On the streets of Lviv since ancient times, epics, lyrics, and drama have been intertwined. Local intelligentsia, writers, public figures and scientists, fascinated by books, took an ambitious goal of defending the national idea of Ukrainian identity.
Lviv libraries still preserve the unique spirit of cultural creators. A leisurely walk through the city will inspire you to visit the "house of life" to enjoy reading a wide variety of literature. So in this article, we offer a list of very cosy and popular libraries in Lviv.
Scientific library of Ivan Franko Lviv National University
The scientific library of Franko University is the oldest book collection in Ukraine and was founded in 1608 as a Jesuit school library.
The library's uniqueness lies not only in its antiques and books but also in the fabulous medieval interior of the building, which attracts many creative people.
Now it is an educational university library, which is also engaged in research of written monuments dating back to the 12th-13th centuries.
The library has books written on parchment and rice paper, which are updated thanks to the thorough work of the library's scientific restoration department.
The library collection consists of rare handwritten and printed books, the total number of which reaches two hundred thousand units, which have the status of national property of Ukraine.
The funds include books from the personal libraries of Hetman Ivan Mazepa, French Cardinal Mazarin, and even French King Louis XV.
The visitor has the opportunity not only to be fascinated by the incredible ceiling of the reading room but also to enter the "book museum" to trace the evolution of book printing through the library's collection of unique copies.
The Credo of the university library is to replace the philosophical understanding of libraries so that the purpose of their functioning is to provide society with all the necessary and relevant things that the modern reader needs.
At the beginning of 1900, Ivan Franko was a regular visitor to the library. The writer constantly occupied a place in the reading room near the window and admired the botanical garden nearby.
In the years when Franko had health problems, he continued to create a separate study of the library, where students helped him read books.
Famous visitors to the library were also: poet Bohdan-Ihor Antonych, director and playwright Les Kurbas, and outstanding historian and politician Mykhailo Hrushevskyi.
Address: 5 Drahomanova St.
Library of Lviv Center for Urban History
For researchers of Lviv's historical authenticity, there is no better way to find information than a visit to the research centre — the Library of the Center for Urban History of Central-Eastern Europe.
This library has been operating since 2007 and actively promotes the development of research on the urban history of Central-Eastern Europe and Lviv, developing international cooperation with related national and foreign scientific institutions.
The library's assets include numerous publications on the history of the city of Lviv, collected in a separate section of publications. The book collection includes books on the history of Central-Eastern Europe of the 19th and 20th centuries, modern studies of urban history, Jewish heritage, gender and museum studies, and unique stories from the everyday life of Lviv residents.
A characteristic feature of the library is a convenient electronic catalogue of the book fund, which can be viewed online and read the list of library publications. The online catalogue has a search engine, and you can find the necessary information from the books by keywords.
In addition, the library has a fund of digitized audio files and video materials on the history of the cities of Central and Eastern Europe, which are part of the "City Media Archive" of the Center for Urban History.
Therefore, in the library, the reader can find up-to-date book materials, periodicals and photocopies because the library is regularly supplemented with new arrivals.
Address: 6 Bohomoltsa St.
Read also: Booksellers and antiques in Lviv
Read also: Old books and antiques in Lviv
The first Lviv media library at the Lesia Ukrainka Central City Library
The fund of the first Lviv media library combines collections of the latest editions, e-books, audio and video materials, and interactive space. The media library was created in 2014 at the Lviv Centralized Library for Adults initiative.
The basis was the organization of the Wroclaw Reading Space, which inspired Lviv residents to create a media library in Lviv. In addition, this is the first media library in Ukraine.
The main goal is to provide opportunities and space for proactive Lviv residents to implement their projects because only in this way can stereotypes about the existence of libraries be changed.
The most popular library is among young people. There are quite a few children whose attention is drawn to computers and the game console in the reading room.
There are also seniors. By the way, free computer literacy courses are organized for them here. According to employees, visitors often come to the library just to read.
The library has three halls for visitors, where readers can work freely and implement their ideas. The funds are stored in the media hall. In addition, the media library has sufficient digital equipment and initiates cultural events and presentations.
A feature of the library is the Gravita room, which is a workshop where exhibitions, workshops and art master classes often take place.
There is also a cinema hall that functions as a home cinema.
Address: 2a Muliarska St.
Wiki library — branch #25 of the Centralized library system for adults in Lviv
The new state-of-the-art Wiki library has been operating since 2019 based on the updated branch library for adults #25. It is a meeting place, a place of creativity, active reading and learning.
The Wiki media library combines a cosy and comfortable reading room; there are discussions, lectures and discussions on various topics.
The main goals of the Wiki library are to interpret the basic concepts of Wikipedia as an open encyclopedia where everyone can contribute to the modernization of articles.
Such ambitious ideas are relevant for changing stereotypical ideas about the library as a collection of books.
Instead, the library offers an open space for everyone, everyone can become an active participant in the creation and improvement of the space itself. Children and adults visit the library.
In addition, the Wiki library is an informal "headquarters" of Wikipedians, who help update Ukrainian publications on Wikipedia.
On their initiative, regular meetings and discussions of current topics of modernization of the encyclopedia in the Ukrainian language are held.
The new interactive library popularizes the involvement of young people in scientific research and provides open access to knowledge.
The priority directions of work of the Wiki library are the promotion of reading, learning and development of the Lviv community.
Address: 58 Chervonoi Kalyny Ave.
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Lviv Regional Library for Children
Because the library for children was created in 1940, its visitors are a whole generation of readers.
Even in Soviet times, when libraries were a centre for spreading party ideology, they always tried to teach young readers something good, which remains a good tradition in children's libraries.
The library brings together many children from the entire Lviv region. Seniors who bring their grandchildren and say that they were once readers of the library.
Many visitors are convinced that the library for children has a unique atmosphere in which it is pleasant to stay for hours. The regional children's library combines traditional book culture with the latest technologies.
The children's reading room is equipped with computers; there is also an opportunity to take their portable devices, listen to library audio discs and reread e-books.
The fund of the children's library includes 150,000 documents — books, and periodicals.
This library is the dominant children's library in the region and the methodical centre of the city of Lviv. Library methodologists regularly conduct training, seminars, and advanced training courses in librarianship.
The educational and cognitive function of the library for children consists of traditional methods of providing visitors with information, improving the skills of its use and critical thinking.
The training also teaches media literacy and skills for working with information on the Internet.
Address: 1 Vynnychenka St.
