Árbók Landsbókasafns Íslands - Nýr flokkur - 01.01.1983, Page 85

ENGLISH SUMMARY
Finnur Sigmundsson fyrrverandi landsbókavörður. Landsbókasafn íslands. Árbók.
Nýr Jlokkur 8 (1982). Rv. 1983, pp. 5.-10.
Dr. Finnur Sigmundsson (1894-1982), National Librarian 1944—64, was born at
Ytrihóll, Eyjaíjörður, in the north of Iceland. As a young man he did not think of
higher education, but as it turned out he completed the matriculation examination in
1922 and in the autumn he was registered at the University of Iceland, studying
Icelandic language, literature and history. He graduaded in 1928.
While studying at the university, he worked as well as a secretary in the Althing.
In 1929 he became assistant librarian in the National Library where his abilities and
love for books found worthy tasks. He was appointed National Librarian in 1944.
His scholarly interests are reflected in his voluminous writings. It was on his
initiative that the yearbook of the National Library started to appear in 1945. He
had a lifelong interest in rímur (metrical romances) and edited several sets of them
and compiled the Rímnatal (Index of rímur), a huge work, published in 1966. He
also edited the collected works of Bólu-Hjálmar, the well-known Icelandic poet, as
well as legends and folktales he had collected himself. However, he is perhaps best
known for his editions of letters selected from the collections in the National Library,
17 volumes in all. All these works are evidence of his devotion and wish to open up
the world of libraries and archives for his contemporaries.
Jón Steffensen: Flora Danica á íslandi. Landsbókasafn íslands. Árbók. Nýr flokkur 8
(1982). Rv. 1983, pp. 11-27.
Flora Danica, the monumental collection of drawings of plants found within the
boundaries of the Danish State, was published in the period 1761-1883. It came out
in 54 fascicles, containing 3240 illustrations in all. In accordance with the King’s
wishes, arrangements were made for four copies of the work, pierced with a thread,
sealed and numbered, to be deposited in Iceland on publication. In the present
article, these sets are described and their story recounted.
Set No 39 was at first in the charge of the Governor-General at Bessastaðir. When
the books belonging to the Landsuppfræðingarfélag (the Icelandic Society for
National Enlightenment) were acquired by the Stiftisbókasafn (Diocesan Library) in
1833, it was on condition that all duplicates should go to Amtsbókasafnið á Akureyri
(the Quarter Library of the Northern and Eastern Districts, now the Akureyri Public
Library), which explains why this set is now preserved there.
Set No 40 belonged to the Skálholt diocese and was transferred to the National
Library in 1902.
Set No 42 belonged to the Hólar diocese. Following the amalgamation of the
dioceses and the cathedral schools, this set was transferred to the Bessastaðir Latin