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queathed by the late American professor, Mr. Willard Fiske, is among
the largest of its kind in Europe. The Library is entitled to receive
two copies of every publication printed in Iceland.
Of other collections of books in Reykjavik, the library of the Mennta-
skéli, that of Althingi and the People’s Library should be mentioned.
Outside Reykjavik there are four Amf-libraries, one for each quar-
ter of the country; they are entitled to a copy each of every book (of
two sheets and over) printed in Iceland. Almost every district (sysla)
has its public library, and circulating libraries are to be found in the
parishes, some of them possessing considerable collections of books.
The National Record Office (Thjédskjalasafnid), founded in 1889,
contains all the archives of the central and local official administra-
tion, the various departments having, as a rule, to hand in their ma-
terial as soon as it is 20 years old. It, moreover, comprises a great
number of old letters, some written on parchment, as e.g. Repkjaholts-
maldagi (a detailed list of goods, furniture etc. belonging to the church
of Revykjaholt), the oldest portion of which was written as early as 1200.
MUSEUMS
The nucleus of the Jcelandic National Museum is Forngripasafnid
(Collection of Icelandic Antiquities), founded in 1863. As the museum
has the right of pre emption of such ancient Icelandic relics as are
not vet in the collection, they have been entered in a catalogue kept
in the museum. The curator of the National Museum has also the
care of all old remains and ruins wherever found in the country. Be-
sides antiquities the museum includes various other smaller collections,
as e. g. that of photographs of men and women, and an art collec-
tion, chiefly paintings.
Einar Jdnson’s Museum. The museum contains a cemplete collec-
tion of the Icelandic sculptor Jénson’s (b. 1874) works, a gift from
him to his country. It is housed in a separate building erected at the
expense of the State. The sculptor, who lives in the building on a
pension granted him by Althingi, is himself the curator of the museum.
The Natural History Museum (Néttidrugripasafnid) was founded in
1889 by the Icelandic Natural History Society under whose man-
agement it stands, though its expenses are partly defrayed by the State.
It contains mainly specimens of Icelandic animals (its largest collec-
tion), plants, and stones.
