Skagfirðingabók

Skagfirðingabók is a continuing Icelandic local-history publication focused on Skagafjörður, a historic district in northern Iceland. It is issued by Sögufélag Skagfirðinga, the Skagafjörður Historical Society, and functions as a scholarly and documentary record of the region rather than as a general-interest magazine or commercial book imprint. The publication began in 1966 and had reached 42 volumes by 2023. The series was established by Kristmundur Bjarnason of Sjávarborg, the poet Hannes Pétursson, and professor Sigurjón Björnsson. Its original title was “Skagfirðingabók, Ársrit Sögufélags Skagfirðinga,” identifying it as the yearbook of the historical society. From volume seven, published in 1975, the title was changed to “Skagfirðingabók, Rit Sögufélags Skagfirðinga,” a wording that presents the series more broadly as a publication or edited work of the society. The editorial scope is deliberately historical. The series has concentrated on source material, historical studies, and documentation relating to Skagafjörður, including substantial material concerning the district’s sagas and local past. According to the available description, it excludes poetry, regional news, and biographies of deceased people. This editorial boundary distinguishes Skagfirðingabók from a regional newspaper, literary annual, or conventional collection of personal memoirs. Its value lies in preserving and organizing evidence about local communities, places, events, traditions, and historical experience. For its first three decades, the publication retained a consistent physical format. By 2005, 30 volumes had appeared, and an index of names was included in every third volume. With volume 31 in 2008, the format was modestly expanded: the books included more photographs and adopted hardcover binding. This change strengthened the series’ character as a durable reference and archival publication while maintaining its established identity. The publication is principally associated with Iceland and with readers interested in Skagafjörður, Icelandic local history, genealogy, regional culture, and historical research. Full text for all but the most recent volumes has been made available through Tímarit, the Icelandic-language archive maintained by the National and University Library of Iceland. The historical society’s website also provides lists of articles published in the series. As of the latest supplied information, Skagfirðingabók remains an active historical publication series, although details about its current editorial leadership, publication frequency, distribution, and commercial status are not established by the available sources.

Skagfirðingabók is a long-running Icelandic publication devoted to the history of Skagafjörður. It was founded in 1966 under the auspices of Sögufélag Skagfirðinga, the Skagafjörður Historical Society. The founding group consisted of Kristmundur Bjarnason of Sjávarborg, poet Hannes Pétursson, and professor Sigurjón Björnsson. Their project established a recurring publication intended to preserve, publish, and interpret historical material relating to the region. The original title, Skagfirðingabók, Ársrit Sögufélags Skagfirðinga, described the work as the historical society’s yearbook. Beginning with volume seven in 1975, the title was revised to Skagfirðingabók, Rit Sögufélags Skagfirðinga. The change retained the recognizable Skagfirðingabók name while presenting the series as a broader publication of the society rather than strictly an annual yearbook. Its content has remained focused on history. The publication has included historical materials and extensive treatment of Skagafjörður’s sagas, while excluding poetry, regional news, and biographies of deceased individuals. This editorial policy gives the series a defined documentary and research-oriented profile. It serves as a repository for studies and source-based material that might otherwise remain dispersed among local records, family collections, archives, and specialist research. The series initially followed a consistent physical format. Thirty volumes had been published by 2005, and an index of names appeared in every third volume. A format update accompanied volume 31 in 2008. Later volumes used hardcover binding and included somewhat more photographic material than earlier editions. The revision modernized the physical presentation without changing the publication’s central historical purpose. By 2023, the series comprised 42 volumes. The Sögufélag Skagfirðinga website maintains lists of articles that have appeared in the books, while the National and University Library of Iceland has made the full text of all but the most recent volumes available through its Icelandic-language Tímarit archive. These digital resources extend the publication’s reach beyond physical owners and support historical and genealogical research. The available material does not identify a current editor, regular publication schedule, circulation, price, or formal commercial distribution network. It does, however, establish Skagfirðingabók as an active and substantial regional-history series with a publication history spanning more than five decades.

• 2023

  Series reaches 42 volumes

  [1]Skagfirðingabóken.wikipedia.org

  The publication was reported to comprise 42 volumes by 2023.

• 2008

  Format expanded with volume 31

  [1]Skagfirðingabóken.wikipedia.org

  Volume 31 introduced a modestly expanded format with additional photographs and hardcover binding.

• 2005

  Thirtieth volume published

  [1]Skagfirðingabóken.wikipedia.org

  Thirty volumes had been published by this point, with name indexes included in every third volume.

• 1975

  Series title revised

  [1]Skagfirðingabóken.wikipedia.org

  Beginning with volume seven, the title changed from the historical society’s yearbook formulation to Skagfirðingabók, Rit Sögufélags Skagfirðinga.

• 1966

  First publication

  [1]Skagfirðingabóken.wikipedia.org

  The first volume of Skagfirðingabók was published by Sögufélag Skagfirðinga as a yearbook devoted to Skagafjörður’s history.

A specialist regional-history series and archival reference work documenting Skagafjörður through historical research, source material, and local cultural history.

• Local-history book series · 1966

  Skagfirðingabók numbered volumes

  The core offering is a numbered series of books devoted to the history of Skagafjörður. Volumes contain historical materials, studies, and substantial coverage of regional sagas. The series has maintained a recognizable identity across decades, while later volumes use hardcover binding and include more photographs than the earlier format. Name indexes were included in every third volume during the earlier publishing period.

• Digital archive

  Digitized Skagfirðingabók archive

  Older Skagfirðingabók volumes have been digitized and made available through Tímarit, the Icelandic-language periodical archive maintained by the National and University Library of Iceland. The digital collection includes all but the most recent volumes according to the available reference material, extending access to researchers and readers who do not hold the printed books.

• 2008

  Updated the physical formatGeneration change

  Background

  After 30 volumes had appeared in a largely consistent format, the series reached volume 31.

  Action taken

  The publication adopted hardcover binding and added somewhat more photographic content.

  Aftermath

  The series retained its historical and documentary focus while presenting later volumes in a more durable and visually developed format.

  Source

• 1975

  Adopted a broader publication titleStrategy

  Background

  The first six volumes used a title identifying Skagfirðingabók as the Skagafjörður Historical Society’s yearbook.

  Action taken

  From volume seven, the series was titled Skagfirðingabók, Rit Sögufélags Skagfirðinga, replacing the yearbook wording with a formulation meaning a publication of the historical society.

  Aftermath

  The revised title continued to be used while preserving the established Skagfirðingabók name.

  Source

1. 1Skagfirðingabóken.wikipedia.org