History of Carolina Rediviva
The 1840s saw the completion of the Library’s new building, Carolina Rediviva. Before that, the University’s library had been located in Gustavianum. In 1841, the materials were moved out of Gustavianum and the new building underwent a rebuild in the 1880s. The storage facilities were expanded and the first reading rooms were created.
Carolina Rediviva means “the revived Carolina Academy” and refers to an older university building, the Academia Carolina, which was demolished in the 18th century. The name also conveys a courtesy to King Karl XIV Johan (Carolus Johannes), who determined the location of the building when he was still crown prince.
When the University Library moved into Carolina Rediviva in 1841, the building also served as the University Main Building. The substantial ‘Carolina Hall’ served as the University’s ceremonial hall, which was reached via a magnificent grand staircase.
A concert in Carolina Rediviva’s assembly hall, likely in connection with the inauguration of Uppsala railway station on 19¬¬–20 September 1866. The image shows Charles XV and Prince Oscar (Oscar II) with consorts seated in the middle.
Since the move from Gustavianum, the Library’s collections have grown considerably and the organisation has undergone a number of changes. From the 20th century onwards, the Library’s collections have grown enormously, with new additions and several major reorganisations. Today, the University Library consists of subject-specific libraries, a department for special collections and a storage facility elsewhere in Uppsala.
Huge parts of Uppsala University Library’s collections are digital nowadays. Although the paper-based collections remain and are constantly expanding, the digital collections are growing at an even more rapid pace. Digitisation gives the library greater opportunities to make originals available and protect them.