Collections
Vojta Náprstek began to build the library systematically after his return from the United States in 1858. It was open to everyone and also to the American Ladies’ Club. Náprstek’s friends, leading Czech scientists, politicians, writers and travellers, used to meet in the reading room, which has survived in its original form to this day, at the so-called parties, often associated with professional lectures.
Náprstek’s library contains not only books and magazines, but also other collections, such as an extensive collection of photographs and stereoscopic images, scrapbooks, exlibris, posters, etc. This historical library does no longer accept new titles and contains around 60,000 books from various disciplines and genres, published in many languages until about 1950.
In addition to this library, researchers are welcome to use a specialised section containing publications and periodicals on non-European nations (ethnography, archaeology, history, geography, art, etc.).
The third, so-called compatriot library, is a unique one, housing prints (monographs, periodicals, calendars) of Czechs and Slovaks abroad. It was founded by Vojta Náprstek and is still accepting new arrivals mainly thanks to donations from compatriots.
Opening hours
Wednesday – Orders dispatched until 4 p.m.
Tydlitátová Michaela, PhDr.
Head of Department, Deputy DirectorE-mail: michaela.tydlitatova@nm.cz
Phone: 224 497 513
Chotětická Markéta, Bc.
Research Support, Archival SearchesE-mail: marketa.choteticka@nm.cz
Phone: 224 497 514
Šmahelová Ywette, Mgr.
International Exchange of Publications, Compatriot PeriodicalsE-mail: ywette.smahelova@nm.cz
Phone: 224 497 514
Kotrlý Karel, Mgr.
Catalogisation of MonographsE-mail: karel.kotrly@nm.cz
Phone: 224 497 515
Honzáková Forštová Lucie
Periodicals Processing, Zbraslav RepositoryE-mail: lucie.forstova@nm.cz
Phone: 224 497 515
Pešatová Šárka
Circulation and Information ServicesE-mail: sarka.pesatova@nm.cz
Phone: 224 497 514