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Homepage > For public > Library > Library Regulations

Library Regulations

of the Library of the National Archives

In accordance with the provisions of Section 46 (2) of Act No. 499/2004 Coll., on Archiving and Records Management (Archive Act), as amended, and pursuant to Section 4 (6) of Act No. 257/2001 Coll., on Libraries and Conditions of Operation of Public Library and Information Services (Library Act), as amended, I issue these Library Regulations of the Library of the National Archives (hereinafter referred to as the Library Regulations).

 

Article I
Basic provisions

Section 1
Mission and activities of the Library of the National Archives

  1. The Library of the National Archives (hereinafter referred to as LNA) shall be a specialized library within the meaning of Section 3 (1) of the Library Act (hereinafter referred to as LA).
  2. The mission of the LNA as one of the largest archive libraries with historical collections in the Czech Republic shall be to contribute to the development of science, education and culture by collecting, storing and making information available. The LNA shall be one of the departments of the National Archives (hereinafter referred to as NA) and shall act as a mediator of information and library documents for the expert departments of the NA. At the same time, it shall be a public scientific library.

 

Section 2
Public library and information services

  1. The LNA shall provide users with public library and information services (hereinafter services) in accordance with the provisions of the LA (Sections 4 and 14):
    1. Lending services:
      • In-house lending against library card;
      • Lending to NA employees;
      • Lending outside the NA building – only inter-library loan services (ILS and IILS) and lending for exhibitions;
    2. Inter-Library Loan Services (ILS) and International Inter-Library Loan Services (IILS)
      • ILS – loans within the libraries of the Czech Republic;
      • IILS –foreign loans through the National Library of the Czech Republic.
    3. Reference services:
      • Advisory and information services – information on the use of library services (on catalogues, databases, collections), organizing excursions for groups;
      • Information and consultations of LNA collection curators.
    4. Reprographic services shall not be performed by the LNA (a LNA user can use services of the NA).
  2. Since the LNA collection contains rare and unique documents, the LNA shall provide mostly in-house lending services. This means that the LNA shall not lend externally – even within the ILS – documents from valuable collections (manuscripts, old prints, collections kept based on deposit agreement, conservation prints, bibliophiles, etc.) and documents that are available in the LNA in a single copy.
  3. The LNA shall provide basic services free of charge pursuant to Section 4 (2) of the LA.

 

Section 3
Basic rights and obligations of the LNA user

  1. The user shall follow these Library Regulations. The basic obligations of the user shall include timely and proper fulfilment of all obligations towards the LNA.
  2. The user of the LNA shall behave considerately to his/her surroundings, especially not disturb or bother other users,not damage anything, and maintain order and cleanliness. Before entering the LNA, the user shall switch off the acoustic signalling of mobile phones and/or other devices.
  3. A particularly serious violation of the Library Regulations shall be considered to carry a library document out of the LNA without authorization, or attempt to do so. The LNA shall treat such acts as theft or attempted theft with all the resulting consequences.
  4. When working with computer technology, the user shall follow instructions of the User shall not interfere with devices, change settings or installations.
  5. The LNA premises shall be monitored by a camera system for protection.By entering the LNA, the user acknowledges this fact.
  6. Before entering the library, the user shall take off outerwear, and leave bags, briefcases, laptop cases, etc., in the locker room. Lockers shall not be intended for storing valuables. The LNA shall not be liable for valuables stored in this way. Hand luggage, except portable devices that the user can bring into the reserved area, shall not exceed the dimensions of 30 × 21 × 10 cm.
  7. Bringing weapons, narcotic or other dangerous substances, food and liquids into the library shall not be allowed.
  8. Dogs and other animals shall not have access to the LNA, except dogs accompanying users with disabilities.
  9. The user shall present a library card or an employee card of the NA upon his/her arrival in the LNA.
  10. The user shall have the right to study:
    1. Documents from the LNA collection;
    2. Documents from the ILS and the
  11. The user shall follow the instructions of the collection curator when studying manuscripts and old prints.In particular, the user shall:
    1. Study in a place that is equipped with foam pads;
    2. Use additional protective equipment such ascloth gloves (available from the LNA staff) to prevent damage to these documents.
  12. When studying rare documents (manuscripts, old prints, documents kept based on deposit agreement, etc.), they shall not remain without the constant supervision of the user.Each time leaving the area of the library, the user shall hand them over to the LNA staff.
  13. When leaving the library for more than 15 minutes, the user shall also return other borrowed documents to the LNA staff at the circulation desk.
  14. Using laptops and digital cameras shall be allowed in the library. The LNA shall not be liable for any loss or their damage.
  15. The user shall submit all documents for inspection before leaving the library. At the request of the LNA staff, the user shall present his/her luggage for inspection.
  16. The LNA shall refuse to provide further services to a user who has not settled all of his/her obligations to the LNA, until the deficiency,for which providing services has been interrupted, is remedied.
  17. If a user is afflicted by a contagious disease, to protect other users and the collection, they shall refrain from visiting the LNA during the illness.
  18. Users with special needs shall have the right or, in some cases, even obligation to use personal assistance services according to the LNA instructions. Users with severe disability and a guide shall have the right to use the accompanying person’s assistance services in all LNA premises.Accompanying person shall not need to be a registered LNA user.In order to represent a registered user with special needs, the person performing the assistance service shall present to the LNA a valid library card of the represented user, a certified power of attorney and his/her identity card or passport.A user with special needs shall be allowed to be accompanied by an assistance dog in the LNA premises.
  19. A user who violates legal regulations or these Library Regulations may be expelled from the LNA premises.
  20. The user shall have the right to submit comments, suggestions and proposals concerning the work of the LNA to the LNA staff in written form.

