First public library in Prague opened 250 years ago
250 years ago, the first public library in Prague opened its doors, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the city’s literary history. On January 17, 1775, bookseller Wolfgang Gerle and his brother Ondřej established the first lending library for fiction and newspapers, making literature accessible to the general public.
Wolfgang Gerle transformed part of his apartment on Prague’s Charles Street into a reading room for newspapers and magazines, called the “Learned Club.” His bookshop became the first haven for literature enthusiasts.
In 1781, Gerle’s brother Ondřej opened a business in Old Town Square, which became the first officially authorized book lending and reading room. There, people could borrow daily newspapers and fiction, as well as participate in book auctions.
Censorship and prohibition
The history of public reading rooms has faced many challenges. In 1798, all public reading rooms were shut down by order of the Vienna court and were banned the following year due to concerns about the spread of revolutionary ideas. It wasn’t until 1811 that Emperor Francis I allowed them to reopen, though they were subject to strict government control.
The 19th century’s national revival ushered in a golden age for libraries. While there were only 50 public libraries in 1848, by 1891 that number had risen to 465. Reading became one of the most popular pastimes, and today, Czechia has the highest number of libraries per capita in Europe.
