Central Library MLP - theatre and film department
Who are we?

• a theatre and film library for the specialist and lay public, with a historical collection of 60 000 volumes covering the theatre, film, radio, television, costumery and scenography
• established on 1. 11. 1942, stand-alone specialised department of the Municipal Library of Prague since 1982
• at present the premises of the theatre and film department of MLP is an example of the original, nowadays historical, look as designed by the architect Roith
• member of the SIBMAS international organisation of theatre libraries, which works together with specialised libraries in the Institute of Theatre, the National Museum, the National Theatre Archive, DAMU Library and others

Who are our services aimed at?

• everybody with an interest in the theatre, film, radio, television, costumery and scenography
• dramatists, directors, theatre and film historians and publicists
• students and teachers at art schools
• professional and amateur actors
• readers of all ages with an interest in the memoirs of actors and directors

What does our collection contain?

• theatre and film encyclopedias, Czech and foreign-language history of the theatre and film, publications about theatre and film theory, acting, theatre and film directing, costumery, scenography and other specific related literature
• historically valuable editions of theatre plays and publications from the history of the theatre and film
• complete production of theatre plays from the DILIA publishing house since 1949
• book editions of theatre, puppet and radio plays, film and television scripts
• theatre and film magazines, theatre yearbooks and calendars from the 19th and 20th centuries
• foreign-language literature (theatre plays, theatre and film theory, rich collection of English drama from the British Council library collection)

What services do we provide?

• consultation services: provision of information relating to the theatre, film, radio, television, costumery and scenography (copies of articles from the specialised press, records of theatre monologues for men and women)
• books loaned and ordered from the store upon request
• presence loans of theatre and film magazines
• ordering bound theatre and film magazines from the store
• provision of information in card catalogues (categorised by person, subject, name, title, theme, foreign-language plays, puppet theatre, plays for children and young people, radio plays, film scripts, theatre and film magazines)
• retrieval of theatre, film and television reviews from the cuttings service
• provision of information about Czech and foreign theatre, film and television festivals from the cuttings service
• loans of articles about personalities from the cuttings service – presence only
• search for articles about personalities from bound theatre and film magazines
• provision of inter-library loans services