Cities in the Plzeň region will get new libraries, such as Kralovice

Kralovice (Plzeň Region) - Some towns in the Plzeň region are getting new libraries after years of makeshift arrangements and cramped conditions. The building, which will triple the current space, is currently being constructed in Kralovice in northern Plzeň. Blovice in southern Plzeň will also start building a new library for 15 million CZK in mid-August. The local authorities have received funding from the European Union for their projects. Readers will be offered modern spaces with study rooms, a reading room, a gallery, and so on, CTK found out.
"For now, we have a larger lending area for adults, but it's essentially not movable. It's full of shelves crammed with books. The children’s section is also insufficient," said Milena Václavíková, head of the library in Kralovice. The lack of space limits the library, preventing it from hosting public events. With an extension costing 18 million CZK, which should be completed in April 2010, it will open new facilities for both young and adult readers, including a study room, gallery, and reading room. In the existing premises, social facilities, storage, and an office will be created.
According to Václavíková, the library has a stable number of readers. "At the beginning of the 90s, there was a significant drop in loans and readers, but by the end of the 90s, people started returning. In recent years, we have around 800 readers," she said. The Kralovice library has 54,000 volumes in its collection and provides books and services for 19 small local libraries in the area.
"There was a time when libraries were at risk of closing, but fortunately, that has changed," said Kralovice Mayor Rudolf Salfický. The project aims to expand the library's area to about 250 square meters, including the construction of new sanitary facilities, a new parking lot, and barrier-free access. The local authority received 16.8 million CZK in funding from the European Union for the project.
After decades of makeshift arrangements, the town of Blovice, with a population of around 4,000, will also have a modern municipal library. Approximately 30,000 volumes will be moved to the new building costing 15 million CZK by June next year, for which the local authority received 13 million CZK from the European Regional Operational Program. The space of the library, which is currently located in a building affected by dampness and mold, will more than double. "We have 600 readers, but far more visitors, and their number is steadily increasing," said director Drahomíra Seidlová.
The new building in Blovice will offer a reading room connected to a winter garden and a children’s section with three times more space than before. In the "relaxation area" and stairs to the gallery, visitors can read and listen to fairy tale readings. The library has been in the town for 130 years since the establishment of the literary society.