 

Section 4
User registration, processing and protection of personal data

  1. The library user shall be natural or legal person with a valid library card. For natural persons, the condition shall be to reach the age of 15 years; a legal person shall be represented by its authorized employee.
  2. The LNA shall distinguish the following user categories:
    1. Employees;
    2. Professional public (ILS);
    3. Public.
  3. The user shall be obliged to get acquainted with the Library Rules and to adhere to them, to express his/her consent with the processing of his/her personal data and visual recording of his/her stay in the LNA by signing the application, and to prove his/her identity by presenting identity card or passport. The LNA shall then issue a non-transferable library card to the user. The LNA shall not register a user who does not provide his/her personal data to the required extent.
  4. The library card shall be issued to the user for one calendar year. When extending their validity, the user shall present a library card and identity card or passport. The user shall be obliged to immediately notify the LNA of any change in the mandatory data that LNA requires in the user application.
  5. The personal data required by the LNA from the registrant shall be subject to the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the Protection of Natural Persons with Regard to the Processing of Personal Data and on the Free Movement of Such Data, and Repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) and Act. No. 110/2019 Coll., on the Processing of Personal Data (Adaptation Act). The reason the LNA collects and processes personal data shall be the protection of property and library collections, the quality of services provided, or the fulfilment of obligations imposed on the library by generally binding legal regulations, in particular the acts:
    1. Act No. 257/2001 Coll., on Libraries and Conditions for the Operation of Public Library and Information Services – Library Act, as amended;
    2. Act No. 499/2004 Coll., on Archiving and Records Management, as amended;
    3. Act No. 563/1991 Coll., on Accounting, as amended;
    4. Act No. 121/2000 Coll., on Copyright, on Rights Related to Copyright and on Amendment to Certain Acts – Copyright Act, as amended.
  6. The LNA shall process the personal data of registered users from the moment the user gives his/her consent to their processing upon registration.
  7. The LNA shall require the following information to register:
    1. Basic user identification data (mandatory data): name, surname and date of birth;
    2. Other user contact details (optional): academic degrees, contact address, workplace/school, other possible connections (phone, e-mail, etc.).
  8. The LNA shall also collect:
    1. Data used for statistical purposes (if provided by the user) – e.g. highest educational attainment, occupational or study field of the user;
    2. Service data – so-called transaction data – order, loan registration, prolongation;
    3. Accounting data – data on financial transactions between the user and the library, in particular their purpose, location, time and other particulars pursuant to Section 11 (1) of Act No. 563/1991 Coll., on Accounting, as amended.
  9. The library card shall be a document of registered user for contact with the LNA. The user shall submit a library card each time coming to the library. In case of doubt about the correctness of the presented library card, the LNA shall be entitled to request another proof of user’s identity. In case of lost or stolen library card, the user shall immediately inform the LNA of this fact, otherwise shall remain responsible for any misuse of the card.
  10. A registered user may at any time ask the LNA in writing to cancel the registration and terminate the processing of his/her personal data. The LNA shall stop processing the registered user’s personal data even without his/her request, if 2 years have passed since the end of the last registration period and the user has no obligations to the LNA.
  11. In case of serious violation of these Library Regulations, the LNA shall reserve the right to temporarily withhold the issued card of a registered user.
  12. For the registration and its extension the LNA shall not impose any charges.

