The library of the Order of St Augustine in the Lesser Town of Prague, comprising more than 18,000 volumes, is an extraordinary book set of significant scientific and historical value. Nevertheless, a scientific study that would cover the entire history of the library was not available until now. This article provides a brief outline of the history of the monastic library at St Thomas, mentioning some remarkable figures that have contributed to its prosperity. The introductory part brings information on the binding rules governing the librarian practice in the monastic libraries of the Order of Saint Augustine in the Middle Ages. Because of the long time span, this treatise has been divided into two parts - the medieval and modern history of the library. Particular attention is paid to two periods - the 14th and 18th centuries, during which some members of the Order held leading positions at the university in Prague and, through their pastoral, preaching and educational activities, they were actively involved in the social, cultural and spiritual edification of broad social classes., Veronika Sladká., Obsahuje anglický abstrakt a shrnutí., and Obsahuje bibliografii
This study focuses on the early modern history of the monastic library of the Order of St Augustine at St Thomas in Prague. On the basis of archival sources (monastic chronicles, the catalogue of the members of the Order) and research into provenances in extant collections, this paper primarily aims to map the development of the Augustinian library in the 16th and 17th centuries. Provenance research has discovered that the monastic library was mainly used for monastic studies and for preaching and pastoral activities of the Augustinians. The research into book provenances has revealed numerous personal ties between the Lesser Town Augustinians and people at the court of Rudolph II. The results of the archival and provenance research have not confirmed the hypothesis of the complete looting of the library at the end of the Thirty Years’ War, but neither have they clearly proved the true extent of the losses suffered by the library. The research has shown the primary role of the library within the Order of St Augustine in the Czech lands and has indicated the position of the library in a broader social and cultural context., Veronika Sladká., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy