Information on the services of the Library and the library system - it is a basic service that is available with registration card in any of the branch libraries. Not only the own services of the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library are available for readers to acquire the necessary information but they are informed about the possibilities which are provided by other libraries to reach their goals.

The Library develops an electronic catalog of the whole library holdings and part of the electronic documents related to the holdings which is available in the library system and on the internet. This catalog is freely available for anyone without library membership both in the library system and on the internet.

Basic service available with a registration card in any of the branch libraries. All library visitors have to accept and observe Terms of Use of the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library.

Subscribed databases can be used only by patrons with a valid library membership (with daily ticket and reader's card authorizing for borrowing) on the computers provided by the library or on own devices using WiFi.

The computers of the Library may be used only by patrons with a valid library membership (with registration card, daily ticket, reader's card authorizing for borrowing). Patrons may not use the internet service in the Library for business purpose and illegal actions, nor may they disturb or hamper the work of others. Should the librarian perceive such an occurence,  Terms of Use in V.2. point takes effect. If the user saves the identifiers necessary for Internet use while using world wide web through library computers and so he/she gives chance for misuse, the Library does not take the responsibility, it cannot be impeached.

Broadband internet connection (Wifi usage) for indefinite time is provided  in the Central Library and other designated libraries, during opening hours, with own device for readers with library memberships or a daily library card, and also for people purchasing tourist tickets to the Central Library, available for the duration of their stay. 

The list of libraries providing this service can be found here. 

Documents sought by the patron - and on loan or under delivery to branch libraries - may be reserved having paid the fee of notification and procedure in person in the branch libraries and on the web-based catalog of the Library after login. The reserved document is monitored by the Library until the date required by the library patron, or for two months at most. If the reserved document arrives, the patron will be notified in email or on telephone. The document is held by the Library for 8 calendar days after notification, the reservation will be nullified thereafter. The reservations will be satisfied by the Library in the sequence of requests.

The fee of the service:
HUF 300 / volume

The charge of utilization of the service is contained in the list of rates and Appendix #7  of Terms of Use.

The Library delivers documents to be loaned to the home of users bound temporarily or permanently for home stay;  if necessary,  player devices are also delivered. The list of branch libraries providing the services is in here.

The term of loan – except for success books and reserved works – can be renewed twice before the due date, until the end of the term of the library membership at most in person, by telephone, in email in opening hours of the library or via the Library’s website in 24 hours (non-stop). On his/her renewal through the website the library patron gets a message on the interface and, in case he/she has given his/her email address, a feedback in email as well.

For 1 week; maximum 3 items

For 2 weeks; maximum 6 titles (items).

For 1 week; maximum 6 titles (items). Persons with serious impairments are allowed to borrow max. 2 titles without paying a fee.

The fee of the service:
HUF 300 / disc / week

The fees are contained in the chart of rates (see Appendix #7).

The Library allows people with grave impairments to borrow a CD player and casette-recorder for playing certain types of documents. A playing device can be borrowed only together with the document (CD, cassette). Upon receipt of the device a contract of device loan is concluded between borrower and library for each cycle of loan (see Appendix #8/1). g) The borrower acknowledges the fact of borrowing by signing the receipt in the branch libraries.

The self-service loan system in operation in the Central Library prints voucher of the issued or returned documents which is valid without signing. The user must ascertain the fact of return and preserve the voucher.

For 3 months; maximum 4 pieces.

The fee of the service:
HUF 450 / piece / 3 months

The fees are contained in the chart of rates (see Appendix #7).

For 4 weeks max. 8 titles (items). With a child reader card, aged 0 to 10 years, only documents belonging to the stock of the children's library may be borrowed.

For 4 weeks, max. 6 titles with library membership card after paying admission fee (membership fee).  Persons with serious impairments are allowed to borrow max 2 titles with the player device. 

For two weeks; maximum 10 pieces can be borrowed.

For 4 weeks; maximum 6 titles can be borrowed.

For 4 weeks; max. 10 titles can be borrowed with library membership card authorizing to borrow, after paying membership fee. They can be renewed twice if they are not reserved and validity of the reader's card is not due.

