Janotta's villa in Opava was opened after a year's reconstruction

Opava - After a year of reconstruction, the library of the Silesian Regional Museum in Janottova Villa was reopened today in Opava. The repairs cost approximately 20 million crowns. Thanks to them, the library acquired, for example, new shelves. The number of books offered has also increased, and readers no longer face long waiting times. The museum's spokesperson Romana Talačová informed ČTK about this.
     Janottova Villa closed in December 2011. During the subsequent reconstruction, craftsmen replaced windows and doors, restored some historical elements, entry doors, stained glass windows, and skylights. "A unique wooden ceiling was also restored, discovered only during the construction work," the spokesperson listed part of the work.
     According to her, the façade of the building was also renovated. At the same time, new repositories were built. The museum's library collections, which were previously housed in several different buildings, moved there. "I am very pleased that we can offer researchers quality library services while also protecting our rare prints in modern equipped repositories," said Antonín Šimčík, director of the Silesian Regional Museum, to ČTK. A new feature is also the barrier-free entrance and elevator.
     The collection of books at the Silesian Regional Museum has been one of the most important parts of the museum since 1814. Currently, it contains not only a regular book collection but also a unique collection of works related to Silesia. "The collection of so-called Silesiaca is completely unique among libraries in the Czech Republic and, due to its composition and content, covers the entire historical area of Silesia," explained the director.
     According to him, the collection of regional newspapers, from the early 19th century to the present, is also unique. All works in the collections can be read by interested parties in the library's reading room. However, the management is already building an electronic catalog, available on the museum's website. "This should allow interested individuals to navigate and search through our extensive collection," added the library manager Jitka Štěrbová.