Městská knihovna Jihlava

History of building at 1 Hluboka street

The Library building is the youngest part of the Baroque building complex, and originally it was a jewish grammar school which was opened in 1727. After the closures of the Jewish college, seminary and grammar school in 1773, the school became the property of the government, and in the middle of the 19th century there began a notable reconstruction of the entire complex.
In the third floor, during the reconstruction, there was a temporary "theatre hall" where now is the childrens department of the town library.
In 1740 there was shown the first opera in Jihlava. In 1890 the grammar school was moved, and the empty building was bought by the town for the accomodation of soldiers.
This was followed by a period where the building was used for various purposes. It served as an apartment house, music school, family and girls school, town police station, and town archive.
It is worth mentioning the event in the year 1935, when the house number 49 on Jihlava square was bought by the firm Baťa. In 1925 there had been discovered renaissance frescoes. It was decided to preserve them, and move them to the former grammar school, into the then music hall. This action was surely, without doubt, a unique matter. During this action, 29 square metres of valuable frescoes, which originally covered "mazhaus" of Jihlavas pharmacy "U Svaté Anny", which was located in number 49, were rescued.
Careful restoration of the frescoes was done during the latest reconstruction of the building in Hluboka street, in 2003. During the second world war, the town library was temporarily located in the building. Afterwards there was here, for a short time, an archive, school for womens vocations, students hostel, and from 1950 there was regional office of national safety, which left the building in 1960. From 1961, the building became, for nearly forty years, location of state district archive in Jihlava.
In 2002 the reconstruction of the building for the purposes of the town library began. A lot of building as well as preservation works were done. The purpose of the reconstruction was to preserve as much of the original construction as possible, and at the same time, upgrade the building for the functions of a modern library.
On the 1st of october 2003, the newly reconstructed building was opened for the first visitors.

History

  • 1700 - 1705 - founded as a Jesuit college with one room given over for use as a library.

  • 1760 - became an intermediary school library.

  • 1871 - Association Beseda jihlavská with associated library founded.

  • 1885 - founded as a German public library.

  • 1894 - Beseda House built. The library which was later renamed "The Czech public library" was located in this house.

  • 1919 - Library law, Czech public library comes under municipal control (paid librarian).

  • 1921 - moved to Divadelni street, librarian St. Rambousek.

  • 1922 - the library started regular activity.

  • 1932 - printed "Book list of Public town library" by St. Rambousek.

  • 1945 - the library moved to Masaryk Square 64. Director Fr. Augusta.

  • 1951 - becomes regional library.

  • 1960 - becomes district library.

  • 1964 - extensive alterations to the building.

  • 1970 - opened branch office in Kollarova street.

  • 1971 - began free self selection of books in adult department.

  • 1986 - extensive electrical reconstruction, free self selection of books in social sciences department.

  • 1989 - opened branch office Březinova.

  • 1994 - becomes town library, the building was returned to Order of Premonstrats in Strahov.

  • 1996 - introduced automatic system in the town library.

  • 1997 - new equipment, online catalogue, automatic lending process in childrens department.

  • 1998 - public reading room introduced, automatization of social science department, childrens study department modernised.

  • 1999 - automatization of adult reading department, internet for users in the social science department, the music department was introduced.

  • 2000 - internet in the children department, automatization of branch office Březinova, audio department for the visually impaired introduced into the reading room.

  • 2001 - internet for the visually impaired in the reading room of Jihlava town library.

  • 2002 - internet for users in branch offices Březinova and Kollarova.

  • 2003 - the Library is moved to new renovated building at 1 Hluboka street. Service begins on the 1st October 2003

  • 2004 - branch office Gustav Mahler's House

  • 2005 - Library introduces new automated system CLAVIUS. Branch offices Bedřichov and Březinova go online
  • 2006 - opening of the permanent exhibition in Gustav Mahler's House
  • 2007 - new website presentation of the library
  • 2008 - on 30th June library finished the running of Gustav Mahler's House (transferred under the administration of the Town Hall Jihlava)
  • 2009 - installation of voice beacons to facilitate orientation for visually impaired and blind users
  • 2010 - Library is on Facebook, WiFi is made available in the study room
  • 2011 - new online catalog www Carmen, started lending eReaders, thematic boxes and audiobooks, temporary closure of the Horní Kosov branch office (from 16th May)
  • 2012 - news - reading areas with armchairs, baby changing table and vending machine. On 2nd April we opened Bibliobox. Year-round closure of the Horní Kosov branch office

  • 2013 - playroom for the youngest visitors – smartkatalog for mobile devices - lending of board games - the opening of a new branch at S.K. Neumanna 22 street

  • 2014 - adaptation of the children's department - lending of e-books

  • 2015 - lending reading glasses -  board games club DESKNI TO! - Library Trolleybus "Such a journey with a good book!"

  • 2016 - the library has an account on Instagram - MyID validation place  - a new service FriendlyVox for the visually impaired

  • 2017 - Umbrella lending - Newsletter Čteník (Reader) - Chess and SpongeMob

  • 2018 - New library system Tritius - relocation and new interior equipment of Brezinova branch - modernization of children's department - launch of e-book lending
  • 2019 - extension of the premises of the Horní Kosov branch - repair of the roof on the main building (start of repairs in October 2018)
  • 2020 - interior equipment of  Horní Kosov branch - completion of the roof repair - book booth - closing of the library due to the covid-19 pandemic - library channel on the YouTube 
  • 2021 - library closed due to the continuing covid-19 pandemic - contactless dispensing and dispensing windows - library boxes at the Březinova and Horní Kosov branches
  • 2022 - installation of a security gate in the borrowing hall (RFID technology) - RFID coding of the fund of educational literature for adults - payment terminals in all locations - bibliobox at the Bedřichov branch
  • 2023 - installation of a self-service borrowing system (selfcheck) - RFID coding of the fiction fund for adults - Lego BOOST (teaching robots suitable for teaching programming in the children's department) - RFID handheld assistant
  • 2024 - RFID coding of the fund at the Březinova branch - planning the establishment of a department for teenagers (Teens club)