Bibliotheca Norvegica
Encyclopedia
Bibliotheca Norvegica is a four-volume bibliography of Norwegian literature edited by Hjalmar Pettersen
. The four volumes were published between 1899 and 1924, and comprise together more than 3,300 pages. The first volume is titled Norsk boglexikon 1643–1813 and features a register of Norwegian books published prior to 1814. The second is titled Norge og nordmænd i udlandets literatur, registering Norway
and the Norwegian people in non-Norwegian literature. The third has the title Norske forfattere før 1814 and the fourth Norske forfattere efter 1814, recording the works of Norwegian writers before and after 1814, respectively. Pettersen had also commenced on the fifth and the sixth volume of the bibliography before his retirement in 1926, but these were never finished, owing to his death in 1928. Every volume also has an English title, even though the bibliography was published in Christiania
, Norway.
in 1856. He graduated with a cand.philol. degree in philosophy in 1882, and was employed by the University Library of Oslo
in 1885. In 1898, Pettersen succeeded Jens Braage Halvorsen
as chief librarian of the national department of the University Library. He started working with the Bibliotheca Norvegica immediately, in which he registered every work himself.
was first adopted. The volume is separated into two parts: one for the "real" book printings and one for the "poems of idleness". Every work in the volume is sorted alphabetically by author and chronologically by year of publication when part of one author's bibliography. It is the only volume of Bibliotheca Norvegica in which bibliographical entries are sorted alphabetically. It consists of 684 pages and was published in Christiania between 1899 and 1908. Pettersen's biographer in Norsk biografisk leksikon
classifies this volume as Pettersen's "large contribution to the bibliography of Norway".
, in which he registered foreign travels to Norway with corresponding travel reports. The volume grew so much, that it was split into three parts at a total of 850 pages. Although it is not sorted alphabetically, the third part of it features a reference over the books and journal articles listed in the volume. The volume was published in Christiania between 1911 and 1918, and comprises 289 pages.
. In contrast to the other volumes, the selection of works in the third volume is not based on objective criteria, but Pettersen's own discretion. He chose authors which he considered to have a large national importance, and to be "independent of Danish literature". The volume comprises 289 pages and was published between 1911 and 1918.
and had 48 pages when Pettersen died. The sixth volume focused solely on Holberg, as Pettersen had been criticised for not having included him in the third volume of his bibliography.
Hjalmar Pettersen
Hjalmar Marius Pettersen was a Norwegian librarian and bibliographer. He is best known for having edited the Bibliotheca Norvegica, a bibliography of Norwegian literature. He also edited many other bibliographies on Norwegian literature, and was decorated as a Commander of the Order of St...
. The four volumes were published between 1899 and 1924, and comprise together more than 3,300 pages. The first volume is titled Norsk boglexikon 1643–1813 and features a register of Norwegian books published prior to 1814. The second is titled Norge og nordmænd i udlandets literatur, registering Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and the Norwegian people in non-Norwegian literature. The third has the title Norske forfattere før 1814 and the fourth Norske forfattere efter 1814, recording the works of Norwegian writers before and after 1814, respectively. Pettersen had also commenced on the fifth and the sixth volume of the bibliography before his retirement in 1926, but these were never finished, owing to his death in 1928. Every volume also has an English title, even though the bibliography was published in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway.
Background
Hjalmar Pettersen was born in ChristianiaOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in 1856. He graduated with a cand.philol. degree in philosophy in 1882, and was employed by the University Library of Oslo
University Library of Oslo
The University Library of Oslo is a library connected to the University of Oslo.Like the University, it was established in 1811 with Georg Sverdrup as the first head librarian. It originally doubled as the Norwegian national library, and was located at the old University of Oslo campus.In 1913 the...
in 1885. In 1898, Pettersen succeeded Jens Braage Halvorsen
Jens Braage Halvorsen
Jens Braage Halvorsen was a Norwegian librarian, magazine editor and literary historian.He edited the magazine Ny Illustreret Tidende from 1880 to 1883. He is particularly known for his principal work, the encyclopedia of Norwegian writers, Norsk forfatterlexikon, which was issued from 1881 until...
as chief librarian of the national department of the University Library. He started working with the Bibliotheca Norvegica immediately, in which he registered every work himself.
