Use of the Theater History Collection

In order to be able to do research work in NSZL’s Theater History Collection, you need to have

• a valid NSZL Reader Pass,
• permit from the Head of Department to do research of various documents including manuscripts, graphic and scenic documents,
• permit from the Head of Department to copy, by any technique, museum pieces and/or so-called ‘sensitive’ documents belonging to the protected stock of Theater History Collection.

Documents related to theater history can be used only in the Reading Room of Theater History Collection. Certain parts of the collection can be researched only in microfilm format.

Opening hours:

• Tues – Fri: 9.00 – 17.00
• Sat: 9.00 – 14.00

Depository service: on weekdays, until 16:00; on Saturday until 14.00.
Readers have to give back documents 30 minutes prior to the time when Theater History Collection’s Reading Room is closed.

NSZL’s Theater History Collection is not the owner of the copyright of manuscripts stored in the Collection, so any publication is allowed only with a permit from the author or his/her heirs. Copyright expires 70 years following author’s death. In case of any other copyright-related issues, all-time copyright regulations in force are valid.

Microfilm, photo, photocopy or digital reproduction can be made of materials stored in Theater History Collection, after filling in a form of NSZL’s Microfilm and Photo Laboratory. If you want to publish any copy made of the documents of Theater History Collection, the publishing house/company has to ask for a written consent of publication, stating which documents will be published and also the title and parameters of the publication have to be clearly stated.

National Széchényi Library is obliged to set a license fee in case of the publication of documents kept in any of its collections. In case of the publication of documents, publishing house/company is obliged to state that the original document can be found in the Theater History Collection of Hungary’s National Széchényi Library.

Staff at NSZL’s Theater History Collection will take on fulfilling extra tasks (e.g. research, document selection, compilation of special bibliographies, etc.) in addition to the usual and basic reference service, under special contract, at an hourly rate.

Card catalogues

• Alphabetical catalogue of the Hungarian program library
• Alphabetical catalogue of foreign-language program library
• Alphabetical catalogue of plays on microfilm
• Alphabetical catalogue of photographs
• Alphabetical catalogue of the graphic collection
• Alphabetical catalogue of the scenic collection
• Alphabetical and thematic catalogues of manuscripts and archives
• Thematic catalog of program library
• Alphabetical and subject catalogues of special library
• Alphabetical and topographic catalogues of periodicals
• Theater event calendar
• Microfilm catalogue
• Registers of archival units (collections, legacies).

Playbills and other small prints have been arranged in alphabetical order and within this, in chronological order, according to city names and within this, according to theater names.

Printed catalogues:

• Hankiss Elemér–Berczeli A. Károlyné: A Magyarországon megjelent színházi zsebkönyvek bibliográfiája. XVIII–XIX. század. Contribution from Lajos Jordáky Lajos. Ed. By National Széchényi Library. Bp. 1961. 481 p.
• Belitska-Scholtz Hedvig–Berczeli A. Károlyné: Barokk, klasszicista és romantikus díszlettervek Magyarországon. (Ed. by) Magyar Színházi Intézet. Bp. 1976. 122 p.
• Belitska-Scholtz, Hedvig–Somorjai, Olga: Das Kreuzer-Theater in Pest (1794–1804). Eine Dokumentation zur Bühnengeschichte der Kasperl-Figur in Budapest. Wien-Köln-Graz, 1988, Böhlau. 155 S. (Maske und Kothurn, Beiheft 12.)
• Iratok a Nemzeti Színház történetéhez: Pukánszkyné Kádár Jolán kiadatlan levéltári gyűjtésének fondjegyzéke. Description and Introduction by Piroska Berlász. Edited by Hedvig Belitska-Scholtz. Published by National Széchényi Library. Bp. OSZK, 1988. 254 p.
• Petrik Géza: Magyarország bibliographiája, 1712–1860 – Bibliographia Hungariae 1712–1860. 8. köt. Függelék: Hazai, 18. századi színlapok, gyászjelentések és szentképek bibliográfiája; Nyomda és kiadástörténeti mutató az 1701–1800 között megjelent magyarországi (és külföldi magyar nyelvű) nyomtatványokhoz: A 6. kötet kiegészítése; (Compiled by Gedeon Borsa, Edited by Judit V. Ecsedy.) Bp. OSZK, 1991. 574 p.
• Belitska-Scholtz, Hedvig–Somorjai, Olga: Theaterbibliothek und Spielplan der deutschen Theater in Pest und Ofen zwischen 1770–1850. (Co-editors:) Elisabeth Berczeli and Ilona Pavercsik. Bp. Argumentum, 1995. 2 db (1276 p.)