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A library guide

Knihovna Chodovec

The Library of the National Archives is the biggest archive public library in the Czech Republic according to the fact it preserves more than 500 000 volumes. It makes available internal and external library units, especially in the field of archival science, history of administration and law, history and auxiliary historical sciences.

Collections

  • libraries of forerunners of the National Archives (formal the Central State Archive / Státní ústøední archiv) — Archive of the Czech Crown (Archiv Èeské koruny), the Central Archive of the Interior Ministry (Ústøední archiv Ministerstva vnitra) and the Central Agriculture and Forestry Archives (Ústøední zemìdìlsko-lesnický archiv) — accessed via online catalogue
  • libraries of defunct offices, institutions, schools, leagues, ecclesiastical orders
  • libraries of editorial archives and archives of defunct publishing houses (Orbis, Svoboda, Mona)
  • private libraries and fragments of family libraries
  • high-capacity collection of house and foreign newspapers, to begin with 19. and 20. century (the oldest unit from 1717—1731)

Knihovna Dejvice

Specific and valuable documents

  • statutes and annual reports of schools, museums, institutions, corporations
  • codes of laws, official bulletins, schematisms (surveys)
  • early printed books (more than 13 000 volumes)
  • manuscripts (cca 330 volumes)
  • incunables (135 units)

The Maltese Library in Prague (Maltézská knihovna) and The Piaristic College Library in Prague (Knihovna pražské piaristické koleje) are the most interesting collections of our historical record groups.


Library registration

The Library of the National Archives provides services mainly to staff of the National Archives and enables free reading — room lending to the general public (above 15 years of age). Visit the library rules for more details.

First of all, before you use library services, you have to register. Once registered, you will be given a Reader Pass to proof of your identity when you next visit us. You can use time-limited pre-registration for the first order in online catalogue.

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