Liberec, North Bohemia, Aug 22 (CTK) – The Regional Research Library in Liberec has received German Professor Walter Sperling’s valuable collection of some 1,700 books from Trier, Vera Severova, from the library, told CTK on Monday.
The library gains similar extensive collections from private persons very rarely. Donations from cancelled libraries of firms are more frequent.
Sperling, professor of geography and its didactics, was collecting books in his and related fields the whole life.
In 2004, he decided to bequeath part of his collection to the Liberec library since he had met several teachers from this town during his studies.
They stirred up his interest in Czech-German relations. He wanted to push for better bilateral cooperation of both nations and their joint future in peace.
“We have gained books on German history, politics, biographies of personalities as well as books focused on geography and cartography,” Severova said.
The Regional Research Library in Liberec was established 50 year ago on the grounds of the Czech and German research libraries. Its stock consists of 1.4 million volumes, including patents, norms and other media. It has also a large collection of books on Sudeten German studies.
“Professor Sperling’s gift will enrich our foreign-language stock in German that we are completing at present as a partner library of the Goethe Institute and through the Austrian Library,” Severova said.
About two tonnes of books from Trier must be sorted out and registered first before they can be offered to readers, she added.
