Utrecht University Library, the Netherlands
Utrecht University Library is located at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Utrecht University was founded in the 1600s. It it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2016, it had an enrolment of 29,425 students, and employed over 5500 faculty and staff.
The Utrecht University motto in Latin is Sol Iustitiae Illustra Nos, or Sun of Justice, shine on us.
Utrecht is the fourth-largest city in the centre of mainland Netherlands. The Thammasat University Library owns several books published by educational institutions in Utrecht.
The Utrecht University Library lists the following policies and mission statement on its website:
MISSION
Researchers, lecturers and students have a reliable partner in the library in the area of scholarly information. Librarians use their expertise to contribute to the constant improvement of the scholarly communication cycle. The library inspires bright minds to meet and exchange knowledge and ideas. Library services are organised in an interdisciplinary way in close cooperation with other parties both internal and external to Utrecht University.
STRATEGIC PLAN
Excellent library services are characterised by continuity as well as innovation. For 430 years, we have ensured access to scholarly knowledge to the academic community despite the fact that format, access methods and knowledge (re)use are now consistently subject to fundamental change. These developments are described in the report From access to accessibility, published by the University Library. The report outlines the future role of the University Library in the scholarly communication cycle.
The library can only stay connected to its users if it continues to adapt and innovate. In addition, it is a given that library services will be organised in cooperation with other parties, within or outside the university community. This is in line with the international ambitions of Utrecht University and the increasingly international character of research and academic education in general
The scholarly communication cycle is central to this. The library offers professional support in every phase of research.
The circle of scholarly communication
The scholarly communication cycle
The library also supports open access availability of scholarly output. Special material is digitised, making it more sustainable. As a result, this academic heritage will not only last longer but will also be more frequently consulted…
Utrecht University Library is the library for scientific information provision at Utrecht University . The library has a branch in both the city center of Utrecht and the Uithof , and smaller libraries at the faculties. The property of the University Library consists of around 40 collections in support of the seven faculties at Utrecht University. This also includes the Special Collections with manuscripts, books before 1901, rare or valuable books and maps.
Special Collections
Utrecht University Library has a collection of manuscripts, old prints and maps, housed in the Special Collections division. Among the manuscripts are approximately 700 medieval manuscripts, 1000 manuscripts from after the Middle Ages, the Utrecht Organ Archive and written lecture notes from the 1500s. The collection of old and special prints contains more than 130,000 printed works from before 1801, around 1,000,000 books from the 1800s and around 3,000 rare or precious prints from after 1900. The collection of cards includes around 6,000 documents from before 1850 and 170,000 cards from after 1850.
The Utrecht Psalter, a medieval manuscript in the collection, is very famous. It was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World program in 2015.
As the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization website states,
The vision of the Memory of the World Programme is that the world’s documentary heritage belongs to all, should be fully preserved and protected for all and, with due recognition of cultural mores and practicalities, should be permanently accessible to all without hindrance.
The Utrecht Psalter is over 1200 years old. It was created in the 800s.
A psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other religious material bound in as well. The Book of Psalms is part of the Hebrew Bible,
The Utrecht Psalter is an illuminated psalter, meaning that it has illustrations.
It is considered a masterpiece of art and the most valuable manuscript in the Netherlands. It has 166 lively pen illustrations, with one accompanying each psalm and the other texts.
Utrecht University Library owns a number of other highly important books, such as a Greek Bible from the 800s.
Thailand and the Netherlands
Tilburg Zoo in the Netherlands gave a hippo to Thailand in 1967 when she was only one year old.
Last month, Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri celebrated the 55th birthday of Mae Mali, Thailand’s most popular hippo.
She has since produced 14 offspring. Tilburg Zoo eventually closed in 1973.
To celebrated her birthday, Mae Mali, now the oldest hippo in Thailand, enjoyed a birthday cake made of fruit and vegetables.
Visitors and zoo officials sang Happy Birthday to Mae Mali, who formerly resided at Dusit Zoo in Bangkok before it was closed down. She was moved to Khao Kheow Open Zoo in December 2018.
Sustainability engagements in responding the COVID-19 pandemic for a Green Recovery
On October 8, 2020, as the Bangkok Post has reported, The Multi-Chamber of Commerce led by the Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce, and Thai-Swedish Chamber of Commerce, has arranged the 4th Sustainability for Business Forum (SBF20), a half-day forum providing expertise and networking opportunities for Thailand-based businesses to support and promote their sustainability engagements under the latest topics in responding the COVID-19 pandemic for a Green Recovery. Meet the practitioners behind the three-track strategy (Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Cities, Sustainable Lifestyles – Fashion & Beauty, and Food of the Future). The forum will take place on 8th October 2020 at the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park…
This year, views on sustainability in business will also be shared by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Kees Rade, and Director of the Regional Development Mission for Asia, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Mr. Steve Olive. Three tracks of presentations and discussions aligned with the current situation will be held in parallel: Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Cities, Sustainable Lifestyles – Fashion & Beauty, and Food of the Future. The event will end with Executive Panel – Sustainability as a Corporate Strategy led by foremost companies in Thailand who have been running their businesses with sustainability throughout COVID-19 such as executives from L’Oréal Thailand, Symbior Solar and NRF. Moreover, inspiring business practitioners and service providers will bring up-to-date insights, bold ideas, innovations, business solutions and applications of the latest sustainable trends.
(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)