The NK librarians acquainted the prime minister, mayor of Prague, and the culture and education ministers with their opinion in a letter in January already. Culture Minister Vaclav Jehlicka (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said after a government meeting on Wednesday that the project of a new NK building by Czech-born English architect Jan Kaplicky, that has become to be known as a blob or an octopus, will not be built at Prague-Letna. Jehlicka said there is no plot for the library at Letna, that the whole thing has been an adventure and that there is no money for the implementation of Czech deputy PM wants to support new NK building construction ...
Culture Ministry lacks money for Kaplicky's library - minister ... Kaplicky's design that won an international competition last year. Jehlicka said on Wednesday Klementinum could be reconstructed for the NK needs and that the current depository could be completed in Prague-Hostivar. NK director Vlastimil Jezek and the Union of Librarians and Information Workers have, however, rejected both variants as insufficient. Novakova told that Kaplicky's design that the public rather knows from the exterior would be equipped with a unique library system. The speed with which books could reach readers in the new building has been applauded abroad and NK representatives have been invited to a world meeting of national libraries and asked, along with only two other institutions, to present a paper on the theme of a new library building, Novakova said. Edinburgh, Scotland, has already shown interest in Kaplicky's design. Kaplicky said previously some other Czech towns are interested in it as well. If the library does not start to be built by next March, Kaplicky may build it anywhere else under the competition rules. About 2.5 million books are deposited in Klementinum and another 4 million in the depository in Hostivar, while about 80,000 to 100,000 volumes are added annually. The share of books available within hours of placing an order has been constantly decreasing.
Books deposited outside Klementinum are available within days. The librarians say if Klementinum were to offer decent conditions to readers and researchers, it would have to be radically rebuilt which is not possible since Klementinum is a national landmark. The NK management also rejects a possible expansion of the library spaces underground, citing the 2002 devastating floods. Klementinum is located close to the Vltava River. The NK management would like Klementinum to only keep the historical book stocks whose extent does not require radical changes in the building.
(Ceske Noviny)
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