How You Can Use the Library in 2023
From 1st January 2023, some points of the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library’s Terms of Use will be amended, on the basis of a decision of the Human Resources Committee of the General Assembly of Budapest No.139/2022 (XII. 13.). This document is currently being updated. Please check back later for an updated version.
Here is a summary of the changes:
The annual administration fee for the registration card will increase from HUF 200 to HUF 300. At the same time, the range of services available with a registration card will be limited to the basic services listed in the law on culture, i.e. visiting the Library, using the collection sections designated by the Library on the premises, using the catalogue and providing information about the services of the Library and about the library system. As of 1st January 2023, the library computers and WiFi can only be used by those who have a daily ticket or a library membership card with borrowing privileges.
Certain services and enrollment fees will rise by less than the inflation rate - by 10% on average, the price of daily ticket will increase from HUF 1,100 to HUF 1,500.
However, it is still free to become a member for young people aged under 16 years and persons over the age 70 years. We will continue to provide the previous membership discounts in 2023.
The fees for library visits for tourist purposes will also change from January 2023. The tourist ticket - for individual visitors without guidance - will cost 1.700 HUF. ( WiFi code is also available which is valid for that day and it makes possible to use internet system freely throughout the area of the library. ) The price of guided library tour in Hungarian will be HUF 1.700 per person, while the student and pensioner ticket will be available for 500 HUF. The price of the library tour in English shall be increased to HUF 2,500 per person.
The programs organized for student groups are still free of charge regardless of content and duration.
Late fees for all types of library materials, except for DVDs, will increase to HUF 65 (volume or piece/calendar day). However, MESZL will continue to send free email notifications before the expiry of the loan period for borrowed works, so our readers can avoid incurring a late fee, and they can even renew their borrowed documents online.
As a new convenience service - in addition to sending notifications before the expiry of loan - we will also introduce the sending of notification emails before the expiry of the library membership from 1st January 2023 (card expiry reminder notice).
We recommend that you check your contact email address on our website (login), so that you can enjoy the privileges of the services mentioned above.
The technical cost of copies of documents belonging to the museum collection for public use will be reduced from HUF 800/image to HUF 600/image.
We will continue to extend the number of MESZL branch libraries that provide the service of credit card payment, so as of January 2023, readers can now pay via POS terminals in 28 MESZL branch libraries. The list of our libraries providing the service of payment by credit card is available here.
For attending the needs of our readers, the opening hours of some of our branch libraries will also change from January 2023. The opening hours for 2023 can be found in Appendix 5 to the Terms of Use and on the website of our branch libraries.
The charges valid from 1st January 2023 are set out in Appendix 7 to the Terms of Use.
We wish all our users a happy and peaceful new year and look forward to welcoming you back in 2023!
Photo: MESZL