Library of the Imperial Leopoldine-Caroline Academy of Natural Curiosities

It will seem very likely to anyone who understands the history of this Academy, which now carries out its printing operations quite vigorously, that the original founders and creators of the Imperial Academy of Natural Curiosities seriously considered, among other excellent plans to further their purpose, the gathering of a collection of useful books and rare natural objects for the common use of the Fellows. They would have achieved more, had the necessary funds to spend not been lacking. They had proposed that the purpose of establishing and subsequently better organizing this Academy should be a model like the English and other literary societies dedicated to the cultivation of the arts and sciences. But in truth, although plans were often proposed for completing a praiseworthy institution of this kind, the expenditures to be contributed toward this matter always held the greatest difficulty, and commanded all prayers to be in vain.

But when, in the year 1730, the most celebrated man, Johann Jakob Baierus Baier, became solicitous and curious about the growth of our Academy and was moved to its presidency, seeing the Academy pressed by those previous difficulties and surviving with difficulty due to a lack of certain revenues necessary for its preservation, he initiated another and easier plan. He proposed that a library be established and increased by the fellows of the academy spontaneously and voluntarily contributing either money, if they pleased, or books edited by their own labor and study or those of others. He informed individual Fellows of this project in the year 1731 through special letters, which they call letters of invitation, and at the same time explained the methods for organizing the future library and collection of natural objects. Since these helped this distinguished proposal greatly, and subsequently acquired the force of law and norm, and will preserve the same in the future, they have deservedly been transcribed here in their entirety in type.