In the Swedish city of Norrköping lies the largest library of records on UFOs and various paranormal phenomena from all over the world.
This remarkable archive was founded in 1973 by UFO enthusiasts Håkan Blomqvist, Clas Svahn, and Anders Liljegren, who called themselves the UFO Working Group. Today, the archive is managed by 65-year-old Clas Svahn and 73-year-old Anders Liljegren, who describe themselves as “curious researchers of the unknown.”
The library archive mainly consists of books, newspaper clippings, and stories obtained directly from those who experienced them. It is located underground and occupies about 4.2 kilometers (!) of shelves in 15 rooms.
Officially, this library is called “The Archives for the Unexplained” (AFU). Its collection includes 55,000 books in various languages, 88,000 journals, 650,000 newspaper clippings, 30,000 photographs, as well as videos, audio recordings, paintings, various items, and much more.
Since 1986, the archive has been closely associated with Sweden’s national ufology organization. It operates solely on donations from benefactors. The library also has a small shop where some second-hand editions can be purchased.
“What we create here, at AFU, is a repository of knowledge. We strive to learn as much as possible about all kinds of unsolved scientific mysteries that we can find… to make it available to the whole world,” explains Clas Svahn, showing journalists the 700-square-meter library.
Access to the library is strictly limited. Only about 300 people visit it each year by appointment only. Part of the archive is digitized and can be viewed on the official website, but one needs to obtain an access code first.
Greg Eghigian, a professor of history and bioethics at Pennsylvania State University in the United States, once visited AFU to conduct research for his book on the history of UFOs.
“I have worked in countless archives in Europe, the United States, and Britain. My time at AFU was undoubtedly the most fascinating and productive. AFU is unquestionably… the most comprehensive archive of materials relating to the global history of the UFO phenomenon in the world. It is impossible to thoroughly study the subject without acquainting oneself with its collections.”
