An Academic Library for the General Public
The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts has recently opened a library, which is now accessible to the general public, with holdings of important books and periodicals, many of them even several centuries old.
The recently opened university and scientific library at the School of Philosophy, ranked second in Croatia in terms of the number of volumes in its holdings, has just been joined by another new library which has opened its doors to the general public – the library of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The Academy library holds 400,000 valuable books and periodicals, spanning a period from the 15th century to contemporaneous works. It is housed on the premises of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts which were hitherto used for other purposes. The Academy building was designed by famous architect Hermann Bollė, the name behind many magnificent buildings in Zagreb, including the famous Mirogoj cemetery.
Besides holding valuable written volumes, the library premises are decorated with some beautiful pieces of art. Its surface covers 4,500 square meters and includes a multi-purpose lecture hall. The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts will soon open a museum dedicated to Croatian Nobel Prize winners Lavoslav Ružička and Vladimir Prelog.