Central Bank of Iceland libraries and collections

The Central Bank runs a library, archive and numismatic collection. Most of these activities are housed at Einholt 4 in Reykjavík, while a reference library is located in the main building on Kalkofnsvegur 1.

Library
Most of the Central Bank library is housed at Einholt 4 in Reykjavík. The Bank's main building in Kalkofnsvegur 1 houses a collection of reference works, current international journals and the latest magazines and reports. Topics covered at the libraries are economics and banking, numismatics, Icelandic industry and social affairs, and Icelandic history and land resources.
The collection is catalogued into some 24 thousand separate entries.
Under an agreement ratified by the Minister of Education and Culture on February 25, 1994 it was decided to designate one department of the Central Bank library as part of Iceland's national book resources, which means that the National Library can regard it as a reserve collection and have special access to it. As the owner, the Central Bank is responsible for housing, preserving and maintaining this collection and it pays special attention to the preservation of records.
The library is an institutional library, meaning that its level of service is primarily designed to meet the needs of the Central Bank. Services for other users are of a secondary nature but are naturally provided where possible and as warranted.

Address, telephone, e-mail
Einholt 4, 105 Reykjavík
Tel. : (+354) 569 9962, (+354) 569 9960
Fax: (+354)569 9609
e-mail: bokasafn@sedlabanki.is
Kalkofnsvegur 1, 101 Reykjavík 
Tel. (+354) 569 9760, (+354) 569 9761

Useful links for Icelandic and economics resources
Icelandic parliament (Althingi)
Iceland Statistics
Resources for Economists on the Internet
World Wide Web Resources in Economics

Archive
For twenty years, from 1961 to 1981, the Central Bank and Landsbanki Íslands jointly ran the archive in which documents of both institutions were preserved, dating from as far back as their establishment. On February 16, 1981 this arrangement was changed by an agreement that Landsbanki's earlier account books and documents should be preserved at the Central Bank archives until otherwise decided. Landsbanki Íslands was originally assigned formal central banking functions which it handled until the Central Bank of Iceland was established in 1961.

Address, telephone, e-mail
Einholt 4, 105 Reykjavík 
Tel.: (+354) 569 9962, (+354) 569 9961
Fax: (+354) 569 9609
e-mail: skjalasafn@sedlabanki.is
Kalkofnsvegur 1, 101 Reykjavík

The Central Bank and National Museum Numismatic Collection
The Central Bank and National Museum of Iceland jointly operate a numismatic collection according to an agreement ratified by the Minister of Education and Culture on January 28, 1985. The agreement states that both institutions' numismatic material should be kept in a single collection run by the Bank, while archaeological findings of coins and treasure trove remain at the National Museum. Material from the National Museum has been catalogued separately, to enable it to be distinguished from the rest.

The collection consists of Icelandic notes and coin, foreign money from earlier times, especially that mentioned in Icelandic sources, and more recent currency from Iceland's main trading partner countries. The collection is now comprised of almost twenty thousand coins and almost five thousand types of note.
A selection from the numismatic collection is on display in showcases on the ground floor of the Central Bank´s main building in Kalkofnsvegur 1. The exhibition is open to the public Mon.-Fri. 13:30-15:30. Free admittance.

The numismatic collection has published the following works:
* Kristján Eldjárn: Alþingishátíðarpeningarnir. Rvk. 1986. (Myntrit 1).
* Gjaldmiðill á Íslandi. Stutt ágrip. Ólafur Pálmason and Sigurður Líndal. Rvk. 1994. (Myntrit 2).
* Opinber gjaldmiðill í 220 ár. Anton Holt and Freyr Jóhannesson. Rvk. 1997. (Myntrit 3) (with introduction and glossary in English)
* Opinber gjaldmiðill á Íslandi (Myntrit 3 - second edition): The Currency of Iceland (booklet, 1.3 MB)

Address, telephone, e-mail
Einholt 4, 105 Reykjavík
Tel.: (+354) 569 9962, (+354) 569 9964 
Fax: (+354) 569 9609
e-mail: safnadeild@sedlabanki.is