Object of the month - Eötvös Loránd University Commemorative Medal

The image on the obverse shows the portrait of Loránd Eötvös looking to the left. Circular: "SCIENTIARUM UNIVERSITAS BUDAPESTINENSIS DE ROLANDO FIVE NOMINATES". The image on the reverse side shows the coat of arms of the university: a floating arm holding a book in the shape of a Renaissance shield, the inscription "ELTE" above it, the year "1635" at the end of the arm to the right, the shield's head is cut with the colors of the state tricolor, and the base of the shield has wavy double bands.

The original Eötvös plaque was made in square form for the 325th anniversary of the university's founding in 1960, and the round commemorative coin on the reverse was completed in 1977 with a new coat of arms designed for the 200th anniversary of the university's move to Buda. The front cover is designed by goldsmith László Iván, the back cover is designed by graphic artist Ádám András, its professional expert is heraldic Iván Bertényi, and it is made by the State Mint. 1,000 were produced, of which 100 were struck in gold and 200 in silver.

The Eötvös Loránd University Commemorative Medal can be awarded to the leaders of the university who have performed outstanding work at the end of their term of office, or in recognition of their outstanding work spanning at least three decades to those university and college teachers – a maximum of three persons per year – whose legal relationship as a public servant has been terminated due to pension entitlement. The award is presented every year at the univerity’s opening of the academic year ceremony.

Written by Bianka Kovács-Molnár

In accordance with the tradition of Eötvös Loránd University, the Senate of the University presented the awards for outstanding work and outstanding performance to the faculty, staff and associates at the opening ceremonial Senate meeting.  Among this year's winners was an employee of ELTE ULA Savaria Library and Archives operating in Szombathely.

Gabriella Kovács has been working as a processing librarian at ELTE's predecessor institutions for 35 years. She graduated from Berzsenyi Dániel Teacher Training College with a degree in history teacher and librarian ,in 2004 she obtained a university degree in computer science librarian from the University of Debrecen. Over the years, she has participated in numerous professional development courses, which she has applied in her work.

Her primary task is to obtain, take into stock, explore the form and content of documents, build MATARKA, and besides all this, it also assists the work of the reading service. She takes care of the Austrian Library in Szombathely, which came to our institution as a gift from the Republic of Austria and regularly participates in the related conferences in Hungary and abroad. She plays a huge role in the theoretical and practical elaboration of migration processes arising during the accession to the ELTE University Library and Archives. Her professional knowledge is essential for reviewing and solving the tasks to be discussed during the merger of the catalogues of the two libraries. In addition to organizing collections, she applies his knowledge of several foreign languages to a high level in all the work processes she performs.

She is a member of the Vas County branch of the Association of Hungarian Librarians.

Her work as a librarian is characterized by professional commitment, extreme precision, and helpfulness towards library users and staff.

According to the traditions of Eötvös Loránd University, the Senate of the University presented the awards to the lecturers, employees and staff who provided excellent work and outstanding performance at the opening Senate meeting of the academic year. This year's honorees included several staff members of the ELTE University Library and Archives, who are committed to the university and library development.

Tibor Móring, Research Support Librarian of the ELTE University Library and Archives, was awarded the Trefort Ágoston Memorial Plaque by the University’s administration for his above-average performance over a long period of time. Tibor Móring provides a high standard of service as the central administrator of the ELTE University Digital Information Library (EDIT), carefully and efficiently managing the ELTE EDIT faculty administrator network. He performs his administrative and customer service tasks conscientiously, accurately and precisely. As an expert in the preparation of doctoral theses and dissertations, he assists and supports ELTE in the preparation of related regulatory processes. He is a stable and steady member of the Education and Research Support Department and his work is indispensable to the University Library Service and the University Library and Archives, for which he is a loyal and faithful staff member.

Judit Fejes and Tibor Faragó-Szilvási, the research librarians of the ELTE University Library and Archives, were awarded the Rector's Commendation for their outstanding performance in the interests of the University and their contribution to the successful operation of the institution. Together, Judit Fejes and Tibor Faragó-Szilvási have designed and run a new service in a short time that will greatly contribute to increasing the international visibility of the University's scientific journals. They are working tirelessly to help the editors to make their publications a high-quality periodical attractive to national and international authors.

Congratulations to our colleagues on the occasion of their award, we wish them every success in their further endeavours!

The ELTE ULA Savaria University Library and Archives will switch to RFID-based lending from September 2024. Thanks to the new system, identifying and borrowing books has become faster and easier. Using the new tools, library books are automatically checked out or returned.

The system can handle several books at the same time. A self-lending station, which will be installed soon, will allow our readers to borrow books themselves.

With the RFID handheld reader, librarians can quickly take inventory without removing books from the shelves. The new gate not only protects the stock, but also automatically counts the number of people checking in and out. The innovation reduces queuing time and improves service to readers.

Attention! Books borrowed before the RFID-based system is activated will be checked in by the gate when they are returned. We ask for your understanding!

On the 5th of September 2024, the ELTE University Library and Archives hosted two rounds of international groups as part of the International Year Opening Ceremony.

The students were given an insight into the reading areas of our library, our library services and our community spaces for national and international students. Furthermore, they received a taste of the library facilities and some important events in the history of the University Library.

In addition to meeting information needs, the University Library and Archives places particular emphasis on promoting multiculturalism, meeting the needs of students and supporting their mental well-being, in line with the University’s objectives and internationalisation strategy. As a user-oriented cultural institution, we are committed to fulfilling our mission as a community-building, community-shaping and community-developing institution, beyond supporting teaching and research, and to fostering the integration of foreign students and their opportunities to engage with culture.

All students are welcome in our library and at our events!

The country's first book return smart shelf is now in test operation at our library — give it a try! The smart shelf allows for the simple and quick return of borrowed books, even outside of library hours. Simply place the returned books on the shelf, and the touchscreen will confirm the return, offering a receipt or sending confirmation via email upon request. On the smart shelf, you can immediately find books returned by others, as well as browse through our new books, which can be borrowed immediately through the self-checkout terminal located in the lobby.

Pursuant to Article 43/A of EMMI Decree No. 27/2015 (V. 27.) on the professional requirements related to the activities of public archives and public private archives, which entered into force on 1 July 2024, archives shall authorise research for scientific purposes on the basis of a supporting statement form approved by the Minister on the basis of a proposal of the College of Archives.

In our archive, the supporting statement can be submitted in English for foreign researchers and in other languages with a certified translation into Hungarian. The supporting statement available: http://hdl.handle.net/10831/79168

On the 29th of August 2024, the ELTE University Library and Archives organised the twelfth conference entitled Traditions and Challenges. This year's programme featured presentations on the themes of Library Support for Journals and Innovation and Visibility.

Our event was widely attended, with nearly one hundred and thirty guests, academics and students, as well as representatives of service partners and sponsors. The guests were welcomed by Dr. Kulcsár Szabó Ernőné Gombos Annamária, Director General of the ELTE University Library and Archives and Dr. László Borhy, Rector of Eötvös Loránd University.

Following the opening speeches, Dr. Péter Sziklai, Vice Rector for Scientific Affairs of Eötvös Loránd University, gave a presentation entitled Journals and Visibility, followed by Dr. Bence Tóth, Deputy Secretary for Science and International Affairs of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, entitled How to Measure Innovation. Judit Fejes, Research Support Librarian of the ELTE University Library and Archives, presented important aspects of increasing the international visibility and recognition of ELTE-related scientific journals. Erika Bilicsi, Head of Department of the Library and Information Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, discussed the importance of appropriate metadata use and the issue of classification. The morning plenary session was closed by a presentation by Judit Fazekas-Paragh, Head of the Education and Research Support Department of the University and National Library of Debrecen, entitled Brilliant solutions, institutional opportunities in diamond open access publishing.

In the afternoon session, moderated by Ákos Lencsés, data economist (Government Information Technology Development Agency), Dávid Lovász, research support librarian (University of Pécs University Library and Knowledge Centre), gave an insight into the journal development practice of the University of Pécs. Tiffany Fülöp, Tamás Molnár and Szabolcs Hoczopán (Klebelsberg Kuno Library of the University of Szeged) presented the Diamond Open Access editorial support services, and Kata Beatrix Boros (University and National Library of Debrecen) informed the audience about their Diamond open access journal platform dEjournals. Following the presentation of Anikó Ézsiás, Deputy Director General (Central Library of the Technical University of Budapest, CELISR, Editor) on CELISR – the new online library journal, Edit Markó-Markechné Zelei, Head Librarian (ELTE Faculty of Humanities Institute of Archaeology) gave a presentation on Journal Support at the ELTE Faculty of Humanities. The session was concluded with a presentation by István Sipos, Managing Director (Softlink), entitled Automatic delivery, processing and personalised publishing of e-journals.

