About us

The Library of the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences provides public library and information services concerning philosophy and related disciplines in the humanities.

Three highly specialised smaller libraries of the Institute's scientific departments are autonomous parts of the Library - Library of Comenius Studies, Library of the Centre for Medieval Studies and Library of the Centre for Theoretical Studies.

The rich and diverse collection of the Library, built up systematically since 1954, corresponds to research focus of the Institute (current issues of contemporary philosophy, the history of European and Czech philosophical thought, classical and medieval studies). It includes more than 63 000 field-relevant library items and is one of the most important collections of philosophical literature in the Czech Republic, despite the great losses caused by the flood in 2002.

In addition to printed publications, electronic sources of information (licensed and freely available full-text, bibliographic and citation databases, digital libraries and archives, e-books, e-journals) are also integrated among the information sources and services provided by the Library.

The main aim of the Library is to give an information support to the reserchers of the Institute, but it is also open to all those interested in philosophy from the professional and wider public.