable support in the overall supervision of my research. Thanks are also due to Professor Hansen of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, for his interest and advice during the preliminary planning stage of this thesis. I wish to acknowledge the generous and kind assistance of the late Dr. Lisa Knarberg Hansen in giving me access to library catalogues and in enabling me to spend time talking to University of Oslo Library staff in the Faculty of Medicine. A special acknowledgement is also due to the following Librarians whose assistance in the course of this study was notably generous and appreciated: Frode Bakken, Heidi Boiesen, Mimi Dammen, Margaret Ellebye, Lasse Christensen, Aud Gulbrandsen, Kare Hansen, Greta Mole, Signe Nordensberg, Lise Refsum, Benta K. Rustad, Jo Tennfjord, and Kirsten B. Welhaven and Ellen 0yno. I value the continuous and patient assistance of Librarians in the Reading Room of the National Library and Lise Haaland in Bergen Public Library. The difficulties in tracing book production statistics for the earlier periods were alleviated by Malcolm Langley, Librarian in Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute, University of London. Thanks to Charmian Brinson and Adrian Mole for reading and commenting on preliminary drafts of the text. I am indebted to the Director of Trauma and Orthopaedics at Basildon Hospital, (formerly Clinical Tutor) Mr N.B. Ker who provided practical support throughout the study. It would have been impossible to cross the North Sea as often as I have done during the period of this study, without the generosity of Librarian, Heidi Cortner Boiesen and her warmly welcoming family. Without the information technology support of Professor Mike Brinson, the thesis would have taken much longer to produce. The time of preparing this thesis has been a test for my friends who have tolerated my unsociable behaviour, and their loyalty is warmly appreciated. TABLE OF CONTENTS Historical development of Norwegian librarianship with special reference to the Medical Faculty of the University of Oslo Preliminaries 1-8 Introduction 9-21 1. Literature search 2. Archive sources 3. Library histories 4. General monographs 5. Methods 6. Conclusion Chapter 1 Norwegian society in the 18th-20th century 22-44 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Population in Europe and Norway in 18th-20th century 1.2.1 Growth of the population in Norway 1.3 A Librarian’s explanation of falling death rates 1.4 The Scandinavian context 1.4.1 Characteristics held in common 1.4.2 Differences between the countries of northern Europe 1.5 Norwegian language conflict 15“* - 20“* century 1.5.1 The Danish language in Norway 15* - 19* century 1.5.2 Language development after the Norwegian constitution of 1814 1.5.3 Communication problems 1.5.4 The National Romantic Movement 1840-60 1.5.5 Linguistic revolution 1847-1907 1.5.6 Planning for unity - Samnorsk 1950s 1.6 Emigration from Norway 1866-1910 1.7 Emerging Norwegian nation 1.8 Conclusion Chapter 2 The development of the Norwegian book trade, newspapers, literacy, reading habits and the school system 1650-1930 45-80 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Development of Norwegian publishing and the book trade - 1650-1850 2.2.1 Norwegian booksellers and publishers 1815-97 2.2.2 Book production in Norway 1814-1940 2.2.3 "All Norwegian books published in Norway" 2.3 The emergence of newspapers 1763-1890 2.3.1 Expansion of Norwegian periodical literature 1800-1920 2.4 Obstacle to reading - bad light - 19* to mid 20* century 2.4.1 Reading among different social groups in 18* - late 19* century Norway 2.5 General educational provision begins with Confirmation in 1736 2.5.1 Ambulatory teachers 1739-1890, Allmueskole 1739 2.5.2 Teacher training from 1749, 1773-1869 2.5.3 Rise of public interest in education 1837-1848 2.5.4 School reforms - 1860-89 2.5.5 20th century educational reforms 2.6 Conclusion Chapter 3 The library movement 1797 1930s 81-113 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Danish Agricultural Society 1769-1813 3.3 Reading societies 1798-1820 3.4 The first effective public library 1808-44 3.5 Selskabet for Norges Vel 1830-40 3.6 Pioneering work to establish public libraries 1808-66 3.7 Farmer pressure for state funding for libraries 1830s 3.8 Uneven progress of public book collections 3.9 Resistance to establishing public libraries 3.10 Library loans and competing attractions 1901-37 3.10.1 Radio 3.10.2 Cinema 3.11 Library loans - influencing factors, different perspectives 3.12 The work of rural libraries 3.13 Conclusion Chapter 4 First American influences on Norwegian library development 114-125 1880 1890s 4.1 Introduction 4.2 The Newberry Public Library 1890s 4.3 Cataloguing and classification in the Newberry Library 1890s 4.4 Norwegian librarians in America 1890s 4.5 Cataloguing in Chicago Public Library 1892-8 4.6 Conclusion Chapter 5 Development of the first four largest Norwegian libraries: In a small country individual personalities predominate 126-168 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, Trondheim (1768) 5.3 The foundation of Deichman Library (1785) 5.3.1 Deichman Library reforms 1898-1910 5.4 The University of Kristiania Library 1811-1953 5.5 Bergen Public Library 1873-1954 5.5.1 Music Department 5.5.2 Work with children and young people 5.6 Norwegian public library extension activities 1908-59 5.7 Post-war library development 5.8 Conclusion Chapter 6 The birth of a profession - The history of the Norwegian Library Association (NBF) 6.1 Introduction 169-189 6.2 The history of the Norwegian Library Association (NBF) 6.2.1 Library Associations in Scandinavia 1917-1958 6.3 Forming a library system 1903-55 6.4 Professional publications 1907-33 6.5 Campaigns in newspapers 1915-63 6.6 Norwegians reporting on library practice overseas 1911-20 6.7 Library legislation 1935-72 6.8 Conclusion Chapter 7 History of Norwegian Library Education - Norwegian visits and study overseas 7.1 Introduction 190-206 7.2 Short courses 1901-39 7.3 Library training in university and public libraries 1900-31 7.4 Promoting and establishing the Statens Bibliotek Skole (SBS) 1907-58 7.5 Conclusion Chapter 8 Turning points 207-234 World War II, Library legislation and post-war library development 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Authors polarised - the Carl von Ossietzky question 8.3 War comes to Norway 8.4 The pressure on the press 8.5 The illegal press 8.6 The book trade 8.7 “Protection of Norwegian literature” 8.8 University of Oslo Library 8.9 Public libraries 8.10 Conclusion Chapter 9 Foreign influences on library buildings 235-258 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Danish domination of Norway 9.3 A Norwegian university 9.4 University of Oslo Library buildings 1813-51 9.5 University Square - 1851-1912 9.6 Drammensveien - 1914 9.7 Norwegian library buildings - German and American