National Library of the Czech Republic (NK ČR) is one of the oldest Czech public libraries. Its history began together with the foundation of the Charles University in 1348. Next important chapter of its life is closely associated with more than two hundred years of activity of the Jesuits order in Klementinum (1556-1773). The integration of the university's and Jesuit's library collections brought into being new public library called University Library, which gained the legal deposit right in 1805. The name of the library has changed several times since then, the present one dates from 1995. It resides in the historical building of Klementinum in Prague's Old Town.
At present, the National Library of the Czech Republic serves as the central library of the state public libraries system. Its library collection contains over 6,6 mil. items, including 18 893 historical documents, and it increases by about 80 000 new titles a year. The fund covers all branches of science, first and foremost humanities. Important part of it represents so called National Conservation Collection, which has been built on the basis of the legal deposit right since 1805. NK ČR also offers to its users a wide range of electronic sources - both licenced databases and its own digital libraries (Kramerius, Manuscriptorium).
Independent part of the National Library is the Slavonic Library, a public academic library specializing in the field of Slavistics. The library systematically enlarges, processes, preserves and provides public access to Slavistic publications in the fields of history, philology and political sciences, as well as selected poetry and fiction.