The History of - Göteborgs universitet

2006 the teacher education programme moved from Mölndal to central
Gothenburg and Professor Pam Fredman was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Gothenburg as the first woman ever.
2007 completion of Campus Linné at Linnéplatsen.
The University Library
It was in 1861 that the idea of a scientific library in
Gothenburg came true. Sven Adolf Hedlund, wellknown
cultural figure in the 19th century, was behind
this initiative as well. The Gothenburg Museum established
in 1861 was also his brainchild. The museum
had a library that, with the help of donations, grew to
offer both reading areas and lending of books.
Hedlund had visited London and seen the British
Museum, which inspired him both as an industry
museum and with its library. Gothenburg University
College was founded in 1891, and so was the Gothenburg
City Library, which was based on the museum
library. The library was scientifically oriented and was
to serve the needs of the university college while also
being open to the public. However, this city library
must not be confused with the present-day Gothenburg
City Library, which has roots in the Dicksonska
folkbiblioteket (the Dickson public library).
In 1900 a large, beautiful jugend-style library building
was built on Haga Kyrkoplan, Vasagatan 2. It
housed the predecessor of the Gothenburg University
Library.
In 1954 the library moved to new and much larger
facilities at the Näckrosdammen pond area – the
current location of the Central Library. In 1961 the
library was nationalised and became part of the University
of Gothenburg, and was therefore renamed
the Gothenburg University Library.
Today the library building on Vasagatan 2 serves
as the University’s Undergraduate and Newspaper
Library. The building has been restored according to
the original drawings and re-opened in 1995.
The University Library has branches at several
faculties as well.
The first University library, in a jugend building at Haga Kyrkoplan.
The building was used for other purposes for several
decades but is today again a branch of the University Library.
28 The History of the University of Gothenburg