The functioning of deanery libraries in Wielkopolska in the 19th century was of crucial importance to the fate of books from dissolved monasteries. The Prussian authorities decided that monastery book collections would first be divided among Berlin libraries (Royal Library, University Library) and secondary school libraries, and would then be taken over by libraries of deaneries, which began to be opened in 1835. In most cases books from former monasteries formed the core of deanery collections. Despite the initially positive reactions of the Wielkopolska clergy to the idea of establishing libraries, it turned out subsequently that the book collections were neglected, were decaying and the priests were not using them. Such a state of affairs was predicted by Rev Kazimierz Lerski in his opinion about the plan to set up deanery libraries. In addition, drawing on his own observations from dissolved monasteries, he came to the conclusion that books from former monasteries would be saved from destruction only if they were all to be collected in one place. The author of the paper discusses the arguments cited by Rev Lerski against deanery libraries and presents the fate of deanery book collections, paying particular attention to information about books from former monasteries.
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