In Rembrandt’s time the university library was still a modest institution, but it has grown into Leiden University Libraries, a repository for millions of books, manuscripts, prints, drawings, photos and maps, and kilometres of historical archives. This also includes an extensive collection of prints and drawings by mainly Dutch artists, including Rembrandt.

However, Leiden University Libraries does not only works by and after Rembrandt, but also sources and documents relating to his life and work, making it possible to place Rembrandt’s work in the context of the city of Leiden in the years 1620-1631. These sources and documents include the first biography on Rembrandt by Jan Jansz. Orlers from 1641, a bird's-eye view map by Pieter Bast (ca. 1550-1605) from 1600 showing in detail Rembrandt’s birth house and the Latin school he went to, and the registers of Leiden University that exhibit Rembrandt as student.