According to a survey conducted by Eduline, readers voted the ELTE University Library and Archives building as the most beautiful university library in the capital.

According to an article published on eduline.hu, the editors presented the beautiful and unique university libraries of the capital city in a previous article, launching a vote for the title of „Budapest's most beautiful university library”.  Nine university libraries took part in the competition, among which the library palace located at 6 Ferenciek Square stood out from the field and confidently took first place. Herewith, we would like to express our gratitude for this distinguished recognition.

The doors of our library are open to everyone, and we look forward to welcoming both old and new readers. In addition to providing a place for learning, our reading, study, and community spaces also convey cultural, historical, and architectural values, which are revealed among others in our programs announced as part of the Autumn Festival of Museums and in interactive library tours. Discover the treasury of knowledge!

The library intended to draw attention to the protection of our cultural values ​​and the preservation of our built heritage with our event organized in the University Library and Archives of Eötvös Loránd University in the frame of this year's Cultural Heritage Days.

As the opening of our program series, from 10.00 a.m. the audience could attend a performance by the folk dance group of the ELTE Eötvös Art Ensemble. Our chamber exhibition, opened on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, presents the documents and careers of three outstanding scholars, Ferenc Toldy, Sándor Szilágyi, and Loránd Eötvös, who played an important role in the history of the University, the University Library, and the Academy. The exhibition can be visited during the Autumn Festival of Museums on weekdays from 10.00 to 15.00.  Lovers of books, science and the arts could gain insight into the architectural and historical wonders of the library through our guided tours, learn about the process of book restoration, some of the special items in our museum collection and discover the secrets hidden within the walls of some architectural gems through the films of Kossuth and Béla Balázs award-winning film director György Szomjas. In the discussion following the film, our guest was János Golda, winner of the Ybl, Pro Architectura, and Príma awards. The major events in the history of our University were also explored in our exhibition entitled Book, Robe, Science – Symbols from the History of Eötvös Loránd University. During our events, our guests were able to make unique, hardcover handicraft books, interspersed with Jókai Quiz, bookmark coloring and library puzzles, as well as calligrapher Dezső Buzogány introduced the art of calligraphy.

As part of our series of events, harpist Klára Bábel and cellist Árpád Amirás gave a concert for music lovers. We warmly welcome all visitors to our programs organized in the frame of the Museum Festival!

Péter Bacsó's satire became a cult film even while it was banned. To this day, the film remains an instructive and entertaining memento of one of the most oppressive periods in Hungarian history. After the screening, discussions with experts will focus on topics such as film censorship.

The year is 1950: the film's protagonist is József Pelikán (Ferenc Kállai), a Danube dam guard who is raising his children alone. They have nothing to eat, so they secretly slaughter Dezső, the family pig, which is considered illegal black market slaughter. Pelikán is caught, sent to prison, and then brought before a certain Comrade Virág (Lajos Őze), who tells him that old, reliable communists like him are needed, so he appoints him to various positions of trust. Comrade Pelikán thus quickly becomes the director of a swimming pool, the head of an amusement park, and the head of the Orange Research Institute, but his assignments always end with him being sent to prison after some kind of misstep. Comrade Virág finally asks him to be the crown witness in a show trial.

The witness openly satirizes the era of the personality cult. Even the most absurd scenes in the film have elements of reality, from Hungarian oranges to the socialist spirit railway. The film was not allowed to be shown, and it took nearly 10 years for the first official screening to take place. After the ban was lifted, it was also screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 1981.

Date: Researchers' Night, September 26, 2025; 7:00 p.m. 

Venue: University Square Campus (1053 Budapest, Egyetem tér 1–3., ground floor, A/1 Training room, corridor next to the cloakroom)

Registration

The film was provided by the National Film Institute Public Benefit Nonprofit Ltd.

To mark the 125th anniversary of special education teacher training, a timeline measuring nearly 15 meters was created at ELTE's Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Education, presenting the history of training from 1900 to the present day, starting with the beginning of standardized special education teacher training. Most of the photos illustrating the important milestones were selected from the Special Education History Collection.

The bilingual timeline was created in collaboration with faculty colleagues from various departments and the ELTE Communication, Marketing and Recruitment Directorate.

