The Regional Library of Karol Kmeťko in Nitra is one of the oldest cultural institutions in the city. Its history begins in 1923, when the Municipal Public Library in Nitra was established by a decision of the city council. The impetus for the establishment of the library was Act no. 430/1919 Coll. on public libraries, which required each municipality and city to establish a library and maintain it from public funds. The library's collection consisted of 1200 volumes of Slovak and Czech books, which were obtained mostly as donations from individuals and corporations. The book collection was supplemented by a contribution from the city budget and gradually increased, while the number of library readers also increased.
In connection to the new territorial-administrative organization after 1948, the city's public library was transformed into a district folk library and from 1st January 1952 to the Regional Folk Library. In addition to its previous tasks, methodological care for the lower-organized local public libraries was added. In 1959, the Library Act no. 53/59 Coll. about the Unified System of Libraries and the Nitra Library once again became the District People's Library, as Nitra ceased to be the seat of the region. An important task under this law was to strengthen its methodological function vis-à-vis all libraries in the unified system. Since 1965, its organizational structure has deepened, specialized departments and a network of branches have been created in integrated parts of the city. This has made it possible to provide services to an ever-increasing circle of users.
Since 1984, specialized services have been provided by a newly created bibliographic information office, which included a section of regional literature and press with an extensive information apparatus built since 1970. After November 1989, the former founder of the district library – the District National Committee in Nitra - January 1991, the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic became the founder of the Nitra Library.
An important step in improving the location of the library was its relocation to new and modern premises in part of the Nitra Municipal office building in 1991, which made it possible to create a pleasant environment for its visitors and expand the provision of services. A separate study room for professional literature for adults, a reading room, age-old rental shops for children, a rental shop for fiction, professional literature for adults, a music department, and copying services were established.
In 1992, the library began the process of gradually introducing the automation of library processes and services, which has since been systematically built and improved both technically and programmatically. All professional departments were gradually equipped with computer technology allowing users to access the online catalog.
By decision of the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, the Ponitrianske múzeum in Nitra was established on July 1st 1996, which also included a library, but only until the end of the year. As of the same date, Nitra became a regional city within the new territorial-administrative division of the Slovak Republic, thus fulfilling the conditions for the establishment of a regional library. Since then, based on an agreement with the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic and the Episcopal Office in Nitra, it bears the name of an important ecclesiastical dignitary – archbishop, politician and writer working in Nitra, ThDr. Karol Kmeťko.
With the creation of higher territorial units in 2002, the regional library came under the founding competence of the Nitra self-governing region with the name of the Regional Library of Karol Kmeťko in Nitra with effect from 1st April 2002.
In 2003, the Contact Information Point of the Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic was established in the library, which provides patent files for the study. Since 2004, the library has become a partner library of the Parliamentary Library of the National Council of the Slovak Republic.
In November 2005, the library moved to the premises in the Mediahaus media and social center at Fraňa Mojtu 18 Street, which belongs to the private company Mediahaus, s.r.o. It started providing its services to the public on January 3rd 2006. Spatially and professionally, this meant a step towards a certain improvement. Since January 2006, a fully automated lending system has been introduced. Since 2008, the library has used the fully automated library and information system called DAWINCI.
Over the past 90 years, the small book rental has built itself into a major cultural, information and educational organization with more than 200 000 library collections. Throughout its existence, it has influenced the educational level not only of the Nitra, but also of the inhabitants of other regions, to whom it has provided and continues to provide a wide range of reading and study facilities from pre-school to senior age.
The library has achieved considerable success in all areas of its activities, including recognition for all those who have worked and continue to work in it. Unfortunately, it has not yet acquired the most important thing for its activities - its own building, in which it could build and develop library and information activities in line with new European trends.
Karol Kmeťko
The Catholic Church Education in Slovakia is associated with the personality of Archbishop ThDr. Karol Kmeťko, who contributed greatly to the spiritual and political growth of Slovakia in the difficult years of its history.
He became the first Slovak archbishop in the modern history of Slovakia. He was a supporter of democracy, protesting against inhumanity, racism and ruthlessness. He proclaimed peace and love in the spirit of his episcopal motto: Charitas Omnia Vincit (Love Overcomes Everything).
