Incursiune în biblioteca marelui ban al Olteniei din ctitoria Mănăstirii Bistrița
An Insight into the Library of the Great Ban of Oltenia from the Foundation of Bistriţa Monastery (16th century)

Summary/Abstract: Our research tackles the idea according to which Bistriţa Monastery once had a library, similar to all the European Christian institutions. It was established a short time after the building of the monastery. Our attempt to reconstitute what once was here, to which we add the current situation, we consider to be a contribution to the history of Romanian culture. The books from the library were used over time not only by the clergy but were also available for the copyists and their work of multiplying the books for larger use. We also mention that the books were always available for external readers. It is possible that the oldest part of the library was spread through known locations, but we assume that there may be handwritten and printed volumes, which we can not yet identify them through the libraries in South-Eastern Europe or even in that Western. In some cases, copies of books published by Romanian researchers were of great help, by which we were able to fill in the missing information (Gabriel Ştrempel, P. P. Panaitescu, D. H. Mazilu). Some of the manuscripts have been preserved, being relocated to state institutions such as the Library of Romanian Academy from Bucharest and some museums. Handwritten notes on many such copies prove that they have a place, at least virtually, in the monastery library; on their pages are notes equal to the deed of donation to the monastery.

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