The timeline can be viewed in the cross corridor of Building A of the Faculty (Budapest, 1097 Ecseri út 3.).

The object of the month

Zsuzsa Ferge (1931–2024) was a Széchenyi Prize-winning sociologist and professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Eötvös Loránd University. After obtaining her candidate's degree (1968) and doctorate (1982), she became a full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2002.

Between 1953 and 1968, he worked at the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), becoming head of the Stratification Research Department in 1960. Between 1968 and 1988, he was head of the Social Policy Department at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences' Institute for Sociology Research, where he was also a senior research fellow. Between 1988 and 1996, she was head of the Department of Social Policy at the Institute of Sociology and Social Policy at Eötvös Loránd University, and from 1996 she was a university lecturer there, becoming professor emerita in 2001. When it was launched in 2000, she was a core member of the ELTE Doctoral School of Sociology and the founding program director of the doctoral program in social policy. In 2005, she was the lead expert at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences' National Program Office for Combating Child Poverty. Her main areas of interest, research, and teaching were social structure, social inequalities, education, social and societal policy, poverty, and the social effects of transformation.

Zsuzsa Ferge passed away on April 9, 2024, at the age of 93. In her memory, a room was inaugurated on September 10, 2024, at the Faculty of Social Sciences: the Zsuzsa Ferge Faculty Council Room (Lágymányosi Campus North Building, Room 0.100C).

In March 2025, Zsuzsa Ferge's heirs donated her desk (dimensions: 180 x 78 x 75 cm), which is currently located in the room named after her.

Source: https://tatk.elte.hu/in_memoriam_Ferge_Zsuzsa

Written by Krisztina Egri

Our latest podcast episode is now available, focusing on the services and developments of the ELTE Library WebApp. The discussion highlights how the application replaces the traditional paper-based library card, simplifies borrowing and membership management, and expands the possibilities of online services.

Topics include:

• online registration and membership renewal,

• customizable notifications,

• the new online bank card payment option,

• upcoming developments such as virtual printing and copying cards, as well as the iOS and Android apps.

The episode is available on our YouTube channel.

The network of libraries maintained by Eötvös Loránd University, the University Library Service, with more than 4.3 million documents, wishes you a successful autumn semester.

Enrollment is free for all university citizens, and can also be arranged online through the ELTE Library WebApp application. The collection of libraries is available from the online catalog.

The ELTE University Library and Archives welcomes all students in the heart of the city centre, on Ferenciek Square. You can find information about the services available in each library, the tariffs, opening hours and contact details, as well as the many online services of ELTE libraries on the website of the University Library Service.

We have launched our new AI-supported podcast series, aimed at presenting our institution, document collection, and services through clear and concise episodes.

The first episode focuses on loaning, answering key questions such as:

• Who is eligible to loan items?
• What materials are available for loan—and what are not?
• How many items can be loaned at once, and for how long?

The discussion also covers the various methods of loaning and returning materials—both online and in person—as well as what to do after the due date has passed, how late fees are applied, and why settling debts on time is essential for uninterrupted access to university services.

Listen to the first episode now on our YouTube channel and in our menu item describing our loan service.

On August 28, 2025, the ELTE University Library and Archives hosted the thirteenth annual professional conference entitled Traditions and Challenges. This year's program featured presentations on the topics of Archives and Sustainability and Relocations and Arrangements in the 21st Century.

Our event attracted widespread interest, with nearly 130 guests participating in our programs. Attendees were welcomed by Dr. Annamária Gombos, Director General of the ELTE University Library and Archives, and Dr. Lénárd Darázs, Rector of Eötvös Loránd University.

Following the opening speeches, Dr. Emőke Kötél, project manager at ELTE University Library and Archives, gave a presentation entitled "Warehouse Relocation and DPEKLOSZK," which was followed by a presentation by Ákos Lencsés, PhD, data manager at Pro-M Professzionális Mobil és Hálózati Szolgáltató Zrt. followed by a presentation entitled Data Management – A New Role in Research Support. The morning session concluded with a roundtable discussion entitled The Present and Future of the Domestic "Repository Ecosystem," moderated by Gábor Szeberényi, Director General (PTE University Library and Knowledge Center), and featuring András Holl, PhD (MTA Library and Information Center, Deputy Director General for Information Technology), Gyöngyi Karácsony (DE University and National Library, Director General), Dr. Ernőné Kulcsár Szabó Annamária Gombos (ELTE University Library and Archives, Director General), József Marton (BME National Technical Information Center and Library, Acting Director General), Gyula Nagy, PhD (SZTE Klebelsberg Library and Archives, Director General), and Péter Szluka (SE Central Library, Director).

