University of Warsaw Library

The University of Warsaw Library is a library of the University of Warsaw, Poland. Established in 1816 following the formation of the Royal Warsaw University, it was led by the first director Samuel Linde, a linguist and educator. By 1831, the library housed over 134,000 volumes. However, the November Uprising in 1831 led to its temporary closure and the confiscation of many books by Russian authorities. The library reopened in 1862 as the Main Library and continued to expand, requiring a new building by 1894 to accommodate its expanding collection.

During World War I, precious books and manuscripts were stolen by fleeing tsarist authorities, although most had been returned by 1921. As a result of World War II, over 130,000 volumes were damaged by fire.