Academic CentreThe historical collection of the Faculty of Biology of the University of Latvia has developed from the holdings of various institutions, including the Hydrobiological Station of UL, the Institute of Systematic Zoology of UL, the Institute of Comparative Anatomy and Experimental Zoology of UL, as well as donations from professor J. Lūsis and docent L. Āboliņš. The Library was considerably supplemented at the end of the Second World War and shortly after, with the books of emigrated lecturers.
The stock is about 4,000 items, mainly in German but also in Russian, French, Latvian and other languages. The most considerable part of the library are books and periodicals on zoology, including works by the famous German scholar H.G. Bronn (1800-1862), Swiss biochemist and physiologist E. Abderhalden (1877-1950), professor of UL, zoologist E. Strand (1876-1947) and textbooks by professor N. Lebedinsky (1888-1941).
This historical collection, beside the valuable informative biology books from the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, also contains gorgeous coloured editions from the late 17th and the 18th centuries. The authors are famous naturalists, biologists, entomologists and zoologists, whose activities contributed to the development of various branches of biology. The works of German ornithologist, the first Rector of Academia Petrina, J.M.G. Beseke (1746-1802) are also available, including his book with descriptions and drawings of Latvian birds, issued in 1792. Items can be ordered via the Union catalog.