Moderated by Ákos Lencsés, PhD, data scientist (Pro-M Professional Mobile and Network Service Provider Ltd.), Judit Fazekas-Paragh, acting head of department (DE University and National Library Research Support Department) gave a presentation entitled Behind the scenes: How is HUNOR shaping the future of research support in the era of Open Science? Tibor Móring, research support librarian (ELTE University Library and Archives), outlined the milestones in the development of the ELTE Thesis Repository in his presentation. Gabriella Harangi, software developer, and Emese Molnár-Jakab, digital collection manager (DE University and National Library), gave a presentation on the placement and arrangement of university documents in the repository. Endre Fülöp, PhD, system designer (Qulto), introduced the audience to the theoretical and practical issues of designing a teaching material repository. Enikő Meiszterics, collection management assistant, and Gabriella Virág, data manager, gave a presentation entitled Data Repositories in the Service of Open Science. Mátyás Attila Rényi, department head, and Gábor Klinger, deputy department head (OSZK Collection Preservation Department, Digital Preservation Division), provided insight into trends, metadata, and the challenges of data storage. In the closing presentation, Director Judit Lukácsné Varga (TF Library and Archives) and Managing Director István Sipos (Softlink Hungary Kft.) outlined methods for managing and providing controlled access to theses at the Hungarian University of Physical Education and Sport, based on the Liberty library service platform model.

The section entitled "Relocations and Arrangements in the 21st Century" was moderated by Judit Kóródy, information researcher (Infodok Kft. – Magyar Telekom Infotéka), in which Andrea Mátrai-Nagy, head of department (DE University and National Library Collection Management Department) gave a presentation entitled "...because only Books connect the past to the future...", followed by director Dávid Ritter (ELTE IT Directorate) drawing attention to the challenges and dilemmas of data management at universities. Szilvia Korom, library manager (BGE University Library), gave the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the merger of the faculty libraries of the Budapest University of Economics. Péter Maurer, managing director (M-PaKK Bt.), compiled the most important tips based on nearly forty years of relocation experience. László Balázs, department head (FSZEK IT Department), gave a presentation on the storage of electronic and paper-based documents. The section meeting was concluded with a presentation by Dr. Katalin Németh, Deputy Director of Education (ELTE BTK Institute of Library and Information Science), entitled Free Between Walls: Inclusive Space Design in Libraries.

The conference was organized with the support of the University Library Foundation, the College of University Library Directors, Eisberg Hungary Kft., the Scientific and Special Libraries Section of the Hungarian Librarians' Association, Könyvtárellátó Nonprofit Kft., ProQuest, Qulto, and Softlink.  Abstracts of the presentations are available on our website. The ELTE University Library and Archives plans to publish a collection of studies on the 13th Professional Day of Traditions and Challenges, which will also be available in electronic form in the ELTE EDIT repository.

According to the traditions of Eötvös Loránd University, the Senate of the University presented the awards to the lecturers, employees and staff who provided excellent work and outstanding performance at the opening Senate meeting of the academic year. This year's honorees included several staff members of the University Library Service, who are committed to the cause of the university and library development.

The University management awarded the Senate Medal of Merit to László Garamvölgyi, Deputy Director General of the ELTE University Library and Archives. Eszter Marianna Bodonyi, Head of the Public Services Department and reference librarian, as well as Viktória Völgyi, Librarian and Head of the Spanish Language and Literature Department Library at ELTE's Faculty of Humanities, were awarded the Trefort Ágoston Memorial Certificate for their above-average performance over a long period of time. The staff of the ELTE University Library and Archives, bibliographer Csaba Mező and stack attendant Máté Percze, received a Rector's Commendation.

Congratulations to our colleagues on the occasion of their award, we wish them every success in their further work!