České Budějovice - A new wing of the South Bohemian Scientific Library building has been started today in České Budějovice, along with other construction modifications on Lidická Street. The construction is expected to last until the autumn of 2020, with the library planning to open at the beginning of 2021. The costs are nearly 166 million CZK. The goal is to allow readers a free selection from more than 100,000 books that are currently in storage. This was stated today by representatives of the library and the South Bohemian Region, which oversees the library with 1.4 million volumes.
The extension and technical solution were designed by the Atelier Kuba & Pilař architects. The library building will be expanded by nearly 2,000 square meters. The costs are nearly 166 million, with a grant from IROP of over 105 million, and the South Bohemian Region contributing 51 million CZK. The building will be barrier-free.
"The main reason for the project was the lack of space for establishing a free selection of literature in the scientific part of the library. For readers, the fundamental change will be that they will not have to choose books only from the electronic catalog as they have until now, but will be able to browse directly between the shelves, choose a book, flip through it, and decide whether it is truly the right one for them, or possibly find another on the shelf," said the library director Ivo Kareš to ČTK today.
In the first phase, the construction will affect readers minimally, mainly through the relocation of the main entrance. Librarians will be lending books in the building on Lidická with minor restrictions until the summer of 2020. "Then the library will be closed for about six months due to construction modifications of the existing building and interior arrangements. During that time, part of the library collection will be available to visitors at the library Na Sadech," said library project worker Petra Mašínová.
The library project also responds to the requests of readers. Kareš told reporters that the aim was to get more than 100,000 volumes into free selection. "That was a significant barrier. We know from our readers that a library where they enter and do not see books is not a library for them,” Kareš said.
The South Bohemian Scientific Library has 1.4 million volumes and 19,000 registered readers. Last year, it was visited by 290,000 people. The South Bohemian Region provided an operating contribution of 58.1 million CZK this year.
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