skip to content
 

Beit Library

Beit Library

The Beit Library, on the third floor of the MMLL Library, was founded by a donation from Sir Otto John Beit (1865-1930) and celebrated its centenary in November 2013. Otto Beit's gift supported the acquisition of books by the first Schröder Professor of German at Cambridge, Karl Hermann Breul, thus establishing the German research collection. Prof. Breul received the Schröder Cup in recognition of his contribution.

The Library is especially strong on the history of the German language and on literature of the classical period (notably Goethe) and of the nineteenth century. It also includes books on philosophy, history, art and a major collection of reference works. It is open to readers during regular MMLL Library hours.

 

'Sir Otto Beit in his study at Belgrave Square' by William Orpen, 1913, Johannesburg Art Gallery. Image licensed from the Bridgman Art LibrarySchröder Professors

Karl Hermann Breul (1910-1932)

Robert Allan Williams (1932-1941)

Eliza Marian Butler (1944-1951)

Walter Horace Bruford (1951-1961)

Leonard Wilson Forster (1961-1979)

Dennis Howard Green (1979-1989)

Roger Cole Paulin (1989-2005)

Nicholas Boyle (2006-2013)

Sarah Colvin (2014- )

Library news

Library tours in October

8 October 2025

Welcome to all those arriving in Cambridge for the new academic year! The MMLL Library is offering library tours at 11am and 2:30pm every weekday from 6th October - 17th October. These are designed to help new students - or anyone who fancies a refresher - get to grips with the library space, locating material and...

Brief closure

8 September 2025

The library will be closed on 18th and 19th September 2025, owing to essential maintenance works taking place within the library. We apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Keep in touch