Paper short abstract:

How can a library collection reflect changes in science and the transition from the early modern to the late modern period in the European periphery of Sweden-Finland? The poster shows an analysis of the library and archive documents of the famous chemist and professor Johan Gadolin (1762-1850).

Paper long abstract:

The library of professor Johan Gadolin consists of about 3 400 books, acquired by him, his father and grandfather; all professors at the Royal Academy of Åbo (Turku) 1747-1822. The oldest item is printed 1500, and the last one 1848. By analysing the books of the collection, archive studies of letters which reflects Gadolin's wide network of researcher, Gadolin's probate and other source records, I have traced the connections between the actors in the communication cirquit during the late 1800 century and early 1900 century; the aquisition of scholarly books and journals through booksellers and commissioners, fellow researchers in Europe and the bookbinders of Turku. The collection can be studied by referring to Robert Darnton's diagram of the communication circuit as the politics, intellectual influences and economics of Sweden-Finland, later Russia, changed during that time. The great fire of Turku 1827 destroyed the most of the acedemic book collections, but Gadolin's private library was saved as he had moved to a mansion outside the town. One can also study the changes of times through the differences of aquisition generation by generation. Johan Gadolin was a secular researcher, but his father and grandfather, as bishops, had a different view of science, which can be seen in the content of the collection. This makes the collection unique in Scandinavian context, and it received a national Memory of the World status last year in Finland.