Special collections
A large proportion of the special collections were acquired by the National Library (NL) during the era of Director Marcel Godet (1909–1945). The librarian Karl Jakob Lüthi also played a role in building up the holdings. He bequeathed his large collection of Bibles and the International Press Collection to the NL. The collections are no longer being expanded.
Musical estates
The Swiss Literary Archives are home to musical estates, archives, collections and private libraries as well as individual acquisitions from reference code groups Ms M, Ms Mq and Ms Mf.
Lüthi Bible collection
Visit the Bible collection assembled by Karl Jakob Lüthi at the National Library. It contains around 5,000 Bibles in almost 450 languages, from weighty tomes to microscopically small editions dating from the 16th to the 20th centuries.
Archives of the New Helvetic Society
The archives of the New Helvetic Society document the activities of the oldest citizens’ association in Switzerland promoting political freedom, the rule of law and democracy.
Other special collections
The National Library’s special collections include documents on subjects such as library science, the press and radio.