Library of the University of Coimbra

Abstract

University of Coimbra with its great book collection is undoubtedly the jewel of Portuguese heritage, science and culture. The General Library of the University of Coimbra is the biggest and richest University Library in the whole Portuguese-speaking world. It is divided into two buildings: the Baroque Library (Biblioteca Joanina) built in 1782, and the main building, which came into operation in 1962. The article briefly presents the history of the library, its collections and electronic information sources, such as databases and digital resources. The author also describes three faculty libraries of the University of Coimbra and their services for users.