For 4 weeks, max. 2 packs can be borrowed. Persons with serious impairments are allowed to borrow max 2 titles without paying a fee.

The fee of the service:
HUF 500 / pack / 4 weeks

The fees are contained in the chart of rates (see Appendix #7; Terms of Use).

For 2 weeks; max. 2 titles. The loan period of bestsellers is not renewable.

For 1 week; maximum 3 titles.

For 1 week, max. 6 titles. Persons with serious impairments are allowed to borrow max 2 titles with the player device without paying a fee.

The fee of the service:
HUF 200 / disc / week

The fees are contained in the chart of rates (see Appendix #7; Terms of Use).

For 1 week, max. 6 titles. The fees are contained in the chart of rates (see Appendix #7; Terms of Use).

The fees of copying are contained in the list of rates (see Appendix #7; Terms of Use).

The Library gives information on the location of documents missing in the holdings of its branch libraries in the service system set up by the System of National Document Supply by means of the national register of locations. With awareness of the location of the document and in response to the order by the library patron the Library will initiate the interlibrary loan of the document. The library patron must reimburse the expenses incurred by the delivery of the document (mailing fee, packing) upon receipt of the document.  If the delivery of the requested document is claimed by the requesting library in digital form, the charges of scanning must be reimbursed.

In interlibrary loan the conditions of use of the document are stipulated by the provider library. The expenses of reprography of documents deliverable in copy only are to be paid by the library patron. The copy must be ordered by the library patron in writing. The document received within the framework of interlibrary loan can be collected within 8 calendar days calculated from its arrival. The claimant has the option to request notification about the arrival. The costs of notification and the fee of loan charged by the provider service library are to be borne by the library patron. The international library loan of documents available only in foreign libraries is managed by the Library in cooperation with the National Széchényi Library (Országos Széchényi Könyvtár - OSZK). Its  procedure and its rates  are determined by the National Széchényi Library. 

The fee of the service:
HUF 1600/pack

The relevant charges are in Appendix #7, Terms of Use.

For 4 weeks, max. 6 titles.

Fee of the service:
HUF 300 / title / 4 weeks

Persons with serious visual impairments and blind people are allowed to borrow (with the player device) without paying a fee.

The fees are contained in the chart of rates (see Appendix #7, Terms of Use).

Readers with a valid membership card can use the subscribed contents of the library either from home or from any part of the world; those ones which are permitted by the content provider.
Some alterations by editing the settings of the browser – to set up the proxy settings – are necessary to use the service (help is provided below); then you can identify yourself with your valid membership card.

The online registration for database access enables users to remotely access the online databases provided by MESZL. Once activated, the virtual ticket remains valid for 30 days, and users can renew it thereafter. You can find the renewal guide here.
To register for the service, please initiate the process on the Library Catalogue page. Access to the databases is possible after remote payment. Details regarding the fees for online registration are outlined in the table of fees (refer to Appendix 7#, Terms of Use).

For readers, who have given their email address for this purpose, the Library will send a reminder via email about the due date 2 weeks before the end of their memberships, and also on the last day before the due date. 

The library sends an email as a last warning of the date of commencement of payment order and the expected charges on the 45th day calculated from the due date.

Libraries provide information about library programs and news in the newsletter; you may request a newsletter by giving your e-mail address .

For settling various fees and debts the Library offers an opportunity for remote payment to its logged-in patrons as an amenity via its website. To utilize this service, the patron must have a bank card and an email address. In case of remote payment an automatically generated voucher is issued in Corvina integrated library system by the Library to the customer; it can be seen and printed by the reader after logging in (individually) via the main page of library website.

Self-service photocopy is available in black and white, after uploading a balance (only in Central Library).

The fee of the service:

A4: HUF 30 / page

A3: HUF 40 / page

The fees are contained in the chart of rates and Appendix #7 of Terms of Use.

The service of photocopy ordering is available in A4 and A3 sizes, in black and white in designated branch libraries.

The fee of the service:

- with library membership:

A4: HUF 45 / page

A3: HUF 55 / page

- without library membership:

A4: HUF 60 / page

A3: HUF 70 / page

The fees are contained in the chart of rates and Appendix #7 of Terms of Use.

