Martin Schrettinger facts for kids

Martin Wilibald Schrettinger was a German priest and a very important librarian. He was born on June 17, 1772, in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz and passed away on April 12, 1851, in Munich. He is known for creating new ways to organize books in libraries.

Life as a Librarian

In 1793, Martin Schrettinger joined a Benedictine monastery in Weißenohe. A monastery is a place where monks live and work. He became a priest there in 1795. By 1800, he was in charge of the monastery's library.

Soon after, in 1802, the monastery closed. Schrettinger then moved to Munich. There, he started working at the Royal Library. Today, this library is called the Bavarian State Library.

He took on important roles at the library. In 1806, he became a "curator" (Kustos). This means he was like a caretaker for the library's collections. Later, in 1823, he became an "Under-librarian." This was a higher position, showing his growing importance. In 1839, he also became a Canon at St. Kajetan in Munich. This was a church role, but he kept his job at the library.

Father of Library Science

Schrettinger is seen as the person who started modern library science. This is the study of how to manage and organize libraries. He was the first to use the term "library science."

He created a new way to organize all the books in the library. He divided them into different subjects and then into smaller sub-subjects. This made it easier to find books on specific topics.

He also made other helpful lists. One was an alphabetical list of all the authors. Another list showed where each book was placed on the shelves. He even started a special "classified catalog" (Realkatalog) in 1819. This catalog helped librarians find books by their topic. Even today, librarians sometimes look at his unfinished work.

His Writings

Martin Schrettinger wrote several important books about library science. These books helped other librarians learn how to do their job better.

• Versuch eines vollständigen Lehrbuches der Bibliothek-Wissenschaft oder Anleitung zur vollkommenen Geschäftsführung eines Bibliothekärs. This long title means "An Attempt at a Complete Textbook of Library Science or Guide to the Perfect Management of a Librarian's Business." He published the first parts between 1808 and 1810, and the second part in 1829.
• Handbuch der Bibliothek-Wissenschaft. This "Handbook of Library Science" was published in Vienna in 1834. It was later reprinted.
• The Bavarian State Library keeps his personal journals from 1793 to 1850. They also have a book he wrote about his own life.
• He also helped publish a book by Philip Dormer Stanhope of Chesterfield called Die Kunst unter Menschen glücklich zu leben. This means "The Art of Living Happily Among People."

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  Martin Schrettinger