“A library is an enchanted land, a palace with delights, a shelter in which you can take cover against the storms. The rich and the poor can both take advantage of this,” said Sir John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury, more than a century ago. It is one of the most beautiful characterizations that anyone has made to the library, that magical land in which, as Nicolae Dabija said, “the world is on the shelf”.
We will also enter this paradise, and today we will take a tour of the neighborhood libraries in District 1 of the Capital.
A few months ago I talked about the “Mihail Sadoveanu” Library, the one that is also the headquarters of the Metropolitan Library of Bucharest. Beside this institution with an impressive story, there are six other neighborhood libraries operating in District 1, which are just waiting to be discovered.
„Dimitrie Bolintineanu” Library
On Bucureștii Noi Boulevard, at number 105, the Library “Dimitrie Bolintineanu” operates.
The institution benefits from a generous space of 292 square meters, which allows it to make available to the readers a loan room with free access to bookshelf for adults, a loan room with free access to bookshelf for children (Toy library), a multifunctional reading room with a capacity of 40 seats, fitted with the necessary equipment for the development of cultural programs, a press room, five computers for the public, multifunctional printer, scanner, video projector, etc.
The library “Dimitrie Bolintineanu” has over 34,000 documents in its collection: books, albums, encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc. It also has a diverse range of games.
“Cezar Petrescu” Library
In the same district of Bucharest, on Calea Griviței, at number 192, the Library “Cezar Petrescu” operates.
The space of this library is less generous, but the institution offers its readers a collection of more than 12,000 documents, which anyone can consult in the reading room or borrow them.
“Marin Preda” Library
“Marin Preda” library is located on Știrbei Voda Street, at number 168. The branch has an area of 155 square meters and is equipped with a loan room with free access to bookshelf for adults, a loan room with free access to bookshelf for children (Toy library), a multifunctional reading room with a capacity of 12 seats, fitted with the necessary equipment to carry out cultural programs. It also has a press room, five computers for the public and a multifunctional printer, scanner, video projector.
The collection of this institution consists of over 30,000 library documents, from all fields of knowledge (books, dictionaries, albums, encyclopedias, CDs, DVDs, etc.).
„Ioan Slavici” Library
Very close to Aviatorilor Square, on Radu Beller Street, at number 26, we find the “Ioan Slavici” Library.
In the space of only 100 square meters, we find a reading room with free access to bookshelf, three computers for the public and a collection of over 22,000 library documents.
For this institution, the collection of books in English, French and books for language learning for parents, children and adolescents (English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Chinese) is impressive.
„Petre Ispirescu” Library
And the “Petre Ispirescu” Library is waiting to be discovered by book lovers. The branch is located on Făurei 1 Street, on the ground floor of a block and has an area of only 73 square meters.
In this intimate space, the readers have access to a loan room with free access to bookshelf, to a multifunctional reading room with a capacity of 6 seats, fitted with the necessary equipment to carry out cultural, educational and social programs, two computers. They also have the opportunity to consult a collection of over 12,000 library documents.
In District 1, the Library “Ion Creangă” also operates, a branch of which I have already written extensively in another article.
Neighborhood libraries are part of the everyday landscape of Bucharest, being institutions that succeed, through the free services they provide to those who access them, to invigorate the social life in the Capital.
Author: Ștefania Enache
Photo: Corina Gheorghe
