History

In January the door of the new library building on 1a Muzejski trg opened for public. All the departments in Celje town area were joined in one building and most of the loan units became available in open access.

All the departments and services of the Library that previously operated on Muzejski trg were moved to a temporary location on 7 Mariborska in Celje.
Along with the Department of Studies and the Department of Local Studies the Operations division of the Library (management, purchasing and processing, advisory, development, technical support, etc.) was moved, as well. Less topical collections were moved to Historical Archives of Celje depots.

Construction works on Muzejski trg started. The bought neighboring building was demolished which was followed by a year of archaeological researches and, finally, the foundations of the future object were laid.

This year was marked with a selection of the design for a new library building on Muzejski trg. A public contest was opened and ten architectural bureaus participated.
In the end a project designed by a group of architecture students and their professors was selected.

Opening of a new library unit in Vojnik. Following a thorough reconstruction of existing building on 5 Prušnikova, the library unit was moved there.

Beginning of the new “Books on wheels” (“Knjižnica na obisku”) project. It was performed as a part of Adults and Youth Department for users that could not attend library themselves due to illness, old age or other reasons.

50th anniversary of the Department of Studies was celebrated.
The Department’s facilities were thoroughly renovated for the occasion as well as other facilities on Muzejski trg. New concept of Vladimir Levstik memorial room was devised, turning it into a central event space of the Library.
Jože Zimšek, at time the mayor of Celje, held a solemnity speech in which he promised the Library would be given a new building in the near future.

Automated loan was started.
The first department to start the automated loan was the Department of Studies, the biggest department of library, so all effort was put into entering its units into digital database.
By the end of 1999 all departments and units of Celje Osrednja knjižnica were fully automa

U3A started with first courses in spring as a part of the Library. What started as a single class meeting (Local Studies) has become the biggest and most important set of classes, workshops and events for seniors in Celje.

Celje Osrednja knjižnica joined COBISS bibliographic system.
The first to join were the libraries in Slovenian regional capitals that kept a tradition of departments of studies and large collections of non-fiction units.
The first procedures to become automated in Celje were purchasing and processing department.

In spring, Edvard Kardelj Library was renamed to Celje Osrednja knjižnica.
A catastrophic flood followed in autumn which destroyed lower facilities of departments on Muzejski trg, covered the floor of Children’s and Marxist Literature departments, and completely desolated Gaberje unit quarter which later never reopened.

Children’s Department on Gledališki trg was moved into new and bigger facilities. A department of Marxist literature was moved to old facilities of Children’s Department.

Osrednja knjižnica was renamed into Edvard Kardelj Library following the death of ideologist of socialistic self-management Edvard Kardelj in February that year.

Two new departments were formed as a part of joined library: Marxist Library and Local Studies Department.
The first was formed on the initiative of different socio-political organization, while the Local Studies Department rose from the long tradition of researching in Celje’s library and a desire to focus more on tradition and history of the local region.

»Mestna ljudska knjižnica« unites with Department of Studies into »Celje Osrednja knjižnica«. The decision was made on referendum by workers of both libraries at the end of December 1973. This resulted in becoming one of the largest libraries in Slovenia with collective stock of 223.000 book units, among which 135.000 units were contributed by Department of Studies.

Department of Studies moves into new building – “Stara Grofija” extension at Muzejski trg.
Engineer Ms. Cveta Sadar, architect Mr. Jure Sadar and their coworkers made a detailed construction plan project in design bureau GIP INGRAD, after which they built a new library building between 1964 and 1967.” (Janko Orožen, Oris sodobne zgodovine Celja in okolice, 1980, page 470)

Pioneer library gets new facilities at 4 Gledališki trg and unites with »Mestna ljudska knjižnica«.
»In a new building, oposite the square, Pioneer library, which used to be in Ćuprijska street (Razlagova street today), is placed.« (Janko Orožen, Oris sodobne zgodovine Celja in okolice, 1980, page 469)

“Mestna knjižnica” moves to new building at today’s Gledališki trg in September.
Library becomes on of the the rare in Slovenia, where readers had “free access” to units.
“From 1954 to 1962 library operated in former South Styria savings bank facilities on 13 Cankarjeva street. In 1962 it moved to new facilities on Šlanderjev trg, next to the theatre.”
(Janko Orožen, Oris sodobne zgodovine Celja in okolice, 1980, page 469)

Department for Studies, limited in space, expanded its capacities with a reading room.
Book stock increases to almost 20.000 units, room shortage becomes intolerable, therefore reading room with 18 seats, which mainly serves as a loan desk, is neccessary.

Department of Studies is opened in Celje. They started working on the ground floor of »Stara grofija« on Muzejski trg.
»Celje was, besides Maribor and Novo mesto, among the first three centers in which Ministry of Education of LRS on March 1, 1946 established district study libraries.«
(Janko Orožen, Oris sodobne zgodovine Celja in okolice, 1980, page 471)

»Mestna knjižnica Celje« becomes livelier during summer.
»As soon as Ms. Vera Levstik, mathematics and physics teacher who supplied library with free books before war, returned from exile, she collected, with help of trade unions and freelancers, 1.810 books for free.«
(Janko Orožen, Oris sodobne zgodovine Celja in okolice, 1980, page 468)

»Mestna knjižnica«, a symbol of Slovenian national identity, becomes a victim by occupying forces.
»Beautiful pre-war »Mestna knjižnica«, which used to have facilities on Šlander Square, was completely demolished byoccupying forces; they formed their own library on Glavni trg.
(Janko Orožen, Oris sodobne zgodovine Celja in okolice, 1980, page 468)

»Javna mestna knjižnica Celje« emerges from social heritage.
»On March 3, »Javna mestna knjižnica Celje« opens, which is on the ground floor of The Town Hall. Library, which is being constantly replenished, has 2.000 units in Slovenian, Serbo-Croatian and German language.«

»Društvena knjižnica čitalnice« in Narodni dom opens for common use. »Čitalniška knjižnica« was opened for common use this Sunday. They expressed great desire for books already on the first day. If there is a demand, all neccessary steps will be made to offer every Slovenian a chance to read Slovenian books.«
(Domovina, December 7, 1906)

»Narodna čitalnica v Celju« – triumph of Slovenian national consciousness.
»February 16 was written into chronicle of ancient and triumphant city of Celje with golden letters. Namely, on this day »Celje reading society« was opened. We were long looking forward to this day, when new moral strength of Styria Slovenians gets recognised and developed.«
(Novice, June 26, 1862, A letter from Celje)

First Slovenian reading society in town by the river Savinja.
»On January 1, some folks established Slovenian reading club, which stopped its activity after half a year. All the newspapers and books were given to Celje grammar school pupils.«
(Ignac Orožen, Celska kronika, 1854, page 222)

Beginnings of Slovenian reading culture in Celje.
»On February 15, clergy from Celje parish founded Slovenian library for Celje region. For this library, which already has 440 books, Slovenian youth of this parish collected at first appeal 67 goldinars and 21 silver krajcars.«
(Ignac Orožen, Celska kronika, 1854, page 200)