Past experiences ensure future research
When cultural valuables are lost in a fire, we lose much more than just the individual objects or buildings; a part of our common history and identity is lost too. hey know this all too well at the research library of Sorø Academy.
In 1813 the main building burned to the ground, and with it all of the library’s 10,000 volumes: among them the private library of the Danish writer Ludvig Holberg and a unique collection of first editions of his works.
The Holberg collection has been largely recreated through purchases and donations from various book collectors, and the library now holds more than 100,000 volumes, letters, and a host of other irreplaceable documents.
Securing invaluable works
Because of the fire there is now a firm focus on protecting both people, books and buildings. The academy library comprises a public-access research library with books on display, a student library of study-relevant material, and two secured rooms where the most valuable works are kept. In the unlikely event of a fire in one of the secured rooms, the Fire Eater system may suffocate the fire within seconds, while still leaving sufficient oxygen for any people that happen to be in the room. In this way, Sorø Academy is making sure that its invaluable collection will continue to be available for students and scholars in the future.
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