The Icelandic Roots Safnahús & Library
Go to the LibraryThing online list of IR Books
Many interesting books are in the Icelandic Roots Library.
The oldest is from 1798, and over 200 books were printed before 1900.
Books are in English and in Icelandic, plus a few Danish, too.
The books cannot be checked out but are available by appointment only.
Additional research can be purchased - see the info HERE.
Contact us for more information c/o Sunna.
Three of Sunna´s grandchildren help unpack and sort the many boxes of books.
Read the following articles to learn more about the IR Library.
In July 2023, Rob Olason wrote this article,
Sunna's Dream of a Little Safnahús on the Prairie
In 2022, we received 29 boxes from the mathematician, Michael Fell. Read the article HERE.
In 2018, 2021, and 2023, Librarians cataloged books belonging to Icelandic Roots / Sunna and Jeff.
Read the update by Angela Beaton, IR Librarian
Þórdís Edda Guðjónsdóttir spent the summer of 2018 working on the IR Library. Read about her Summer Internship.
In 2017, we received a generous donation of 38 boxes of books from George Hanson. Read the article HERE.
In 2013, Sunna purchased most of Hálfdan Helgason´s genealogy books. There were 26 boxes of them!
Preserving Our Past
Over the years, Sunna has collected about 5,000 books, many of them are donations to Icelandic Roots. The library also contains Sunna Olafson Furstenau's collection. As a 501c3 nonprofit, donations may be used as a tax deduction in the USA. The goal is to partner with another organization that is open year-round with adequate lighting, air handling, and moisture control. Sunna continues to work on this important project to create an IR Safnahús, which is a combination library, museum, and educational space for people to engage and learn more.
This is a collection that must be preserved for our future. The biggest and heaviest book is Guðbrandsbiblía, printed in the 1950s as a reprint of Guðbrandurs Bible from the late 1500s. We also have a nice collection of memorabilia, artifacts, and presentations for educational purposes. We just need a better location!
Many interesting books are in the Icelandic Roots Library. The oldest is from 1798, and over 200 books were printed before 1900. Books are in English and in Icelandic, plus a few Danish, too. The books cannot be checked out but are available by appointment only. Additional research can be purchased - see the info HERE. Contact us for more information c/o Sunna.