The Icelandic Roots Safnahús & Library
Many interesting books are in the Icelandic Roots Library.
The oldest is from 1822, and over 100 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.
Go to the LibraryThing online list of IR 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 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.
10 Oct 2017, we received a generous donation from George Hanson.
Read the article HERE.
Preserving Our Past
Over the years, we have collected about 4,000 books, mostly from 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. 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!