 

Section 5
Common provisions on loans

  1. The loan agreement shall be governed by the laws of the Czech Republic and these Library Regulations.
    • Loans shall be decided by the LNA according to the nature and physical condition of the library document.
    • The lending of a document from unique and rare collections shall always be decided by the curator of the collection.
  2. When borrowing, the user shall be obliged to inspect the library document and if it is damaged, to immediately report it to a LNA employee.Common wear and tear corresponding to the age and nature of the library document shall not be considered damage.
  3. The LNA may refuse an order with appropriate justification. Should the LNA fail to execute an order within the specified time limit, it shall always inform the user of the reasons.
  4. Upon user’s request, the LNA can reserve a library document that is lent to another user or is otherwise unavailable.Should multiple users reserve the same document, the user who handed his/her reservation earlier shall have priority.
  5. The user shall be obliged to return the borrowed items in the state in which he/she borrowed them, taking into account common wear and tear.The user shall be obliged to report any damage to the library document, its loss or destruction without delay, and to compensate the LNA for the damage.Any changes and alterations to the borrowed document (e.g. underlining, highlighting, inscribing notes, sticking notes, etc.) shall also be considered to be damage caused by the user.
  6. The user shall not be entitled to further re-lend library documents.
  7. Total number of loans shall not exceed the maximum set bycategories of users:
    1. Employees – 100 documents (external loans);
    2. Professional public (ILS) – 5 documents (external loans);
    3. Public – 5 documents in-house.

 

Article II
In-house loans

Section 6
Access to library and loans from LNA collection

  1. Access to the library shall be allowed against a library card.
  2. The user shall have the right to use only one work place. Should it be designated by a LNA employee, the user shall be obliged to observe this assignment.
  3. In justified cases, the LNA may decide to lend electronic copies instead of original documents.
  4. The loan period for lending (reservation) in library shall be two weeks from delivery, unless otherwise specified by the collection curator.
  5. The loan period can be extended, even repeatedly, unless another user shall request the document.
  6. The collection curator shall be entitled, without giving any reason, to impose a shorter loan period or demand immediate return of the document before the end of the loan period.
  7. The user can borrow 5 documents in the reading room.
  8. The LNA staff shall locate and lend the requested document to the user at a time that is appropriate to the library’s operational conditions.
  9. Loans shall be carried out in accordance with the LNA mission, the study and conservation nature of the LNA and the requirements of the necessary protection of library collections.

 

Article III
External loans

Section 7
External loans within the NA premises

  1. External loans shall be granted to NA employees only.
  2. Such borrowed documents shall not leave the NA premises.
  3. Documents not to be lent to employees:
    1. Documents which could be in danger of irreparable loss or damage;
    2. Documents issued up to 1900;
    3. Unique and rare collections, documents included in historical, conservation or other collections, and documents endangered by excessive wear;
    4. Documents needed for the daily operation of the library (e.g. documents included in the reference library);
    5. Unbound volumes of newspapers and magazines.

 

Section 8
Loans outside the NA premises for exhibition purposes

  1. The loan agreement between the organizers of the exhibition and the NA shall lay down the conditions for selection, loan, security, climatic conditions for exhibits during the exhibited period and their insurance during the preparation, holding and liquidation of the exhibition.
  2. Should the organizers of the exhibition not return the work loaned outside the building even after a reminder, its return shall be enforced by legal means.

 

Section 9
Loans outside the NA premises for purposes other than exhibition

  1. In exceptional cases, loans for purposes other than exhibition can only be made on the basis of a written contract and with the consent of the Head of the LNA.

