Scheut Memorial Library 

In October 1981, and again in 1982, Fr. Jeroom Heyndrickx cicm, discussed in the United States with Henri and Paul Serruys cicm, the establishment of the Ferdinand Verbiest Foundation in Leuven. Both pledged their full support and decided not to donate their personal libraries to universities in the United States, as previously planned, but instead to the future Verbiest Foundation. This collection also included books from the libraries of Antoine Mostaert cicm, Louis Schram cicm, and Karel de Jaeger cicm. Paul Serruys used these books during his research on Oracle Bones in Taiwan. In 1986, the books were transferred to Leuven and from that time onward the collection was named the “Scheut Memorial Library” (SML).

Subsequently, the SML was enriched with books from Jozef Spae cicm, and Dries Van Coillie cicm; with books from the Euntes cicm Library; the Sparrendaal cicm Library (651 volumes); the Foyer Chinois Brussels; and books from the CICM Library at Vlamingenstraat 1, Leuven; from Dr. Van Loon (Nijmegen) (803 volumes); from Oriens–CICM Japan; and from Jeroom Heyndrickx cicm. The rich Mongolian collection of Dr. Igor de Rachewiltz (Australia) is also part of the SML. The library is of particular interest for research related to Mongolian Studies, the history of the CICM (Scheut) in China, and the history of the Church in China. All books are entered into the KU Leuven library system (LIMO). Researchers can consult the books at Atrecht College. The VF Librarian is Ms. Lucia Wong.

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