Bratislava City Library is a public library with a regional scope for the Capital of the Slovak Republic. It was founded on 1 October 1900 and is one of the oldest libraries in Slovakia.

It is a place of vibrant and accessible culture that creates opportunities for collaboration, self-fulfillment and a better understanding of society and the world.

It helps people to develop, makes quality information available and fosters the responsible handling of information.

The library offers a safe, accessible and friendly environment for all, and aims to motivate active citizenship and strengthen the civic, human and intellectual potential of the city.

What can you find in the library?

  • Visitors can make use of 260,000 documents and space for study, work, socialising and leisure.
  • The library provides access to thousands of digital resources, books, magazines and board games.
  • Study rooms and internet access are available at all library locations. Special magnifiers for people with reading disabilities are available at each location if needed.
  • The library also operates a library workshop, an Artotheque Gallery and a music studio with records, a gramophone, a guitar, a piano and spaces for practising a musical instrument.
  • The library organises cultural and educational activities for various target groups, cooperates with cultural, educational, artistic and commercial institutions, associations and individuals.
  • You can also visit three public reading rooms: on Laurinská and Kapucínská streets, and the Summer Reading Room U červeného raka on Michalská 26. The Summer Reading Room is normally open from mid-May to the end of August and provides a varied cultural programme in addition to magazines, daily newspapers and the Internet.

How does the library work?

Location

It is located at three addresses:

  • Kapucínska 1-3
    • Department of Literature for Children and Youth
    • Department of Music and Arts Literature
  • Klariská 16
    • Office
    • Department of Professional Literature
    • Department for the Blind and Partially Sighted
  • Laurinská 5
    • Department of Fine and Foreign Language Literature

Types of literature

The library has a collection of fiction, foreign language literature, educational literature, including music and arts literature, literature for children and youth, as well as for the blind and visually impaired.

Borrowing

It is also possible to order and collect the documents at the workplace, book boxes are available for returning the documents at Laurinská and Kapucínská streets around the clock. For people with disabilities or over 65 years of age, the library provides a regular bicycle-shuttle service.

The library provides most of its services free of charge and without the need to register. However, a library card is required to borrow documents.

Contact

Klariská 16

Department of Professional Literature

Department for the Blind and Partially Sighted

Laurinská 5

Department of Fine and Foreign Language Literature

Kapucínska 1-3

Department of Literature for Children and Youth

Department of Music and Arts Literature

Management

Director Mgr. Tomáš Štefek

Curriculum Vitae ↗︎

Annual Reports

Documents