Local services
The Mayor’s Reference Library was inaugurated in the former room of Lajos Kossuth. It will also serve the citizens of Debrecen.
The Mayor’s Reference Library was inaugurated in the former room of Lajos Kossuth in the Old Town Hall on the 10th of October 2024. The Old Town Hall, though not the oldest in the country, holds a rich history. Completed in 1843, it was home to a notable resident, Lajos Kossuth, during the Revolution and War of Independence. The Mayor’s Library, now housed in his once-occupied room, is named the Kossuth Room in his honour.
“I am proud to have been able to play a part in the renewal of this building, contribute to the traditions of Debrecen, and provide a new space for the city’s involvement in book printing and education here in the Debrecen Town Hall. The story is closely linked to Debrecen’s past, as education and books have been an essential part of Debrecen’s identity since the founding of the college in 1538,” Mayor László Papp said at the library’s inauguration.
He said the printing house had been in this building for a long time, so the idea of returning the books to the town hall was obvious. In this context, the concept of commemorating Kossuth and Debrecen’s role in education and book printing was born. He noted a long European tradition of establishing a library in the central buildings of progressive cities. From England to the Netherlands and Italy, the library was an essential and regular feature of town halls.
“This library should not only serve the mayor or the mayoral administration but should serve all the assembly members in making the right decisions. It should serve all the office staff and the citizens of Debrecen because the intention is for this library to become part of the Méliusz Juhász Péter Library network officially. Following the decision of the General Assembly, it will operate as a branch library. It means that it will be open to the city’s citizens because, like this building, this library belongs to the citizens of Debrecen,” the mayor said.
János Mazsu, chairman of the Debrecen Values Committee, spoke about the value-creating traditions of the Debrecen Civic Community at the ceremonial opening of the library. “In the 663 years since Debrecen was granted city status, 114 identified and well-known city leaders, including chief justices and mayors, have sought to strengthen the city’s community, enrich its wealth, culture and mental strength,” he said. He added that the reference library was not only a collection of the city’s library assets and literature on urban development but also planned to develop a Debrecen-specific digital database as part of the reference library in response to the new challenges of the 21st century.
In his welcome speech, Lajos Kósa, Member of Parliament and former Mayor of Debrecen from 1998 to 2014, said that the city had already tried to acquire books related to Debrecen. Among the items purchased were manuscripts by Ady, Mór Jókai’s short novel entitled “The Yellow Rose”, and the finest pieces of the European beadwork of Debrecen. Following Lajos Kósa’s welcome speech, he donated his book to the library.
The Mayor’s Reference Library collection consists of donations from Debrecen citizens, private individuals, and public collections.
The following institutions and individuals supported the collection:
László Papp, Mayor of Debrecen
Lajos Kósa, Member of Parliament
Government of Hungary
Alföldi Printing House
University of Debrecen
Reformed Church District of Tiszántúl
Déri Museum
Hungarian National Archives Hajdú-Bihar County Archives
Mathias Corvinus Collegium Foundation
MODEM Centre for Modern and Contemporary Art
National Széchényi Library
Source:debrecen.hu
