Frequently asked questions

The library is located at three addresses in the center of the Old Town. The Section of Fiction and Foreign Language Literature can be found a short distance from the Main Square on Laurinská Street No. 5. The Department of Professional Literature together with the Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired is located on Klariská 16. Around the corner, on Kapucínska 1–3, right next to the tram stop, you can find the Department of Children’s and Youth Literature, the Department of Music and Art Literature, and the Artotéka Gallery.

See details , including public transport connections and information on barrier-free accessibility.

You can visit the library and use a large part of its services even without registration.

The library is normally open every business day from 8:00 to 19:00.

An exception is the Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired with the following opening hours: Monday, Friday: closed Tuesday, Wednesday: 8:00 – 16:00 Thursday: 11:00 – 19:00

The summer reading room is located on Michalská 26 and you can enter it through the entrance near the Michael’s Tower. If you are coming from Hurban Square and take Michalská Street towards the Michael’s Tower, the entrance is located on your left side, close to the historic pharmacy U červeného raka. If you are coming from the crossroads of Michalská, Baštová and Zámočnícka under the Michael’s Tower, the entrance is on your right. The entrance is marked by a sign with the name of the reading room. Go through the building’s vestibule to the stairs that will take you down to the reading room.

Watch a short VIDEO ↗ capturing the route to the reading room.

The summer reading room U červeného raka is closed during the season 2022.

The summer reading room is open during the summer months from May to September. It is open from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 19:00 and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 18:00.

You can register at the library in person or online.

When registering in person at any library location, you will fill out a registration form and pay the annual fee. Payment is possible in cash and by card. At registration, you will receive an account for using the online catalog and a membership card to identify yourself when visiting the library in person.

You can register online via Library registration e-form on the page How to register at the library or via the Online catalog ↗ .

Click the Log in button at the top right, and then click New user registration. After filling in and sending your personal details, you will receive an email with further information. After paying the registration fee, you will get access to the online catalog. You can pick up your membership card at the library on your first personal visit.

If you qualify for a discount or free registration, you must provide a valid confirmation document at registration. Children under the age of 15 can only register at the library with the written consent of their legal guardian.

Regardless of which library section you register at, registration entitles you to use all sections and services of the library.

An exception is the services of the Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which are intended for people with disabilities. To use these services, you must provide a medical certificate.

Also, holders of a children’s membership card can only borrow literature for children and teens.

Yes, you can use the library services if you are registered at one of the following libraries:

• Local Library Karlova Ves
• Local Library Záhorská Bystrica
• Istracentrum – Local Library Devínska Nová Ves
• Local Library Vajnory
• Local Library Vrakuňa
• Local Library Ruda Morica in Stupava

For a free registration at the City Library in Bratislava, it is necessary to bring a confirmation of payment of the current annual membership fee at a partner library.

Children under the age of 15, persons qualified to use the services of the Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired and recipients of benefits in material need can register free of charge.

Children under the age of 15 need the consent of a legal guardian, expressed by the signature on the registration form.

Even without registration, you can spend time in the library, read, or access public Wi-Fi. You can attend events and use musical instruments.

If you want to spend time in a study room or use computers with internet access, you must pay a symbolic fee of €1 per day.

A valid ISIC card allows you to obtain a discounted membership – student registration at the library costs €2.80 per year. By registering, you get access to all the services that the library offers. You can then use your ISIC card as a library card.

You can sign in to your reader’s account through the online library catalog ↗ . You can click the Online catalog button at the top right of this website, or click Services and the Online Catalog subpage in the menu. You can also enter the address www.opac.mestskakniznica.sk ↗ directly into the search engine.

In the online catalog, click on the Log in link at the top right. Enter the number of your library card (a combination of letters and numbers) and password. The original password that you use when signing in for the first time is your last name with all diacritical marks. Afterwards, for security reasons, we recommend that you change your password as soon as possible.

If you have already changed your password but cannot remember it, click the Forgotten Password button. We’ll send a link to change your password to your email.

If you want to extend the time you can loan the books for, you can do so in person at the library, but also remotely through the online catalog ↗ .

