Library Materials Printed at the Printing House of the Franciscan Monastery in Osijek – the Beginning of Printing in Slavonia

Sa？etak Printing in Osijek began with the arrival of the Franciscans and the establishment of the first printing house in the area in 1735. The Franciscans were allowed to open a small printing house in the monastery for the needs of the province. The emergence of the first printing house in Osijek is largely linked to the social and political circumstances in the city at the time, which after the departure of the Turks was slowly transforming into the urban center of Slavonia. The opening of schools and higher education institutions left a mark on the first titles of printed works by Osijek professors, but also students. The Franciscans had great appreciation for the book, and the Franciscan libraries were the first organized book collections in our country. The oldest editions of the Osijek Franciscans are kept in the Museum of Slavonia’s Native Collection Essekiana, as well as in the Franciscan libraries of the Croatian Franciscan Province of St. Cyril and Methodius. Recognizing and evaluating Franciscan book collections is essential for studying the cultural history of Osijek and Slavonia