Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
Programs and Skolska
Thursday, October 4
This morning we attended a program presented by Jana Souflova, a fantasy illustrator and folk harpist. She talked to her audience about how she gets ideas for her drawings and played several pieces on her harp. Although the program was in Czech, we enjoyed the interactions with her audience which were middle school students. And, we didn't need to understand Czech to appreciate her harp playing. It was a treat! Although I don't know how to play, she let me sit down and strum her harp.
This morning we attended a program presented by Jana Souflova, a fantasy illustrator and folk harpist. She talked to her audience about how she gets ideas for her drawings and played several pieces on her harp. Although the program was in Czech, we enjoyed the interactions with her audience which were middle school students. And, we didn't need to understand Czech to appreciate her harp playing. It was a treat! Although I don't know how to play, she let me sit down and strum her harp.
We also visited the Skolska branch of MLP, which is located in Nove Mesto. Skolska was the first automated branch opened by MLP in 1999. There are approximately 67,000 items in the collection comprised of books, cds and cassettes. They do not have dvds in any of their libraries. Kathy and I spent some time talking to the district manager, Martina Dokladalova. Martina visited the Queens Library as part of the reciprocal staff exchange program last year. On Saturday, we'll attend more programs related to the week of Libraries here in Prague.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Knihovna, Lidi and Pivo
Tuesday, October 2
KD and I went to the Central Library and met with Dr. Marie Cadkolva, the head of the Central Library. She will be visiting the Queens Library next week along with Ms. Vera Vonavkova from the Marketing Department. Dr. Cadkova is looking forward to attending a basketball game at the Garden. This is their first trip to New York. I know they'll learn alot at Queens Library and enjoy NY, just as Kathy and I are learning about their library and enjoying Prague.
The Central Library building is located in the city center and not far from the "Staromestska" metro station. It was completed in 1928 and designed by the renowned Czech architect Frantisek Roith, who conceived it as a cultural institution with several lecture, concert and exhibition halls. At the time it was created, the building was one of the most modern in the world. From the 1970s, though, it ceased to meet the needs of a modern information insitution. Between 1996 and 1998 the City of Prague funded the reconstruction of the Central Library, allowing its services to undergo major changes. The building modifications have remained true to the original architectural and artistic character of the building.
The MLP system is made up of the Central Library, 48 branches and 3 bookmobiles. The Central Library and 21 branches are automated. Automating the branches is ongoing; three to four libraries are automated each year. The branches are divided into six districts. There is an annual fee of approximately $4.00 in the automated network and $2.00 in non-automated branches for Czech residents over 15 years old. Children do not pay an annual fee. If you are not a resident of the Czech Republic, you are required to pay a deposit of approximately $50.
After a fruitful day of visiting and touring the Central Library, We went to a Czech restaurant for dinner called Klub Architekt. Lined with our phrase and guide books, we managed to navigate through Old Town to find the place. We ended up sharing a table with an American couple on the way to Berlin to visit their son who lives there. They are from Cincinnati. She works at Northern Kentucky University and he is a clinical psychologist with a private practice. The food was very good and Kathy and I enjoyed our first taste of Czech beer-Pilsner Urquell. She likes light; I like dark. Beer is very cheap here. It's only about $1.30 for half a litre. A good time was had by all.
KD and I went to the Central Library and met with Dr. Marie Cadkolva, the head of the Central Library. She will be visiting the Queens Library next week along with Ms. Vera Vonavkova from the Marketing Department. Dr. Cadkova is looking forward to attending a basketball game at the Garden. This is their first trip to New York. I know they'll learn alot at Queens Library and enjoy NY, just as Kathy and I are learning about their library and enjoying Prague.
The Central Library building is located in the city center and not far from the "Staromestska" metro station. It was completed in 1928 and designed by the renowned Czech architect Frantisek Roith, who conceived it as a cultural institution with several lecture, concert and exhibition halls. At the time it was created, the building was one of the most modern in the world. From the 1970s, though, it ceased to meet the needs of a modern information insitution. Between 1996 and 1998 the City of Prague funded the reconstruction of the Central Library, allowing its services to undergo major changes. The building modifications have remained true to the original architectural and artistic character of the building.
The MLP system is made up of the Central Library, 48 branches and 3 bookmobiles. The Central Library and 21 branches are automated. Automating the branches is ongoing; three to four libraries are automated each year. The branches are divided into six districts. There is an annual fee of approximately $4.00 in the automated network and $2.00 in non-automated branches for Czech residents over 15 years old. Children do not pay an annual fee. If you are not a resident of the Czech Republic, you are required to pay a deposit of approximately $50.
After a fruitful day of visiting and touring the Central Library, We went to a Czech restaurant for dinner called Klub Architekt. Lined with our phrase and guide books, we managed to navigate through Old Town to find the place. We ended up sharing a table with an American couple on the way to Berlin to visit their son who lives there. They are from Cincinnati. She works at Northern Kentucky University and he is a clinical psychologist with a private practice. The food was very good and Kathy and I enjoyed our first taste of Czech beer-Pilsner Urquell. She likes light; I like dark. Beer is very cheap here. It's only about $1.30 for half a litre. A good time was had by all.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
The Adventure Begins....
Monday, October 1
KD and I are visiting the "city of a hundred spires," Prague. We are two librarians who had the good fortune to come to Prague as part of a cooperative exchange program between the Municipal Library of Prague (MLP) http://www.mlp.cz/ and Queens Library http://www.queenslibrary.org/. While we are visiting the Municipal Library of Prague and learning about international libraries and librarianship, two of our associates from the Municipal Library will be leaving for New York in a couple of days to visit the Queens Library.
We are staying in an apartment which belongs to the MLP. It's located around the corner from the Library and is in the region known as Stare Mesto, Old Town. Old Town is the heart of the city and its central square. We are right across the street from the post office and around the corner from the Metro station. We also have many shops and restaurants nearby. We could not ask for a better location.
After exchanging our U.S. Dollars for Czech Crowns, KD and I headed over to MLP to meet with the Manager of the Marketing Department who gave us our schedule for our two-week visit.
Stay tuned for more details.
KD and I are visiting the "city of a hundred spires," Prague. We are two librarians who had the good fortune to come to Prague as part of a cooperative exchange program between the Municipal Library of Prague (MLP) http://www.mlp.cz/ and Queens Library http://www.queenslibrary.org/. While we are visiting the Municipal Library of Prague and learning about international libraries and librarianship, two of our associates from the Municipal Library will be leaving for New York in a couple of days to visit the Queens Library.
We are staying in an apartment which belongs to the MLP. It's located around the corner from the Library and is in the region known as Stare Mesto, Old Town. Old Town is the heart of the city and its central square. We are right across the street from the post office and around the corner from the Metro station. We also have many shops and restaurants nearby. We could not ask for a better location.
After exchanging our U.S. Dollars for Czech Crowns, KD and I headed over to MLP to meet with the Manager of the Marketing Department who gave us our schedule for our two-week visit.
Stay tuned for more details.
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