Sofia Capital Library, Municipal library in central Sofia, Bulgaria.
Sofia Capital Library is a municipal library in central Sofia housing approximately 8.5 million documents across multiple departments. It provides books, periodicals, and digital resources for public use while offering research support to visitors.
The library was established in 1878 through Mikhail Bubotinov's initiative and began serving the public with its collections. Despite significant damage from World War II bombing raids, it managed to systematically rebuild its holdings over time.
The Oriental Collections department preserves Arabic manuscripts and documents written in Ottoman Turkish and Persian. Researchers from the region can access these rare materials to study historical sources and develop their understanding of regional heritage.
The library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 19:45 and Saturdays from 9:00 to 14:45. Allow time to navigate the different departments and catalog systems, as finding materials across such a large collection takes patience and planning.
The library holds more than 18,000 volumes focused on library science, bibliography, and publishing studies. This specialized collection makes it a major resource for professionals and students interested in book knowledge and how publications are created and managed.
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