Libraries in Prague
Culture and Education
Even though many have predicted that with the rise of new technologies people will stop reading classical paper books, nowadays such predictions seem quite far-fetched. It seems after all, that the book - taken as an artifact - is in many respects simply perfect - it won’t make your bag or pocket too heavy, you won’t need to recharge it, it is practically unbreakable, it cannot stop working, it doesn’t glitter against the light, you don’t need to worry about it being picket from your pocket etc. Yes, of course, there are nowadays quality e-readers with many advantages but it seems that we will not be reading classical books out of pure nostalgia any time soon. If you are looking for a good book to read in Prague you have basically two options - buy it at one of Prague’s bookstores (including some online bookstores) or borrow it from one of Prague’s libraries. In this section we would like to introduce to you the main Prague libraries, which often offer more than a wide range of books including English books. Some Prague libraries are real community centers where you can go read current newspapers, talk to friends over a steaming cup of coffee, connect to the Internet or browse through a wide range of magazines and journals. Many Prague libraries feature foreign language sections with books in English, French, German, Russian and possibly other languages.
The Library of the Goethe-Institut Prag
If you are learning German and would like to improve your German skills in an easy and fun way, or you are just looking for access to German culture in Prague, visit the Prague Goethe-Institut library. This library offers a wide selection of books and other media in German and Czech, whose main topics are German culture and present-day Germany. The Goethe-In...![]()
Library of the Austrian Cultural Forum in Prague
The Austrian Cultural Forum is an international institution with branches in many world capitals such as New York, London, Paris or Budapest. The main aim of the Austrian Cultural Forum is to enable all those who are interested to learn more about Austrian culture and society. Among the ways to get to know Austria better are the Austrian libraries run by the...![]()
The Library at the Cervantes Institute in Prague
If you happen to be interested in Spanish and Hispanic American culture, you shouldn’t miss the Carlos Fuentes Library which is run in Prague by the Cervantes Institute. The Cervantes Institute is located in Madrid and takes care of promoting the Spanish-language culture all around the world.The Prague branch of the Cervantes Institute located in the Na Ryb...![]()
The Library of the American Center in Prague
Even though English-language books are nowadays rather easily accessible in Prague, the range of their offer is still rather limited and their prices can be rather high. One option open to all those interested in the English-language world is using the American center run by the US Embassy in Prague.The American Center library offers about one thousand books...![]()
Prague Multicultural Center Library
If you happen to be interested in various world cultures, or in questions of intercultural coexistence, ethnic minorities and refugees, you might be familiar with the activities of the Prague Multicultural Center. This civil association aims at informing the public about the cohabitation of various ethnic groups in the Czech Republic as well as in other part...![]()
Prague Christian Library
The Prague Christian Library aims at offering all Christians and researchers, as well as anyone else interested in accessing rich literature dealing with this important and fascinating religion, a variety of information and reading material, as well as a range of research material. At present the library offers approximately 5,000 books, videotapes, DVDs and...![]()
The Library of the Institut Français de Prague
The French Institute is a true oasis for all the Francophiles located in Prague. Apart from French language courses, a gallery and a café, this organization offers also a library with a rich sortiment of books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, VHSs and CD-roms.The French Institute library is located on Stepanska street, not far from Wenceslas Square, and offers to the ...![]()
National Library of the Czech Republic
The National Library of the Czech Republic, located at the Klementinum, the former Jesuit college, offers an exceptional range of Czech and international books to borrow and study and features long opening hours. The services of this library are sure to be appreciated by every researcher or student but might also be of help to anyone looking for a book missi...![]()
City Library in Prague
The Prague City Library (Městská knihovna) has much to offer to almost everyone in Prague. Among its visitors and users are young readers, pensioners, and pleasure readers, as well as the most demanding readers and scholars, since the whole City Library network is user-friendly and offers an extensive list of titles to borrow.The headquarters of the City Lib...![]()
Library at the Italian Cultural Institute
There have been rich cultural contacts between Italy and the Czech lands ever since the 16th century when an Italian minority lived in Prague consisting partly of the Jesuit Order members coming from Italy. Among the historical documents of this cultural influence are, for example, the Italian chapel, part of the Klementinum complex, or the Italian hospital ...![]()
