The Municipal Library of Bekes County is situated in Békéscsaba close to Szent István Square. In the vicinity Csabagyöngye Cultural Centre, Kisliget (Small Grove) along the Élővíz Canal, the Industrial Company Headquarters of Békéscsaba and the House of Slovak Culture can be found.
Visitors can enter the library two through two motion sensor doors. The main entrance can be found in Kiss Ernő Street, the other one is on the opposite side, opposite the Csabagyöngye Cultural Centre. Ramps and handrails make the building more easily accessible at both entrances. There is a parking meter zone in Kiss Ernő Street opposite the main entrance. There are also parking spaces dedicated for persons with reduced mobility.
Stroll in the Library
Ground floor
The ground floor hallway is a popular public space. Visitors can leave their coats and bags in the cloakroom.
Visitors can find the latest newspapers in the ground floor area. The hallway regularly houses temporary exhibitions.
Visitors can use computers for a charge. Free wifi is available for those who would like to use their own devices.
At the staircase, in the middle of the corridor, a motion sensor door leads to the instruction room / computer room and the digital laboratory. It is worth spending some time in the Library Buffet. There are toilets on both ends of the corridor next to the entrances.
- Registration desk
Documents on loan can be returned and renewed at the ground floor registration desk. Registration for library membership also takes place there. At the registration desk people can use office services, buy books and ask for information.
- Lending area
The lending area can be found opposite the registration desk. The collection on loan is divided into different subject groups: non-fiction, fiction, foreign language collection and cartoons. The latest issues of periodicals and magazines can be found on the Kiss Ernő Street side. Library members can use the computers of the lending area for searching the library catalogue and databases. At the back of the lending area a corner for teenagers has been created.
- Békés Europe Direct Information Centre
As a member of the Europe Direct network the information centre is funded by the European Commission and supervised by the Hungarian Representation of the European Commission. The Békés County Library has been its host institution since 1998.
The most important objective of the centre is to provide local citizens with information about EU-related matters like questions on the EU's history, institutions, legislation, policies, rights and opportunities. People can ask for tailor-made information on everyday topics such as work, education, funding opportunities or travel.
- Teens' stairs
The stairs are accessible from the lending area and it is equipped with comfortable seats, mobile charging facility as well as books, magazines and cartoons. The comfortable snug provides a perfect place for both recreation and work in small groups.
- Old Building: Auditorium, Lipták Room
The old building of the library is accessible through the lending area and it is the venue of different kinds of events. Next to the auditorium there is a smaller room named after Lipták Pál, the founder of the library. It houses smaller programmes like workshops.
- Digilabor
It is one of the first library makerspaces in Hungary, which is suitable for robotics, 3D printing, bookbinding, board games, handcraft - and many more creative workshops. The room houses individual and small-group activities. It is suitable space for experimenting, learning and, at the same time, traditional library documents (books, periodicals) are also available there.
- Instruction Room/Computer Room
The room seats 15 people. It is equipped with laptops, a digital projector and an interactive whiteboard. It can be hired and also provides place for library events.
1st Floor
Visitors can get to the 1st floor climbing one of the two stairs or using the lift. The reading-room and the music section can be found on the Kiss Ernő Street side. There is the children's library in the middle of the floor. Opposite the children's library offices of the library staff can be found. The compact stacks and the collection management department open off the row of offices. The 1st floor hall houses a permanent exhibition on library history but temporary exhibitions are also often displayed there.
- Reading-Room, Music Section, Békés Collection, Collection of Old Books and Manuscripts
The Music Section, the Békés Collection and the Collection of Old Books and Manuscripts can be found in the reading-room. The collection of the reading room (books, maps, periodicals, microfilms, CD-ROMs) can be used on site. CDs, vinyls, DVDs, music sheets, video tapes, books on music can be borrowed from the collection of the music section. Library members can read periodicals and magazines on music and movies on the premises. Békés Collection is a strictly protected stock and it can only be used in the reading room. The Collection of Old Books and Manuscripts is made up of unique issues dating back to 1851 or before. In the Movie Room library members can watch films, listen to music or play Xbox games.
- Children's Library
Children under the age of 14 can be members of the children's library. Exciting books, magazines and CDs are available for them. The youngest library members can play, draw, do puzzles or read flipbooks in the playing corner. Slide shows, exhibitions and events promoting reading are regularly organized for children. Children who are members of the children's library are allowed to use the computers free of charge.
- Branch Libraries
In addition to the services provided in the central building, we are also available in four other buildings in the Békéscsaba. Books and periodicals are available for members of the branch libraries in Gerla, Jamina, Lencsési and Mezőmegyer. The programmes organized in the branch libraries provide opportunity for people to meet and spend some time together.
- Digikomp
The e-pavilion is an outdoor digital library that can be carried to anywhere and its equipment is compatible with that of the Digilabor. With the Digikomp the library can be also present on not easily accessible places like outdoor festivals, beaches, outdoor campaigns and performances.