Norsk boglexikon 1643–1813
The first volume in the bibliography is titled Norsk boglexikon 1643–1813.Full title: Norsk boglexikon 1643–1813: beskrivende katalog over bøger trykte i Norge i tidsrummet fra bogtrykkerkunstens indførelse til adskillelsen fra Danmark. Norwegian Book Encyclopædia 1643–1813: Descriptive Catalogue Over Books Printed in Norway in the Period from the Introduction of the Movable Type to the Separation from Denmark. This volume is a catalogue of books published in Norway from 1643 to 1814, when the Constitution of NorwayConstitution of Norway
The Constitution of Norway was first adopted on May 16, 1814 by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll , then signed and dated May 17...
was first adopted. The volume is separated into two parts: one for the "real" book printings and one for the "poems of idleness". Every work in the volume is sorted alphabetically by author and chronologically by year of publication when part of one author's bibliography. It is the only volume of Bibliotheca Norvegica in which bibliographical entries are sorted alphabetically. It consists of 684 pages and was published in Christiania between 1899 and 1908. Pettersen's biographer in Norsk biografisk leksikon
Norsk biografisk leksikon
Norsk biografisk leksikon is the largest Norwegian biographical encyclopedia.The first edition was issued between 1921 and 1983, including 19 volumes and 5,100 articles...
classifies this volume as Pettersen's "large contribution to the bibliography of Norway".
Norge og nordmænd i udlandets literatur
The second volume has the title Norge og nordmænd i udlandets literatur.Full title: Norge og nordmænd i udlandets literatur. Bøger og tidsskriftartikler om norske forhold. Norway and Norwegians in Foreign Literature. Books and Journal Articles on Norwegian Conditions. This volume deals with the reception of Norway and Norwegians in non-Norwegian literature. The volume is based on Pettersen's 1897 work Travels in NorwayTravels in Norway
Travels in Norway: A bibliographical essay was a 1897 bilingual annotated bibliography by Hjalmar Pettersen. It featured short individual entries for foreigners' travels in Norway with eventual travel reports listed. It was part of the yearbook series of the University Library of Oslo, with many...
, in which he registered foreign travels to Norway with corresponding travel reports. The volume grew so much, that it was split into three parts at a total of 850 pages. Although it is not sorted alphabetically, the third part of it features a reference over the books and journal articles listed in the volume. The volume was published in Christiania between 1911 and 1918, and comprises 289 pages.
Norske forfattere før 1814
The third volume is titled Norske forfattere før 1814.Full title: Norske forfattere før 1814. Beskrivende katalog over deres værker. Norwegian Authors Before 1814. Descriptive Catalogue of Their Works. This volume focuses on Norwegian authorship prior to the 1814 constitution, whilst Norway was in union with DenmarkDenmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the originally Norwegian dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands...
. In contrast to the other volumes, the selection of works in the third volume is not based on objective criteria, but Pettersen's own discretion. He chose authors which he considered to have a large national importance, and to be "independent of Danish literature". The volume comprises 289 pages and was published between 1911 and 1918.
Norske forfattere efter 1814
The fourth volume has the title Norske forfattere efter 1814.Full title: Norske forfattere efter 1814. Beskrivende katalog over deres i udlandet trykte værker. Norwegian Authors After 1814. Descriptive Catalogue on Their Abroad Printed Works. It contains a register of works by Norwegian authors printed abroad, after 1814. It also included information on new editions and circulations of the works listed in it. It has 1800 pages and was printed in Christiania from 1913 to 1924.Unfinished volumes
Before his retirement in 1926, Pettersen had started working on the fifth and the sixth volume of the bibliography. The fifth was intended as an addition to the second and the fourth, and had 168 pages when Pettersen died in 1928. The sixth was to be a bibliography on Ludvig HolbergLudvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian double monarchy, who spent most of his adult life in Denmark. He was influenced by Humanism, the Enlightenment and the Baroque...
and had 48 pages when Pettersen died. The sixth volume focused solely on Holberg, as Pettersen had been criticised for not having included him in the third volume of his bibliography.