State Scientific Library in Košice

The State Scientific Library in Košice, a universal scientific library accessible to the widest public, is a cultural, information and educational institution focusing on library, bibliographic, scientific, research, cultural and educational as well as editorial activities. It offers free access to information and supports lifelong education. It works as a loan and information centre and also provides inter-library loan services; co-ordinates the orders of periodicals for other libraries in Eastern Slovakia; and participates in the design and development of the Cumulative Catalogue of the Slovak Republic.

The library's mining, metallurgy, applied geology and related ecology collections are unique in the country, as are its Romano databases dedicated to the Roma minority and Romany culture. In1995 it opened a Study Room of Old Prints. In order to protect its historical stock, the Library set up a Restoration Unit in 1996.

The library houses the Information Office of the Council of Europe, the German Reading Room of the Goethe-Institut, an InfoUSA centre and a regional education centre. It is the regional centre of standards, companies' literature and patent literature and the largest work place for regional bibliography in the region.

Since 1993 the State Scientific Library has offered barrierless access to enable handicapped users in wheelchairs to enter the main building.