Árbók Landsbókasafns Íslands - Nýr flokkur - 01.01.1979, Page 99

ENGLISH SUMMARY
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Finnbogi Guðmundsson: Snorri Sturluson og Norðurlönd. Dálítíl samantekning úr Heims-
kringlu. Landsbókasafn íslands. Árbók. Nýr Jlokkur 4(1978). Rv. 1979, pp. 66-76.
The Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson deals with events of concern to people throughout
northern Europe. This paper shows with numerous quotations how attitudes and mutual
relations between the Nordic peoples, as well as prejudices ofneighbours against one another, are
reflected in Snorri’s narrative.
We see that Denmark is known for her strong brew of mead, Sweden for her fertile soil and
Norway for her rugged mountains. The Norwegians are a hardy people and brave soldiers,
whereas Swedes and Danes are regarded (by Norwegians) as being wanting in courage and
indolent! It is shown that Swedish kings have a high opinion of themselves vis-á-vis their
Norwegian counterparts, and the history of Danish humour goes at least as far back as the
Heimskringla. Finns are widely known to be master magicians, and Faroese individuals can be
no less forthright when dealing with powerful persons than their Icelandic cousins, who are,
according to the Heimskringla, obstinate and uncompromising, good fighters, but small be-
lievers.
Landsbókasafnið 1978 [a reportj. Landsbókasafn íslands. Árbók. Nýr flokkur 4(1978). Rv. 1979,
pp. 77-95.
Accessions. At the end of the year, the number of printed books in the Nadonal Library was,
according to the accessions catalogue, 343,622 volumes, the annual increase being 5872 volumes.
Accessions to the National Department were 3541 items.
As before, a great number of books were given to the library or acquired through exchanges (cf.
a list on pp. 78-80). One of the most important presents received during the year was a donation
of books pledged in 1974 by the F aroese Government on the occasion of the 11 OOth anniversary of
the settlement of Iceland.
Deparlment of Manuscripts. The total number of catalogued manuscripts reached at the end of the
year 13,272. Many valuable presents were received during the year, and those who gave
manuscripts are listed on pp. 81-84. Several manuscripts were bought, including an autograph
manuscript of a work by Eggert Ólafsson (cf. an article on pp. 49fL).
National Department. An agreement was reached during the year between the National Library
and the Icelandic Publishers’ Association, that the National Library will in future receive one
copy of every book in the original market binding as soon as it is published. Those copies will be
catalogued and kept separate in a special collection. The Publishers’ Association will, on the
other hand, receive this catalogue and include it 'míslensk bókatíðindi in December every year.
Department of Foreign Literature. A union catalogue of foreign periodicals in 86 Icelandic libraries
and institutions was published during the year. The catalogue was prepared in close co-operation
with the University Library. Iceland has now become a member of NOSP (= Nordisk samkata-
log íor periodika), and a considerable part of the union catalogue has new been included in this
Nordic catalogue.
Staff. Mr Haraldur Sigurðsson retired on August 1. He has worked in the National Library
since 1946, the last two years as head of the National Department.
Exhibitions. Several exhibitions were held in the hall of the National Library building, including
anniversary exhibitions commemorating the birth of Halldór Hermannsson and Henrik Ibsen.
The Faroese books given to the National Library were also exhibited.
Travels. On April 12.-19. the National librarian was invited to visit libraries in the Soviet
Union, among them the Lenin State Library in Moscow and the M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin
Library in Leningrad.
The Norwegian tapestry. A tapestry given by the Norwegian Government on the occasion of the
1 lOOth anniversary in 1974 of the settlement oflceland, washanded overon September 11, 1978
(cf. an address printed on pp. 5fF.). The tapestry is to be given a place in the new National and
University Library building, but until then it will be exhibited in the University main building.