The library of the Kielce Chapter in light of the inventory of 1598

The article was based on the archival inventory of the Chapter Library of 1598 and on the surviving manuscripts and historical printed documents of the library of the Kielce Chapter. The paper consists of an analytical part and an annex, which includes the edition of the archival source – the inventory. Thanks to the fact that a large part of the manuscripts and printed documents from a historical book collection survived, appropriate titles can be found in the footnotes of the annex. In addition, surviving documents allowed to perform calculations with regard to publishing centers. Most out of the 28 incunabula came from the land of the German language. Only 4 out of the 35 sixteenth-century printed documents came from domestic production (Cracow). The dominance of German printed documents was still maintained. The analysis of the manuscripts revealed links with the area of Czech and national culture. The invention of printing led to the influx of Western authors. In 1598 the chapter library contained liturgical books: missals, breviaries, agenda, antiphonaries, graduals. The liturgical books came from the tradition of the Diocese of Cracow and show the character of the Divine Office before introducing the books of the reformed Roman liturgy. In addition to liturgical books, the Chapter library contained typical branches of theology of the time: the Bible and biblical commentaries, texts of the Fathers of the Church, law, theology, pastoral manuals and others. Comparison of manuscripts and printed documents indicates that with the invention of printing the texts of the Fathers of the Church are more numerous, which is also a hallmark of the Renaissance and modern theology. The library of the Kielce Chapter presents interests and changes in theology at the turn of the Middle Ages and modern times