The collections from Klementinum will be moving to the new technical library

Prague - The new National Technical Library (NTK) will begin relocating funds from Klementinum on Monday. Jan Kratochvíl, the library spokesperson, stated this to ČTK. The State Technical Library, whose collections the new building will primarily accommodate, was previously located at the National Library's premises. The building in Prague-Dejvice already houses additional books brought from depositories outside Prague, and testing operations are expected to start on August 1. The library is set to fully open on September 9.
With over 1.5 million volumes, the NTK is to be the largest source of technical literature in the fields of applied natural and social sciences in the Czech Republic. It promises users comfortable services, such as half a million publications in open access, over 1300 study places, and nearly 600 relaxation spots. The entire building will have WiFi signal, 250 computers for public use, a nighttime study room, self-service borrowing and book return options, as well as a café.
The NTK was created on Fleming Square according to the design of the Projektil studio and was developed almost quietly alongside the heated debates regarding the new National Library building. The original solution of the externally unremarkable structure includes so-called tension columns that support the ceiling slab above part of the ground floor from above and transfer its weight to the floor above using wires hidden within these columns. This way, the ground floor does not need to be visibly divided and is freely traversable. The building cost 2.25 billion crowns, and its operation will be managed by 170 employees.
The public will find the collections of the State Technical Library and part of the collections from CTU and VŠCHT libraries in the library, although these three extensive book collections could not be merged into a single entity. According to Martin Svoboda, the director of the State Technical Library, this is not feasible from a legal perspective. The reason is that the State Technical Library is a state institution while universities are public law entities. He recently admitted that a special law on the NTK could solve this problem.