The construction of the Karlovy Vary Regional Library's depository has commenced

Karlovy Vary – In Karlovy Vary, the construction of a new depository for the regional library has begun. It will be built next to the main building and will cost 143 million crowns. The region has received a grant for the construction, which is expected to last 15 months, said the governor of the Karlovy Vary region, Jana Mračková Vildumetzová (ANO), to reporters today at the construction commencement.

"The tender process was prolonged because in the first round we announced the competition with a non-negotiable price, but in the end, no one applied. Therefore, we announced the second round with the anticipated price; however, only one company applied, and with a higher price," Mračková Vildumetzová stated. She added that the increase in price had to be approved by the councilors. The construction will be carried out by the company Metrostav.

The regional library has been located in the area of regional institutions for 15 years. According to the library director, Vratislav Emler, it is insufficient because the library must, by law, archive all magazines and publications released in the region.

"We took the annual average and calculated it in centimeters and meters to see how much space we actually need. With the new depository, we will last at least 20 years," Emler said.

According to the project by architect Miroslav Míka, the new building will be situated in the place of the current parking lot next to building C of the regional office. It will be connected to the library by a neck between the windows of the first and second floors of building C. The necks will be supported by pillars that will resemble the spines of books.

The first above-ground floor will house the technical facilities of the building, server room, air conditioning room, storage for periodicals, library and circulating collections, administrative spaces, and there will be a reading room for the public with a separate entrance.

The Karlovy Vary Regional Library is located in the former military dining hall, which underwent an expensive reconstruction in 2005. The library collection currently contains 369,876 library units, of which 127,383 are in open access. The annual increase is more than 12,000 library units. Over 250,000 people visited the library last year, borrowing 378,667 books and magazines.