The predecessor of today's Eötvös Loránd University was relocated from Buda to Pest in 1784, and several buildings that had been in use for decades, typically owned by monastic orders, were handed over for its use. By the mid-19th century, the buildings—especially the medical faculty building—were in very poor condition, so at the recommendation of the Governor's Council, Emperor Ferdinand V ordered the development of a cost estimate for new university buildings in 1846. Ferenc Toldy, the director of the University Library, made a proposal for the new building, outlining his ideal library design in a multi-page report. The study publishes Toldy's draft and the correspondence related to the matter held by the ELTE University Library and Archives.