Library

The library of the Central Slovak Gallery is the only public specialized library oriented toward the field of visual arts in the city of Banská Bystrica. The first library unit was registered in November 1959, less than three years after the gallery was established. The book collection provided art literature mainly for the study and scientific research tasks of the internal staff. Since 1994, it has been open to the public in the Bethlen House within the administrative part of the gallery building. Currently, it owns a rich collection of artist monographs, exhibition catalogs, professional periodic and non-periodic magazines, and theoretical literature in the field of Slovak and foreign art. The gallery library serves scientific research purposes as well as all those interested in visual arts and the field of art education.

The library has undergone a renovation, during which it was also expanded by a new space – the social library. It offers a selection of books that will please not only the professional reader but also beginners who want to learn more about art. Readers can expect a selection of the best books from the current spectrum of professional and popular science literature in the field of contemporary art and art education for children and adults. The social library contains numerous titles focused on graphics, art history, monographs of Slovak and foreign artists, aesthetics, museum pedagogy, and other professional categories. The complete offer is also available through the online database of the library information system DAWINCI on the website ssgbb.dawinci.sk. Literature is provided for both on-site use and borrowing.

What sets our library apart from other types of libraries is an extensive selection of more than 5,400 catalogs from exhibitions and professional events that took place in Slovakia and abroad. Since catalogs are published in limited quantities, most of them are available only in gallery libraries. These catalogs represent a unique source of knowledge and inspiration for artists, as well as the professional and general public.