After logging in to your account, select the book loans you want to extend in the list of loaned titles and press the Extend titles button.

You can extend the loan period only for those documents for which the loan period has not yet expired and you have not received an overdue notice.

Information on all documents that you can borrow from the library is available in the online catalog. ↗

Through the catalog, you can search for the desired documents according to various criteria. After entering the criteria in the form, the catalog will show you the documents that the library offers based on the selected criteria.

For example, you can search for books by author, title, or language. We also recommend searching by a specific phrase. You can also search by specific library section by selecting a location or by a specific document type by selecting it from the list under the library name.

To borrow documents from the library and take them home is possible only after registration. You can register at the library remotely via the online catalog ↗ , via the online registration form on the page How to register at the library or in person at any library location.

After registering and paying the membership fee, there are several ways you can loan the desired book/magazine/vinyl record/board game/audiobook/sheet music:

• in person at the library section where the document is physically available,
• by ordering it in the online catalog and picking it up in person,
• for people with disabilities or over the age of 65, by ordering a bicycle delivery to your address.

If the desired document is currently on loan, you can reserve it in the online catalog, which will add you to the waiting list. When ordering and reserving documents, follow the instructions you receive by email.

First, sign in to the library’s online catalog ↗ . There are three lines in the search form in the catalog with pre-set search criteria – Author, Title, and Keyword. Click on the menu of one of them and select the eReadingcz criteria. If you select this criterion, all records that are available (also) as an e-book will be displayed. The combination of eReading AND Title AND Author works well when searching by multiple criteria.

Next to the selected book in the catalog, click Borrow e-book. After pressing the button, a notification of a successful loan will be displayed and you will also receive an email confirming the loan. You can find the e-book in your eReading application.

E-books from the EBSCO database and e-magazines from the PressReader database can not be searched for directly in the catalog. You can search for and download the desired title through the application of the specific database.

You can return loaned documents in person during opening hours at all library locations. It is not necessary to return the books to the library section you borrowed them from.

You can also use our book boxes, which are open 24/7. You can find them in front of the library on Laurinská 5 and on the facade of the library on Kapucínska 3. You can put in the book boxes books borrowed from any section of the library.

Authorized users can also use the option to return books through bicycle delivery. You can order the service by phone or email; books for return must be packed in one package.

Each borrowed title has a date indicating when its license expires. After that, the book will be automatically deleted from the account.

If you have already borrowed the maximum possible number of titles at that moment, another e-book can be borrowed on that particular account only when one of the active licenses expires.

If you can’t find what you need, let us know. Write to us and tell us which book you would appreciate to see in the library’s offer. The library takes your wishes and tips into account when buying new books.

If you find the desired book in another Slovak library, you can use the interlibrary loan service . Through the City Library in Bratislava, you can borrow titles from any library in Slovakia.

If the book you are interested in is offered by the library but is on loan, you can use the reservation option in the online catalog. This will add you to the waiting list for the title, and you will be notified by email when it becomes available again.

Yes, the library provides a wide selection of popular and popular science magazines and newspapers. The selection varies according to library sections – on Kapucínska, you can find mainly magazines for children and teens and periodicals focused on various types of art; on Klariská, you can choose magazines from various fields of social sciences. On Laurinská, you can also find foreign press.

The Summer Reading Room U Červeného Raka offers daily newspapers and magazines. Thousands of foreign magazines are available in electronic form in the PressReader database.

Complete information on where a particular magazine is located can be found in the online catalog ↗ . When searching, you need to select the Periodicals category and select a specific location.

You can study magazines in the library or borrow them to take home.

Don’t be shy and contact the library. You can replace the lost book with an adequate title or pay a fine upon agreement. The fine varies depending on the library section from which the lost book comes from – see the price list of fines for details.

Orders in all library sections are processed continuously every business day.

You should receive an email notification no later than the second business day after placing the order that your request has been processed and the document is ready to be picked up.

With reservation, you express your interest in a specific title from the library, which is currently on loan.

