HISTORY
The library was founded in 1921 and it opened its doors to the public June 27, 1922. In the beginning, there was already a collection of 100 000 volumes, mainly donations. The Council of State admitted the Legal Deposit Right to the future library as early as in 1919 at the instigation of the University Society.
In addition to the free copies, the collections have been increased with purchases, exchanges and donations. The most considerable special collections are the statesmen's and researchers' J.R. Danielsson-Kalmari, J.K. Paasikivi, J.J. Mikkola, V.A. Koskenniemi and Osmo Ikola collections which are preserved separately. Fennica collection of the library is the most comprehensive in the country after the collection of the Helsinki University Library. It includes, among others, original Finnish newspapers.
In 1921-1954 the library, as well as the university, was located in the building of the former hotel Phoenix on the edge of the market place. The present building of the main library on the university hill was completed in 1954 with the help of the gold dug by brothers Joutsen in Alaska. The building was one of the first buildings of the university on the university hill.
Master of Arts Volter Kilpi served as the first Chief librarian of the library 1921-1939.