The present paper tries to emphasize aspects related to the life and activity of Károly Szabó, prominent personality of the Hungarian culture in Transylvania in the 19th century, well-known historian and bibliographer.
Károly Szabó was first librarian of the Transylvanian Museum Society beginning with the year 1860, first Director of the Cluj University Library in the period 1872–1890, Professor of the History Department of the Ferencz József Royal Hungarian University in cluj and the Rector of this institution in the academic year 1882–1883.
He lived between 1824 and 1890 and dedicated his entire life, all his energies and creative power to old Hungarian history, the study of historical sources in their original languages (he was familiar with several classical and modern languages), the translation of numerous texts, the elaboration and editing of a considerable number of books, studies and articles, and to his library and bibliographic work. His bibliographic activity resulted in his chief work entitled: Régi Magyar Könyvtár (Old Hungarian Bibliography) which is the basis of all modern Hungarian retrospective bibliographical works, and its author, Károly Szabó is considered the founder of Hungarian national bibliography. This work, which consists of 3300 pages contained by 4 volumes, belongs to the first patrimonial collections owned by the Lucian Blaga Central University Library in Cluj.
