The fate of the Library is closely tied to the town history. They say how quickly the then town representative addressed the challenges of that time, how they were trying to boost the cultural and social aspects of life here, how deliberately they were focusing their attention to spread education and enlightenment.
The Library Code was one of the first legislative norms in the newly created Czechoslovak Republic. It has to be said about the then Town Council credit, the town “fathers” started to deliberate this legislative norm as soon as of July 22, 1919. They have decided to put aside 60 Hellers (0.6 Crown) for every resident from the town budget, and establish and build a public library in foreseeable time. This decision, after intensive preparation for a library construction, allowed the Town Council to put together 37 153 Czechoslovak Crowns in less than six years. Thanks to this forthcoming stand of the Town Council, the Town Library Committee was able to solemnly unveil the Town Public Library in the new T. G. Masaryk State Townsmen School (the Pierre de Coubertin Grammar School today) in autumn 1925. As we can learn from the archive records, the Town Library was happily growing; the number of readers and borrowed books was rising quickly. The Library was moved several times to larger and more suitable premises. From the T. G. Masaryk Grammar School it was moved to the newly built Town Council building (The City Hall today). Later it went to the former Klenoty shop at the Freedom Plaza (Námestie slobody), then to Spa Hall (Kursalon) as the County Public Library in 1951. In 1954m, it is moving to the former Slávia Hotel at the present Winter Street. When in 1960 Piešťany ceased to be the County seat, the Library was renamed into the Town Public Library.
The April 7, 1988 became a memorable day for Piešťany. On this day, the Piešťany readers and all library service users received grandiose gift – the new Town Library in Školská Street. Ing. arch. Bohuslav Pernecký and Ing. arch. Marianna Bogyová were the project authors.
We can frame the Library history in few facts – in 1925, at the Library beginnings, the number of registered books was 550 per 10 000 Piešťany residents; in 2005, when the Library disseminates information and education on varied media, 91 780 library units is registered for 30 463 town inhabitants.
The Piešťany Town Library is equipped with modern technologies strengthened by forthcoming librarians. The Library offers to its visitors complex service in pleasant environment – traditional library service, audio-visual equipment, modern information technologies as well as the chance to participate at numerous cultural and social events, exhibitions, lectures, seminars, discussions, and all what belongs to a modern library opened for everyone.
The Internet Centre is part of specialised information service, along with Computer Room for Handicapped and Socially Deprived Citizens and the Piešťany Information Centre at 2 Pribinova Street. With the aid of various electronic databases and classical information materials, the visitor receives the requested information about literature, culture, arts, science, technologies as well as regional tourist information.
Unprecedented development of the so called mass culture is the cause for the (lack of) reading habits, especially with the children. That is why the Library concentrates its efforts mainly at the young readers, from their really early age, to form and strengthen their reading habits. The Week of Slovak Libraries, The Week of Reading Aloud, The Days of Children Books, The Wandering Library, the radio festival Miraculous Nut, encounters with the Slovak and foreign authors and many other events belong to the most important activities organised by the Library.
The goal of all mentioned activities is to create a positive relationship of children and youth to the books, to guide them to active way to spend their free time, and motivate them through such activities to become able to recognise and differentiate worthy literature and culture.
The past and present serve as a proof, the town representatives support cultural life here, and they support the Library activities and as well as its development. We are sure - a book despite of various modern media stays intimate friend and trustee to every educated person even in this third millennium.
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