Tomáš Foltýn
Early Baroque period:
Carlo Lurago, Francesco Lurago, Giovanni Domenico Orsi;
High Baroque period:
Giovanni Antonio Lurago, František Maxmilian Kaňka, Kilian Ignatz Dientzenhofer
1924-1955:
Ladislav Machoň
1777 based on merging of older college libraries (the oldest one dating back to 1360)
The National Library of the Czech Republic collects and manages extensive historical and modern book collections. Its autonomous part is the Slavic Library, which focuses on Slavic literature. Historical collections are available to the public in digitised form on the Manuscriptorium portal, while modern collections are available in the National Digital Library.
The National Library of the Czech Republic serves as the national coordinating centre of the Czech library system and is also a research institution. Its headquarters is the former Jesuit college Klementinum, the depository and some specialist departments are located in Hostivař.
From 11–13 March 2026, Prague hosted a joint forum of Czech and Slovak central libraries and professional associations at the National Library of the Czech Republic in the Clementinum. The forum reaffirmed the importance of long-term Czech-Slovak collaboration and highlighted the key role of libraries in a rapidly evolving information environment.