The session entitled Innovation and Visibility was moderated by Gyula Nagy, Director General of the Klebelsberg Kuno Library of the University of Szeged, where Tibor Kocsor, Senior Editor (Academic Publishing House Ltd.), first presented the role of XML in content production, and then Tibor Faragó-Szilvási, Research Support Librarian (ELTE University Library and Archives), presented the journal support platform of his institution. The presentation of László Garamvölgyi, Deputy Director General of the ELTE University Library and Archives entitled Open Source Discovery at ELTE – Challenges and Achievements was followed by the presentation of Adrienn Tamásné Kovács, Director of the Digital Humanities Centre of the ELTE, entitled MEK+ k –The Library of the Future Today. The session closed with a presentation by Balázs Peti, Managing Director (Tripont) entitled Heritázs 2.0 – The present of the digital archive.

The conference was supported by the University Library Foundation, Eisberg Hungary Ltd., the Scientific and Professional Library Section of the Hungarian Association of Librarians, ProQuest, Qulto, Softlink and Tripont. Abstracts of the presentations are available on our website. The ELTE University Library and Archives is planning to publish a booklet on Traditions and Challenges XII, which will be available in electronic form in the ELTE EDIT repository.

CHARM-EU (Challenge-driven, Accessible, Research-based, Mobile European University) is an innovative European university alliance that aims to reshape higher education through transnational collaboration. Formed by five founding universities, CHARM-EU emphasizes interdisciplinary and challenge-based learning, particularly focusing on sustainability and global environmental and societal challenges. One of the main achievements of the alliance is a unique Master’s programme, through which CHARM-EU has been able to develop and pilot innovative methodological and technological solutions, promoting international mobility and integrating diverse educational approaches to foster a comprehensive and inclusive learning environment. Our exhibition will give visitors a glimpse of our publications related to the nine universities.

CHARM-EU connects three universities founded in the Middle Ages: the University of Montpellier (established in 1289), the University of Würzburg (1402), and the University of Barcelona (1450). The rich historical background of these universities as pioneers of European education and research, enhances innovation and collaboration across borders in higher education.

Early modern universities founded at the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries such as Trinity College Dublin (1592), Eötvös Loránd University (1635), and Utrecht University (1636) as centres of learning as well as hubs of intellectual collaboration and innovation played a crucial role in shaping the academic landscape and intellectual culture we recognize today.

Modern universities founded in the 20th and the 21st centuries such as Åbo Akademi University (1918), the University of Bergen (1946, with earlier roots), and Hochschule Ruhr West (2009), have played a pivotal role in shaping contemporary academic and research landscapes. Due to the emphasis on research and development, commitment to innovation, and dedication to diverse educational environments they play a crucial role European higher education.

Our exhibition includes a selection of library treasures from the nine institutions of the innovative European University Association. The exhibition will open on the 21st of September 2024, on the occasion of the Cultural Heritage Days. For a detailed programme, please, visit our homepage or the official website of the Cultural Heritage Days. All visitors are welcome!

Object of the month – Károly Than memorial plaque

The plaque depicts the facing bust of Károly Than (1834–1908) with a mustache and beard in old age. The man is wearing a suit, around his neck is the insignia of the Pro litteris et artibus civil award, founded by Ferenc József in 1887.

Inscription below the bust: „-THAN-”. In the lower right corner is the master's mark of the creator, Miklós Farkas. One-sided, rectangular bronze plaque from the material of the University Library and Archives - University History Collection.

Károly Than was a chemist, a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and a teacher at the Budapest University (today ELTE) from 1860 until his retirement in 1908. Between 1872 and 1880 he was the president of the Royal Hungarian Society of Natural Sciences, one of his significant achievements was in the field of analytical chemistry, and the concept of Than's equivalent can be linked to his name.