Mohelnice has a new city library, which, along with the equipment, cost 80 million

Mohelnice – Mohelnice in the Šumperk area has a new municipal library, which was built by construction workers over the course of about three years and cost approximately 80 million crowns. The barrier-free building is located on the former parking lot by the town hall, providing comfortable facilities for a thousand clients and featuring a lecture hall for 110 people, representatives of the town hall and the library told ČTK. The original library was closed from October 10 due to the relocation of 30,000 books and equipment.

According to the mayor of Mohelnice, Pavel Kuba, the construction of the library began in 2021. The work was complicated by the withdrawal of the construction company that won the contract, and factors such as the war in Ukraine, as well as the rising costs of building materials and construction work, played a role. "It is a completely new building next to the town hall, situated on the site of the original buildings in the city center that were demolished in the 1970s. For fifty years, there was a parking lot here," Mayor Kuba told ČTK today.

According to him, the first studies for the library date back to 2014, initially considering that a place for an archive and a library would be created here. After the archive was successfully relocated to other premises, a path opened for the establishment of a standalone library. The project was worked on by architect Aleš Burian and his team, who have revitalized the Mohelnice square and adjacent streets in the city center. "The main reasons for building the new library were accessibility, as the previous library was located in small premises that did not allow for its development, and also the rent in a building that did not belong to the city," the mayor added.

According to the head of the library, Hana Haltmarová, the difference in libraries is significant, emphasizing its accessibility. "We previously operated on the first floor without an elevator, and we had shared lending services. The difference is now really big – on the first floor, there will be a lending service for adults, and the children's department will be on the second floor. We will also have a lecture hall available on the ground floor, allowing us to host larger events and collaborate with other organizations in the city. Our scope will expand," she told ČTK today, highlighting that the library has 1,100 registered readers.

According to her, the relocation of the original library to new premises was quite challenging, involving athletes, children, and four inmates from the Olomouc remand prison. "Thanks to these helpers, it was possible to relocate the book collection, which includes nearly 30,000 books," Haltmarová added.

The costs for the construction of the library amount to approximately 73 million crowns, while the furnishing with atypical furniture cost an additional 12 million crowns, according to the mayor. The city received a grant of 40 million crowns from the Ministry of Culture for the construction of the library, and the Olomouc region contributed 405,000 crowns for the furnishings. Readers will now have access to an integrated book drop-off, where they can return books outside of library opening hours, and there is also a self-service device installed for returning and borrowing books.