Kroměříž Public Library, part one

This morning we boarded the bus at the unnatural hour of six o'clock for a four-hour ride to the city of Kroměříž in the Zlin Region, southeast of Prague near the Slovakian border. They have been having a lot of rain and flood warnings here, but we were lucky to have a sunny, warm day.


Our first stop was the public library. Established in 1897, the central branch took possession of its current building 12 years ago, in an old cinema hall.


The city of Kroměříž has a population of about 30,000, and the library has about 8,000 registered members with 25 employees and 130,000 items in the collection.


The library serves also as an education center, offering classes in computers, parenting, children's literacy, and Czech language for foreigners (there is a Vietnamese immigration population here).

They also offer a "3rd Age University" for seniors, which is four semesters in subjects such as art, history, and literature, and has 65 students.


The library is also a clue (answer? treasure? I'm not sure of the terminology) for geocaching.


They have a fantastic children's department, and do a lot of great programs for children of all reading levels and interests (Miss Mary, I have some ideas for you!).


Hunger Games was just released here in Czech language!

In 2005 the library won an award for best library in the Czech Republic.