As soon as the title returns to the library, the next person interested in borrowing the title will receive an email about its availability.

The reserved title can be picked up during the next 5 business days; after this time it will be available for the next person on the waiting list.

You can order or reserve the desired book by phone or in person when visiting any section of the library.

Yes, orders and reservations are free of charge if you have a valid library membership.

You can have an unlimited number of books ordered or reserved at a time.

However, when making and picking up orders, keep in mind that the maximum number of titles that can be loaned at a time is 20.

The service is intended for people with severe disabilities or over the age of 65.

It can be used by registered users of the City Library in Bratislava with a delivery address within Bratislava.

You can order books via the online form at the page Bicykle delivery or on the telephone number 02/54 43 13 16 .

You can make orders from the Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired on the number 02/20 30 10 24 .

You can choose the books you want in the online catalog ↗ or we will be happy to assist you at the listed contacts. We will inform you when your order is ready.

The loan period is 1 month and starts the day before the delivery.

You can extend your loan period via the online catalog, by email or by phone.

You can return the books in person at the library, to the book boxes or through the bicycle courier, who will pick up the read books during delivery.

Since the service can be used only once a month, we recommend that you schedule a new loan and the return of the books for the same day.

When ordering, please let us know the approximate number of books that the courier will be taking back to the library. Returned books must be prepared for transport in one easy-to-handle package.

The library provides the service free of charge for registered users of the City Library in Bratislava - for people over the age of 65 or people with severe disabilities.

Yes, you can print your own materials in A3 and A4 formats at any library location. You can email the documents you need to print to a specific location or bring them on your own storage device. Printing is charged according to the price list .

At the library, you can copy and scan documents that come exclusively from your own sources or from the library’s sources.

Unfortunately, the library is equipped with printers designed primarily for printing on standard weight paper. Special materials and creative papers cannot be used for printing in the library.

The amount of printed material is not limited. If you want to print an above-standard amount, please contact the Bookbinding workshop .

When using the printing service, do not forget to take into account the printing fee according to the price list .

The printing service is offered by the libraries on Klariská, Kapucínska, and Laurinská. Printers are part of the standard equipment in study rooms; further information can be provided by the staff of each library section. For a larger or specialized order, use the services of the Bookbinding workshop .

In the workshop, you can only print documents that you will also have bound there. For more information about printing documents, visit the subpage Printing .

You can place an order in person on Klariská 16 or online via the contact form .

In the workshop, you can print documents in A4 format and bind documents in A4 and A5 formats.

The speed of order processing depends on the specific requirements and agreement. For master’s theses, the turnaround time is also taken into account when calculating the price. It is possible to have them made in 3, 2 or 1 day, or expressly, from 5 to 2 hours. You can specify the turnaround time requirement directly in the order.

You can request library research and provide all the information that the library needs to complete it via:

• the online form ,
• fill it out in person at the study room of the Department of Professional Literature (Klariská 16, 2nd floor),
• arrange it by phone on 02/20301023 ,
• or send it by e-mail to studovna.odborna@mestskakniznica.sk .

It takes about a week to complete the research. The research time varies depending on the current number of requests.

Yes, after receiving the email about the completion of the research, a fee must be paid.

The basic fee is €2 + €0.05 for each record found.

Payment is possible in cash or by card directly at the library; payment by bank transfer must be agreed upon on the phone number 02/20301025 .

You can have the research sent to you by e-mail or pick it up in printed form. Printing is charged at €0.10/page.

Play a musical instrument in the library or listen to vinyl records. Take advantage of free internet access. Experience discussions, readers, concerts or theater. Play or borrow board games. Visit an exhibition at the Artotéka Gallery. Use theater and film technology or one of the library spaces for your own project. Create and develop yourself through lectures, workshops and courses. Get your documents bound in our bookbinding workshop. Focus on your studies or just relax, for example, in the middle of the greenery in the summer reading room.

And don’t forget that in addition to books, you can also find a number of magazines, newspapers, e-books and music scores in the library!

