According to his 1784 deed of foundation in, Archbishop Ádám Patachich (1776-1784) bequeathed his collection of 19 000 books to the diocese. According to his order, the archbishop's library and the library of the cathedral chapter were united into one institution. He established a foundation that ensured the maintenance and management of the new institution. Following his orders, the library were jointly owned by the Archbishop of Kalocsa and the Cathedral Chapter of Kalocsa and it was named: Bibliotheca Metropolitanae Ecclesiae Colocensis or Cathedral Library of Kalocsa.

Portrait of Archbishop Ádám Patachich

Documents exhibited:

Last will and testament of Archbishop Ádám Patachich 20 June 1784
The archbishop provided for the maintenance of the joint library and the remuneration of the library staff with his foundation worth 13 000 Forint.

Excerpt from the last will and testament of Ádám Patachich concerning the library (1784)

Catalogus librorum Bibliothecae… Capituli Metropolitanae Ecclesiae Colocensis, qui libri ad Bibliothecam… Adami Patachich… mense Octobri Anno 1782. translati sunt. Catalogue of the collection of the cathedral chapter library which numbered 3 000 volumes in 1782 following the unification. Made by András Fogarassy.

Index librorum Bibliothecae… Adami… Patachich, episcopi Varadiensis… 1774. Catalogue of the library of Ádám Patachich made by Jakab Mariosa in Nagyvárad. The Library of Nagyvárad is seen in the center.

Letters and receipts of book acquisitions 1774-1778. Archbishop Patachich spared no effort to enrich his collection until the day of his death. His correspondences with booksellers and salesmen give proof for his book acquisitions.

Letters and invoices of book acquisition

The archbishop entrusted Vencel Werner, a bookbinder in Vienna, with the binding of the collection. The bookbinder-librarian owned a number of thematic catalogues and kept records of the books yet to be bound. The showcase exhibits pieces of leather that Vencel Werner used to bind the books.
Catalogus Authorum Classicorum, qui in Bibliotheca Patachichiana Colocensi reperiuntur Catalogue on the works of classical authors, second half of the 18th century.
Catalogus Manuscriptorum Bibliothecae Patachichianae, second half of the 18th century. Inventory and catalogue of the manuscript collection.
Registry of the foundation of the Kalocsa Cathedral Library (Bibliotheca Metropolitanae Ecclesiae Colocensis) in the cathedral chapter minute book. 1784.

In succession to Archbishop Ádám Patachich, László Kollonich (1787-1817) was enthroned as Archbishop of Kalocsa and proceeded with the book collection activities of his predecessor. He bought many volumes from the libraries of monasteries abolished by Joseph II. In many cases, he acquired books to preserve cultural-historical values. From 1791 his book acquisition activities were assisted by historian István Katona. Due to his expertise and knowledge of books, the collection was significantly expanded by the acquisition of history, geography and science books.

       
Portrait and ex-libris of Archbishop László Kollonich

Documents exhibited:
S. Augustinus: Explanatio psalmorum
Basel: Johann Ammerbach, 1489. From the collection of Archbishop Kollonich.
 
Guillelmus Duranti: Rationale divinorum officiorum.
Strassburg: Jordani de Quedlinburg, 1493.
 
Gaius Iulius Hyginus: Poeticum astronomicum.
Venice: Thomas de Blavis, 1488. From the collection of Archbishop Kollonich.
 
Ulisse Aldrovandi: Serpentum, et draconum historiae libri duo
Bologna: Bernia, 1640. From the collection of Archbishop Kollonich.
 
Jan Huygen van Linschoten: Navigatio ac Itinerarium
The Hague: Albertus Henricus, 1599. From the collection of Archbishop Kollonich.

       
  A page from the atlas by Linschoten
 

Catalogus manuscriptorum… Bibliothecae… Capituli Colocensis seu Patachichianae secundum originale… Martini Kovatsics per Werner Wenczel descriptas. Manuscript catalogue by Márton György Kovacsics with the handwriting of Vencel Werner, 1812.