Catalan university libraries

A university library is a cornerstone in the research of any country, and as the English say, it is the heart and measure of a university.
Before we embark upon the study of Catalan university libraries it would be convenient to have an overview of the university features which will contribute to our understanding the fundamental traits of the universities that they rely upon.
The Universitat de Barcelona (UB) was founded in the 15th century and was the only Catalan University until the 20th century. It has the largest number ofstudents and centres of all the Catalan Universities.
The Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB) was founded in 1968 and is located in Bellaterra, in the municipality of Cerdanyola. It is the only Catalan university with an out-of-town campus.
The Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC) was founded in 1971 and it brought together the various technical colleges and universities that already existed in Barcelona and other Catalan towns, some of which were over a century old. This university is solely devoted to technical studies.
The Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) was founded in 1990 in Barcelona. It specializes in social sciences and the humanities, and it has not yet developed its full potential.
The Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) was officially recognized as the first private Catalan university in 1991. It amalgamates several private further education colleges which were run by religious institutions, such as the Institut Químic de Sarria and Escola Blanquerna.