The history of our library goes back to 1908, when a delegation, lead by Pál Sándor member of parliament, asked mayor Dr. István Bárczy to raise a building in the working class area of the 5th District (today the 13th District) that ensures unemployed can get jobs through an employment center and also has space for a public lunchroom, kitchen, library and other public welfare establishments. The “Népház” (Public House) was built on 12-14 Vág street and was opened on 24th April 1911. The staff of Metropolitan Library organized the services on the 2nd floor of the building (reading area for 66 people and separate lending area) as per the criteria created by Ervin Szabó. Here you could find books for adults and children, although children could only use them locally at that time.
The library, after attaching it to the Metropolitan network and reorganized as the Library 7 of the MESZL, was ready to reopen with fictional and scientific literature on 2nd August 1919, but the change of power pushed the ceremony to 13th of August.
From this point on, the library transformed into a public library, with fluctuating traffic, book supply, quality content, surviving the following historical disruptions.
Since 1925, the children have been able to borrow books, too.
In 1946 the library was moved from the 2nd floor to the ground floor. Originally this was a workroom, not fit for library functions. The popular reading area had to be neglected, as well.
After the formation of the District Councils, in 1950 the Metropolitan Library network was decentralized. Library 7 got under the supervision of the 13th District Council as Library 1. The professional and methodological control still remained with MESZL.
In the 50s multiple borrowing stations opened up, which were taken over by the growing number of employee, trade-union and school libraries. In the meantime the book stock of the library increased in number. To stop the overcrowding, first they separated the children’s section in 1962 (Váci street - Library 3). At the same time the free-shelf borrowing was introduced.
Secondly, in 1964 they opened Library 7/1 (40 Pannónia street). At this time 40% of books was scientific, 60% fictional literature.
In 1966 the building of Library 3 was demolished, so the books were returned to Vág street. From here they were moved into the new building of the children’s library (Bulcsú street) in 1967, which was unfortunately already too small for the children and the books alike.
In 1971 the library moved to the corner building next door, into 83 Pannónia street (then László Rajk street), where the Library XIII/2 of MESZL currently is.
The 70s passed with constant battling for space and the long wait for the new building to be finished on Gogol street.
Instead - unfortunately not in a central spot - the new place was appointed in Dagály street.
On 28th May 1982 the Dagály street Library (MESZL XIII/8) was opened.
The two-floored library was on a 1000 m2 area, containing adult, children’s and musical libraries, folklore and geography sections and an exhibition room, becoming the Main Library of the 13th District of the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library.
The capital city gave 24,5 million forints for execution and furnishing.
For the opening ceremony Tamás Péli made a painting, which decorates the inside staircase to this day.
The core book stock is the books of the old Library 7 and the collection of the libraries to be set up by MESZL. The library was one of the most up-to-date libraries, with well-trained librarians, precise catalog and modern furniture.
The registered readers fluctuated between 3800 and 6000 members.
The 80s were filled with colorful events, according to the guest books.
Since the 80s newer and newer types of documents were integrated into the library stock, drawing in a wider variety of people (from 1982 audio discs, audio tapes, slide strips, from 1988 CDs, from 1991 video tapes, from 1996 CD-ROMs, from 2001 DVDs).
In 1995, after a reorganization of MESZL, the library became the center of the North Pest region.
In 1998, we acquired our first computers which at first gave access to the Internet.
In 1999, the library was renovated on the inside. At the same time the music library on the first floor was terminated, instead an audiovisual lending area was created on the ground floor. After the renovations, we were the first to have computerized catalog and borrowing, thanks to the integrated library software, TextLib.
In 2000, with the decrease of region (from 6 to 4) the regional center function was ended, but we remained the North Pest region’s branch library.
In 2002, the library was registered in the National Document Supply System (ODR). We expanded the number of accessible documents with locality info and document delivery between libraries.
In August 2003, the books were searchable through the internet in the MESZL central catalog.
In May 2004, the next major event happened in the library’s history. We joined the MESZL integrated software (Corvina), this way our readers could check the catalog on the internet with the borrowing data, and they had the opportunity to extend the due date from their homes.
Used literature: Csép Attiláné: A félévszázados angyalföldi könyvtár, a 7. sz. könyvtár története. Bp, 1970.) /Attiláné Csép: The half-century-old Angyalföld library/
* (Hanvai Sándor: A székesfővárosi V. kerületi Népház Klny. a Társadalmi Múzeum Értesítője 3. sz. 3. p. Bp. 1911.) /Sándor Hanvai: The ublic House of the 5th District of the capital city/
Registration for natural and legal persons:
free of charge / 12 months
Administration fee of registration reader card:
HUF 400 / 12 months
Daily card: HUF 1650 / day
Borrowing privileges in one library:
HUF 5400 / 12 months
HUF 4100 / 6 months
HUF 3000 / 3 months
Establishment of membership for using all branches simultaneously:
HUF 10000 / 12 months
HUF 7700 / 6 months
Discounts