The library offers cultural and educational events for various age and interest groups. They will introduce you to the world of literature, but also other arts and current social topics. You can experience readers, meetings with authors, discussions and lectures, exhibitions, concerts, theater performances, reading clubs, courses, workshops and creative workshops.

See the current program of events .

Library events are free of charge for everyone.

In exceptional cases, some events may be charged symbolically, while information on the amount of admission can be found in the description of the event.

All fees connected to the library services can be paid in person; in cash or by card. If needed, it is possible to pay remotely by bank transfer to the library’s bank account upon agreement.

If you need to extend the loan period of books, you can do so in the online catalog ↗ . If necessary, you can also contact the library by phone or email.

If you are over the age of 65 or have a severe disability, you can use the free bicycle delivery service to borrow and return books.

You can also register at the library online via the online catalog.

If you need to arrange something else and you are in quarantine or have another serious reason why you cannot visit the library in person, contact the library and we will agree on the best course of action.

Custom-made services for the visually impaired are offered by the Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired . You can take advantage of the offer of audio books, compensatory aids, or board games. The department regularly organizes lectures, cinema, and eye yoga exercises.

On Laurinská and Kapucínska, it is also possible to use special magnifying glasses, which make reading easier by enlarging the letters, increasing the contrast, etc.

Registration at the Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired is free of charge, but the right to use its services must be proved by a medical certificate.

The department has barrier-free access (by elevator) and is also equipped with a sound beacon. For loans, you can also use the free bicycle delivery service .

Many of the library services are also available remotely – you can register via online form and order or reserve books through the online catalog ↗ . You can also use the free bicycle delivery service .

Except for the Summer Reading Room U Červeného Raka, the entire library has barrier-free access.

As part of the Communication Without Barriers ↗ project, the library provides the possibility of interpreting from and into Slovak sign language and transcribing spoken language in real time.

Learn more HERE ↗ .

The Library suspends receiving donations until the end of 2024. Starting in January, it will be possible to bring donations again to delight other readers and support the library. Thank you for all contributions to date, which will soon appear on the lending shelves or in the "Prečítané" (the permanent antique bookshop).

You can contact the library via the contact form and during opening hours also by phone or email.

If your questions concern a loan, please contact primarily the section from which you borrowed or want to borrow books. General questions or those for which you can’t determine a suitable recipient, you can address to info@mestskakniznica.sk .

Public Wi-Fi is available free of charge, which you can connect to at all library locations, including the Summer Reading Room U Červeného Raka.

If you are interested in accessing the internet through one of the devices in the library, this service is available free of charge after registration. If you do not have a valid library registration, you can use the internet for a symbolic fee of €1/day.

Although the library team has different language skills, you will definitely be able to communicate in English and you will have no problem using the library services.

No, neither is necessary. For registration at the library, any personal identification document is sufficient, with which it is possible to clearly identify you – for example, your ID or passport.

The library contains books in dozens of different languages. Apart from Slovak and Czech, the books that make up the largest part are in English, German, Hungarian, French, Spanish and Russian. The widest selection of foreign language literature can be found on Laurinská 5.

To organize your own events, you can rent selected spaces of the library: the Summer Reading Room U Červeného Raka (Michalská 26), Under the Library (Klariská 16), Artotéka Gallery (Kapucínska 3), the Creative Room (Kapucínska 3), and the Music Studio (Kapucínska 1).

The spaces differ in equipment, size and capacity; the parameters of all options, including the price list, can be found on the Rent a space subpage.

Yes, in addition to study rooms designed for individual work and study, you can use selected rooms for group work. Book the Music Studio or Creative Room, which offer internet access and the possibility of projection. You can arrange the room to work at tables or as a lecture hall. In the Creative Room, you can also use basic film and theater equipment.

Yes, you can find basic tools and equipment for filming, making videos or performances, and playing a musical instrument in the library. You can use them on site; they cannot be loaned to take home. Basic equipment for sound, lighting, recording, or streaming is offered by the Creative Room on Kapucínska 3.

In the Music Studio on Kapucínska 1, a digital piano and an electric guitar are available. Book them using the form for a specific day and time and get a space for creative collaboration.