<p>Construction of a new library for 226 million began today in Prague's Petřiny.</p>

Prague - The construction of a new branch of the Municipal Library of Prague (MKP) began today with the laying of the foundation stone in the Petřiny district of Prague. The branch is being built by a consortium of companies Subterra and Chládek & Tintěra. The library, which will cost a total of 226 million crowns to build, is expected to open to readers in the autumn of 2023. This was stated today by representatives of the Prague magistrate, the city district of Prague 6, the construction companies, and MKP director Tomáš Řehák.

"In the history of the capital city of Prague, there have been four buildings constructed with the intention of housing a library. This (the Petřiny branch) will be the fifth. Here we will show how we envision a library for the 21st century," said Řehák. He added that most branches currently operate in buildings that were originally constructed for other purposes. They were often built as kindergartens and gradually converted into libraries, which, according to Řehák, brings certain limitations for libraries.

Among the services offered at the new MKP branch in Petřiny will be, for example, the ability for people to return or borrow books through self-service devices without the assistance of a librarian, even outside the branch's opening hours. The branch will also function as a cultural and community center, which, according to Řehák, is currently lacking in Petřiny. Similar sentiments were expressed by the city's councilor Hana Třeštíková (Prague Sobě), who oversees culture and tourism in the capital, and the mayor of Prague 6 Ondřej Kolář (TOP 09).

The new branch will replace the original library building on Mahulenina Street. The library was located in a former kindergarten building. The new branch will be wheelchair accessible and will have one underground and four above-ground floors. The building will include, among other things, a hall for about 60 people, which will host film screenings, concerts, and lectures. There will be spaces for so-called coworking and for meetings of civic interest groups. The building will also feature a terrace and a garden for outdoor seating.

The new building is being constructed according to the design by architects from the Monom studio, who also prepared the interior design for the branch. The project documentation was prepared by the Siebert + Talaš office, and the building is being constructed by the consortium of companies Subterra and Chládek & Tintěra. Construction work is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023. In the following months, the interior spaces will be arranged. Thus, the library is expected to open to visitors in the autumn of 2023. The construction and equipment of the library is expected to cost a total of 226 million CZK from the MKP budget, said library spokesperson Lenka Hanzlíková.

The existing branch in Petřiny was established in the 1950s along with the Petřiny housing estate. Despite a major renovation at the beginning of the 1990s, the technical condition of the building no longer met requirements, along with the size and layout of the building, according to Hanzlíková. The plan for the construction of the library had already been developed earlier. In 2016, architects created a project that received zoning approval. A building permit was issued in mid-2021. The original Petřiny branch closed in October 2021 due to the planned construction of the new building and was subsequently demolished.