The Fagel collection is one of the largest still extant Dutch private libraries from before 1800. It can be found in the Library of Trinity College Dublin and roughly consists of some 20.000 books, 6.000 pamphlets and nearly 3.000 loose maps and 142 atlases. From 2020, the KB National Library of the Netherlands and the Library of Trinity College Dublin collaborate to provide access to this collection for cultural and scientific research, with financial aid of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

About the Fagel collection

This library was amassed in the 17th and 18th centuries by the Fagel family, a politically influential family from The Hague. For five generations they held the office of greffier of the State’s General. Due to a lack of money and the political situation in the Netherlands, Hendrik Fagel the Younger (1765-1838), who was in England when the French occupied the Republic, had to sell his library. In 1802, the Fagel collection was purchased in its entirety for Trinity College Dublin.

The more than 30.000 books, pamphlets, maps and atlases date from 1460 to 1799, and have never been described properly. The majority of the books in the collection dates from the 18th century and comprises books on politics, law, history, medicine, biology, art and many more interesting topics. Many books are written in Dutch and Latin, but English and French books are also included in the collection. The large number of splendidly hand-coloured botanical works is enchanting and were of great importance for the Fagel family as collectors. In addition, the library contains unique pamphlets that illustrate certain political developments. The Fagel collection offers fascinating material for anyone interested in the cultural history and international relations of the Netherlands.

Until recently, it was virtually impossible to find one's way around the Fagel Collection. Only the 1802 auction catalogue and the minimal descriptions from Trinity College's 1872 card catalog offered any insight into the collection. A modern digital catalog was lacking, leaving many beautiful and sometimes unique works out of sight for researchers. From 2020 onwards, the Fagel collection in Trinity College Dublin will be described book by book in collaboration with the KB. All titles will be included in the Library of Trinity College Dublin catalogue. The books printed in the Netherlands will be included in the Short-Title Catalogue, Netherlands (STCN), the national bibliography for the Dutch book in the early modern period. When all titles have been catalogued, a follow-up project is intended in order to digitize the collection. To get a taste, you can now browse the first few digitized items of this famous library here. Discover the power of print in their pamphlets or the wealth of tulips in their gardens.