The University Library has extensive collections of postcards. The largest category is postcards depicting various places and sites in Sweden, i.e. topographical subjects. The collection contains very many postcards with historical, cultural-historical and art historical motifs as well as topographical views from other countries.

A postcard is defined as a postal card with a picture on one side and space for an address and a message on the other. Its precursor, that had space only for text, was introduced into Sweden in 1872 and called a letter-card. The first known postcard dates from 1882. The production of postcards took off in a big way at the turn of the century.

A new process using collotype printing made it possible to reproduce photographs at a very high standard. By reproducing current events such as royal visits, opening ceremonies, exhibitions and even disasters, postcards helped to disseminate news. 

Our postcard collections mirror in this way both Sweden's history and cultural-history as well as topographical changes in towns and in the countryside.

The collection of postcards at the University Library has been built up by legal deposits and donations.