Printing is available only in designated libraries, without library membership as well.

The fee of the service:

- with library membership:

In size A4

Black and white text : HUF 60/page

Text in color: HUF 270/page

Picture in black and white (the picture of the printed surface is at least 50 percent) : HUF 200/page

Picture in color (the picture of the printed surface is at least 50 percent): HUF 300/page

In size A3

Black and white text : HUF 110/page

Text in color: HUF 400/page

Picture in black and white (the picture of the printed surface is at least 50 percent) : HUF 400/page

- without library membership:

In size A4

Black and white text : HUF 80/page

Text in color: HUF 300/page

Picture in black and white (the picture of the printed surface is at least 50 percent) : HUF 250/page

Picture in color (the picture of the printed surface is at least 50 percent): HUF 400/page

In size A3

Black and white text : HUF 150/page

Text in color: HUF 500/page

Picture in black and white (the picture of the printed surface is at least 50 percent) : HUF 500/page

Picture in color (the picture of the printed surface is at least 50 percent): HUF 700/page

The fees of the service can be seen in the list of rates and Appendix #7 of Terms of Use.

The service is available with library membership.

The fee of the service:

HUF 130/page

The fees of the service are contained in the list of rates (see Appendix #7; Terms of Use).

Ordering digital copy; the copy is made by the library and it provides to the user for a fee. The service is available in designated libraries.

Fee of the service with library membership:

Documents belonging to the holdings of Budapest Collection:

Scanning from the picture database - available in the Budapest Picture Archive – for public use: HUF 800 / image

Scanning from the picture collection of the Budapest Picture Archive published on the internet: free of charge

In the branches:

Other documents (part of a book, book illustration, article) : HUF 50 / page

Without library membership:

Documents belonging to the holdings of Budapest Collection:

Scanning from the picture database - available in the Budapest Picture Archive – for public use: HUF 800 / image

Scanning from the picture collection of the Budapest Picture Archive published on the internet: free of charge

Ordering digital copy of the document owned by the person who orders scanning: HUF 50 / page

The fees of the service are contained in the list of rates and Appendix #7 of Terms of Use.

Self-service scanning is available after uploading a balance, considering copyrights; it is available only in the Central Library. Digitised pages can be saved using a USB device when using the book scanner, or sent by e-mail in the case of the flatbed scanner.

Fee of the service:

with library membership and chipcard:

HUF 10/page

The fees are contained in the chart of rates (see Appendix #7, Terms of Use).

The Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library welcomes all colleagues from Hungary and beyond the border who would like to get acquainted with the branch libraries, the services and professional practice of the Library either individually or within the frame of professional tours and self-development. Before library visit, contact with the competent colleague of the branch library is needed.

As a cultural institution with public collection, the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library is committed to organize useful cultural programs. Library visit to see public library programs is free for anyone without library membership.

After an agreement in advance, the Central Library can be visited with librarian's accompaniment, in foreign languages (English and German) and in Hungarian. Both individual and group guidances can be requested.

Fees of the service:

Guidance in Hungarian:
Group guidances (min. 10 participants): HUF 1900/person
Group guidances for students and pensioners: HUF 600/person
Group guidances for visitors with deficiency: free of charge

Guidance in foreign languages:
Group guidances (min. 10 participants): HUF 2700/person
Group guidances for visitors with deficiency: free of charge

The fees of the service are contained in the list of rates (see Appendix #7; Terms of Use).

In opening hours, the whole Central Library of the Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library, including the Palace, can be seen individually by buying visitor's ticket.
It costs HUF 1900 / person.
Free up to 6 years old.

The fees of the service are contained in the list of rates (see Appendix #7; Terms of Use).

The service provides information mainly to those who apply for studying at either of the institutions of higher education in the UK. Books, websites and link collections are offered as assistance. In case of questions concerning the higher education of other countries the librarians can provide information about responsible, competent offices and contact person. Our service is free and available only via email. We do not have visiting days, we do not mentor students who want to learn further, neither can we follow the process of their applications.