He studied at a grammar school in Nitra, later theology at a Budapest seminary. Prior to his appointment as bishop of Nitra in 1921, he worked as a pastor in Teplička nad Váhom. He devoted himself to church education and missionary activities.
On February 1st 1923 he became chairman of the Catholic School Board, and at his suggestion he demanded the preservation of church schools and religious education in all schools. He tried to save the church education, he tried to restore the parish buildings in the villages. At his initiative, new buildings of social institutions (orphanages) were established, houses for exercises (religious spiritual exercises) were built, monasteries were rebuilt and teaching training academies were established. The activities of religious institutes developed significantly, even 4 kindergartens were created (Močenok, Nitra, Trenčín and Žilina). He supported the construction of Catholic cultural houses in the villages. During visits to parishes, he noticed the condition of parish buildings, churches, schools – he encouraged them for repairs, extensions, which he also financially supported. He himself started the construction of the Mission House in Nitra and the monastery in Zobor, he contributed to the construction of 13 churches, 30 Catholic cultural houses and 49 Catholic schools. His efforts were rewarded in 1944, when he was awarded the rank of archbishop.
ThDr. Karol Kmeťko had a remarkable loving relationship with the youth. After the First World War, in an effort to get more people interested in the priestly vocation, he established a Boys' Seminar in the Bishop's Orphanage in Nitra in 1922 in the building of the Bishop's Orphanage. It provided meals for poor students for a minimal fee. Although he saw his mission primarily in the religious-spiritual field, the position of the Slovaks as a nation at the time of the greatest national oppression was at his heart. He was one of the signatories of the Martin Declaration of the Slovak Nation. He was a member of the Slovak National Council and a member of the National Assembly. ThDr. Karol Kmeťko was also an important writer and publicist and he also devoted himself to translation. His original works Unio hypostatica, World Missions I., II., Christ's Warriors were published in books.
Catholic Church Education in Slovakia is associated with the personality of Archbishop ThDr. Karol Kmeťko, who has greatly contributed to the spiritual and political growth of Slovakia in the difficult years of its history.
He became the first Slovak archbishop in the modern history of Slovakia. He was a supporter of democracy, protesting against inhumanity, racism and recklessness. Room and love proclaimed in the spirit of his episcopal passage: Charitas Omnia Vincit.
He studied at the grammar school in Nitra, later theology at the Budapest Primary Seminar. Prior to his appointment as a bishop of Nitra in 1921, he served as a parish priest in Teplička nad Váhom. He attended church education and missionary activities.
From the 1st Februar 1923 he became the chairman of the Catholic School Council, and on his proposal he demanded the preservation of church schools and religious education at all schools. He tried to save the ecclesiastical education, trying to restore the parish buildings in the villages. At its instigation, new buildings of social institutions (orphanages) were founded, homes for exercises (religious spiritual exercises) were built, rebuilding of monasteries was organized, and teachers' academies were founded. The activities of the religious institutes were markedly developed, even four kindergartens (Močenok, Nitra, Trenčín, Žilina) were created. He supported the construction of Catholic cultural homes in the villages. He noticed during parish visits the status of parish buildings, churches, schools - he encouraged them to repair, annexes, which he also financially supported. He himself started the construction of the Mission House in Nitra and the monastery in Zobor, and he has made 13 churches, 30 Catholic cultural homes and 49 Catholic schools. His efforts were rewarded in 1944, when he was awarded the rank of Archbishop.
ThDr.. Karol Kmeťko had a remarkable loving relationship with the youth. After the First World War, in 1922, he set up a Bishop's Orphanage in Nitra. The Boys' Seminar - The Bishop's Inn, which was responsible for the upbringing of the youngest priest, was to educate the candidates for the seminar. Enabled eating for poor students at a minimum fee.
Although he saw his mission primarily in the field of religious and spiritual life, the position of the Slovaks as a nation at the time of the greatest national oppression lay at his heart. He was among the signatories of the Declaration of the Slovak Nation. He was a member of the Slovak National Council and a member of the National Assembly.
ThDr. Karol Kmeťko was also a prominent writer and publicist, and he also dealt with translation. His original works of Unio hypostatica, World Missions I, II, of Christ's fighters were published.