 

Section 10
Loans through inter-library loan service – ILS and IILS

  1. Should the document not be in the LNA collection, the library shall provide, at the request of its user, a so-called inter-library loan from another library in the Czech Republic (ILS) or through the National Library of the Czech Republic from abroad (IILS).
  2. The LNA shall provide the same service to other libraries in the Czech Republic.
  3. Section 14 of the LA and the Regulation No. 88/2002 Coll. shall apply to the implementation of ILS and IILS. The LNA shall determine which documents can be lent through the ILS and which can only be provided in a form of a copy for a fee.
  4. As a matter of principle, the LNA shall not lend to other libraries:
    1. Documents which could be in danger of irreparable loss or damage, especially in case of a single specimen;
    2. Documents issued up to 1950;
    3. Documents needed for the daily operation of the library (e.g. documents included in the reference library);
    4. Newspapers and magazines.
  5. Loans from foreign libraries in the form of IILS or from Czech libraries in the form of ILS shall be lent in-house only.

 

Section 11
Losses and compensations

  1. The user shall be obliged to report the loss or damage to the document without delay to the LNA and to compensate the damage within the deadline set by the LNA. “The Agreement on Compensation” shall be concluded with the user.
  2. The method of compensation for lost or damaged document shall be decided by LNA only:
    1. Preferably, the restoration to its original state shall be carried out by supplying a replacement copy of the same document in the same edition and of the same quality;
    2. Should the restoration not be possible or practical, the LNA shall decide on the method of compensation of the lost document;
    3. The amount of financial compensation for the lost document shall be determined according to the expert opinion of the NA specialist and shall consist of the price of the document on the market at the time of loss or the price for a copy of the document. The price for a copy of the document shall be based on the valid price list of the institution providing the copy. Should the price of the document be higher than the price of the copy made, the user shall pay the difference between the document being valued and its copy;
    4. Or as the case may be, by delivering a document in different edition.
  3. The user shall also be obliged to cover all costs incurred by the NA in connection with the loss (e.g. ILS fees).
  4. Until the method of replacing the lost document and the settlement of all claims is settled, the LNA shall have the right to suspend the provision of all services to the user.

 

Article IV
Reprographic services

Section 12
Rules for reprographic services

  1. The LNA itself shall not perform reprographic services; library users can use reprographic services of the NA.
  2. Using users’ own cameras shall be allowed only without the flash.
  3. The LNA may refuse to make a copy using reprographic services of the NA:
    1. Should it not have adequate technical equipment at its disposal;
    2. Should the requirement exceed the capacity of the relevant workplace;
    3. Should the making of a copy be in conflict with the law;
    4. Should the document be in poor physical condition and could be damaged.

 

Article V
Computer technology in the LNA

Section 13
Rules for using computer technology in the library

  1. The computers in the library shall be preferably intended for use of electronic library information resources (professional databases, LNA catalogue), for users study purposes and for access to freely available scientific data; connection of the user’s own PC to the NA network shall not be allowed. Otherwise, the use of user’s own portable device shall not be restricted.
  2. The user shall be obliged to use only the software provided to him/her in the menu.
  3. The user shall be prohibited from copying and distributing parts of the LNA operating system and installed applications and programs.
  4. The user shall not be allowed to copy information and files to his/her own portable media.
  5. The user shall not attempt to gain access rights or privileged status which he/she does not have the right to. Should this happen (also due to a hardware or software error in the system), the user shall be obliged to notify the LNA employee immediately.
  6. The user shall not interfere with the operation and performance of the computer network by overloading network resources, use the network to access other computers or other networks or spread computer viruses.
  7. The user shall bear full responsibility for any possible changes to the computer configuration and for damages caused by improper manipulation of computer equipment, including damage caused by computer viruses brought by the user.
  8. The LNA network operation may be restricted or interrupted due to necessary technical and software network maintenance, or for other compelling reasons.
  9. Obtained information and data (in any form, on any medium) shall be solely for the personal use of the user and for his/her study purposes. They shall not be disseminated, copied, lent or sold or otherwise used, especially for commercial purposes.

 

Article VI
Final provisions

Section 14
Final and repealing provisions

  1. The Library Regulations shall be available for inspection at the accessible location within the premises of the LNA and on the website of the NA. The Library Regulations shall be always published in an up-to-date, valid version.
  2. Exceptions to the Library Regulations shall be decided solely by the Head of the LNA or an employee authorized by him/her.
  3. These Library Regulations shall completely replace the Library Regulations valid and effective as of 1 June 2016.

 

Section 15
Force and effect of the Library Regulations

These Library Regulations come into force and effect on 1 March 2020.

 

 

PhDr. Eva Drašarová, CSc.
Director of the National Archives