The Library of the Municipal History Museum in Pilsen, which in 1950 became the basis for the stock of the then newly established State Research Library, currently contains closed stock of about 134 000 volumes. This stock contains six first editions and around 3 000 old editions; about a third of the stock dates back to the 19th century, while two thirds was printed in the first half of the 20th century. The stock is of a universal nature, though belles-lettres is represented only peripherally. Of particular value is the pilsnensia section (items connected with Pilsen in terms of content, author, place of publication or printing), which contains almost 10 000 volumes.

Materials issued up to 1918, pilsnensia and all periodicals are loaned onsite only.

Stock is listed in the museum paper catalogues systematically and by name, in the scanned museum name catalogue and partially in the electronic catalogue. Both museum catalogues contain a Pilsnensia section, namely items connected with Pilsen because of their content, author, place of publication or printing.

Libraries of important persons from the stock of the Municipal History Museum in Pilsen (a selection)

Budil, Vendelín, 1847–1928

b. 19.10.1847 in Prague, d. 26.3.1928 in Pilsen. Theatre manager, actor, translator from German, author of professional and memoir literature, theatre historian and publicist. Performed in Pilsen for the first time in 1866, 1902–1912 manager of the Municipal Theatre in Pilsen. Guested at the National Theatre in Prague. Size of stock: 993 volumes (prefix 9G), deposited in the SVK PK stock as a complete set.

Documentation of collection: Inventory no. 41.

DOLEŽALOVÁ, Pavlína. Databáze Budil [electronic source] : knihovna Vendelína Budila : Vendelín Budil (*1847 Praha – +1928 Plzeň) : appendix to thesis. [Proposal for database structure] Anděla Prchlíková. Text data. 2001. 1 CD-ROM DOLEŽALOVÁ, Pavlína. Knihovna Vendelína Budila ; Vendelín Budil (*1847 Praha – 1928 Plzeň) : thesis. 2001. 92, xxxiv, xxxiii pp. : il. (some in colour) DOLEŽALOVÁ, Pavlína. Knihovna Vendelína Budila ve Studijní a vědecké knihovně Plzeňského kraje. In VYČICHLO, Jaroslav (ed.). 55 let Studijní a vědecké knihovny Plzeňského kraje : roky 2000–2005 : studie – data – vzpomínky. 1st ed. Plzeň : Studijní a vědecká knihovna Plzeňského kraje, 2006, pp. 55–73. ISBN 80–85093–96–0.

Detailed description of collection: predominantly Czech with some German and other languages. The basis of the collection consists of theatre texts. Also theatre almanacs (especially related to Pilsen), annual reports, libretti. A few language handbooks. For more, see thesis. Collection obtained for the stock of the Library of the Municipal History Museum in Pilsen while the owner was still living (between 1912 and 1925) and transferred to the stock of the SVK PK in 1950.

Čelakovský, Jaromír, 1846–1914

b. 21.3.1846 in Vratislav, d.16.10.1914 in Prague. Lawyer, politician and journalist, legal historian, professor at Law Faculty, archivist of the capital city Prague, literature from the branch. Honorary burgher of the city of Pilsen. Wrote academic articles about Pilsen, corresponded with important persons in Pilsen. Son of poet F. L. Čelakovský. Size of collection: cca. 3 371 volumes; dispersed within the stock of the Čipera Education Library in Pilsen (later amalgamated with the Library of the Municipal History Museum in Pilsen).

Documentation of collection: Inventory no. 26.

Detailed description of collection: Czech, German (50%), Russian. Domestic and foreign law, the imperial and provincial legal code, both Czech and foreign history, foreign language dictionaries and grammars (Greek, Polish, Italian, French), travel guides, annual reports of Czech schools. Writings of J. Čelakovský, literature about J. Čelakovský. Collection purchased from literary remains in 1915 for the Čipera Regional Education Library in Pilsen (established in 1912) and transferred to the stock of the SVK PK in 1950.

Hora, František Alois, 1838–1916

Acronym F. A. H.; F. H. Pseudonym Sklenička, Tichoslav; Turek, K.; Vinařovský, Horymír; Šídlo, Samuel. b. 1.8.1838 in Svinařov u Kladna, d. 30.10.1916 in Pilsen. Dramatist, author of verse for young people and of pedagogical manuals, translator from Polish and German. Professor of mathematics at a Pilsen realschule. Promotor and organiser of Czech-Polish relations. Size of collection: cca 596 volumes.

Documentation of collection: Inventory no. 43.

Detailed description of collection: Czech, Polish, German, Russian, French. Language dictionaries and grammars (Polish, German, Russian, French). Contemporary Czech prose, prose in Polish and other foreign prose in German. Music sheets, some tourist guides. Collection added to stock of the Library of the Municipal History Museum in Pilsen in 1917 and 1921, music sheets 17.9.1936 (source: Inventory no. 43) and all transferred to SVK PK stock in 1950.

Schiebl, Jaroslav, 1851–1933

b. 13.9.1851 in Pilsen, d. 5.4.1933 in Pilsen. Cultural historian of Pilsen, archivist and journalist, statistician, writer, translator from French, Italian and Russian. Works: Plzeň v pověsti, legendě a škádlivce, Ze staré i nové Plzně and others. Size of collection: cca 581 volumes.

Documentation of collection: Inventory no. 31.

Detailed description of collection: Czech, German (50%). Politics, literary science, Czech and foreign theatre, theatrical science, statistics, philosophy, tourist guides. Periodicals. Collection obtained for the stock of the Library of the Municipal History Museum in Pilsen and transferred to SVK PK stock in 1950.

Schwarz, František, 1840–1906

b. 8.5.1840 in Par­dubice, d. 4.5.1906 in Pilsen. Public employee in Pilsen, work in the branch. Editor, founder of the newspaper Plzeňské noviny. In 1883 elected as a deputy of the general assembly for Rokycansko-Blovicko, from 1891 a deputy for Pilsen in the Imperial Council. One of the founders of the Pilsen sugar refinery. Size of collection: cca 6 000 volumes.

Documentation of collection: Inventory no. 22. F.B. Vědecká knihovna v Plzni a její mecenáši. Český denník. 1912, vol. 1, no. 6, pp. 1–2.

Detailed description of collection: Czech, German (50%), also French, English. Czech and foreign history, sociology, politics, Czech law, statistics, philosophy, national economy. Grammars (Russian, Polish etc.) Peripherally literary science, economics handbooks. Incomplete series of periodicals. Collection obtained for the stock of the Library of the Municipal History Museum in Pilsen and transferred to SVK PK stock in 1950.

Strnad, Josef, 1852–1930

b. 8.3.1852 in Prague, d. 12.5.1930 in Pilsen. Historian and teacher, Pilsen municipal archivist, former manager of the Municipal History Museum in Pilsen. Published in professional periodicals, researched in the West Bohemian archives and described their stock. Member correspondent of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society of Sciences. Size of the collection: cca 171 volumes.

Documentation of the collection: Inventory no. 30 – missing. Collection obtained for the stock of the Library of the Municipal History Museum in Pilsen and transferred to the stock of the SVK PK in 1950.