Rubió i Balaguer, Jordi, 1887-1982
(Updated 08/10/2024)
Jordi Rubió i Balaguer (Barcelona, 1887-1982). Librarian, philologist and historian. Son of the historian and intellectual Antoni Rubió i Lluch and grandson of the writer Joaquim Rubió i Ors. At the age of 20 was awarded Doctor of Philosophy and worked in the Institut d'Estudis Catalans (Institute of Catalan Studies). He was the first Director of the Biblioteca de Catalunya. He organised and directed the Xarxa de Biblioteques Populars (Network of Popular Libraries), the Servei de Biblioteques del Front (Library Services to the Front Line) and was Director of the Escola de Bibliotecàries (School of Librarians) where he also worked as a teacher. He also taught at the University of Barcelona, while it was the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and at Estudis Universitaris Catalans.
After the Civil War, retired from all official posts, he began working at the publishing house, Salvat, where he directed the Enciclopedia Salvat. He joined the History and Archaeology Department of the Institute of Catalan Studies (of which he became President) and he intensified his scholarly work.
He published a number of librarianship manuals, studies and monographs on historiography and Catalan literature, including Com s’ordena i cataloga una biblioteca (1916?), Classificació decimal de Brussel·les: adaptació per a les biblioteques populars de la Mancomunitat de Catalunya (1920), De l’edat mitjana al Renaixement: figures literàries de Catalunya i València (1948) and Impremta i llibreria a Barcelona: 1474-1553 (1986). After his death, the Generalitat of Catalonia, along with Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, published his complete works in 14 volumes.
He was awarded the Premi d’Honor de les Lletres Catalanes (1969) and the Medalla d’Or de la Generalitat de Catalunya (1980).
Who is who (Institució de les Lletres Catalanes)
Jordi Rubió i Balaguer Collection at the Biblioteca de Catalunya, reception ceremony
