Architect Eva Heyworth is striving for the position of Director of the National Library

Prague - The selection committee today recommended the candidate for the head of the National Library to Minister of Culture Jiří Besser (for TOP 09). They selected from four individuals, with two advancing to the second round. The nine-member committee reached a clear conclusion and chose one name. The Ministry of Culture does not want to disclose who it is yet. Committee members have signed a confidentiality agreement. The minister wants to study everything first and will decide in the following days; the committee's recommendation is not binding. This was reported to ČTK by the ministry spokesman Stanislav Brunclík.
According to information from ČTK, the four candidates include former head of the Department of Libraries at the Ministry of Culture Blanka Koubová, former secretary of the Union of Czech Booksellers and Publishers and current editor-in-chief of the Grand Biblio magazine Jaroslav Císař, former general director and member of the board of the Ringier publishing house Tomáš Böhm, and architect Eva Heyworth. The current director Pavel Hazuka did not apply.
"The Minister of Culture has requested some time for detailed familiarization with the course of the selection process, given his responsibilities in the government and parliament; his final decision is expected in the coming days," said Brunclík.
The selection committee was interested in the candidates' views on the reconstruction of the baroque Klementinum building and the construction of depositories in Hostivař. Those interested in leading the library were also required to present a proposal for the library's development and financing plan until 2016.
Recently, the minister sent auditors to the library, and a forensic audit was later complemented by an internal ministry review. The results of the inspection have not yet been published by the ministry.
The National Library is undergoing an expensive renovation of its building. Together with the construction of the Hostivař depositories, the work is estimated to cost three billion crowns. However, according to some media, the library's management has not yet demonstrated that it has a comprehensive budget prepared for the reconstruction.