könyvtár

Könyvtár is the Hungarian word for library, referring to a building or institution that houses collections of books and other media for reading, study, or research. In Hungarian usage, a könyvtár may be public, school, university, or national in scope. The term itself is formed from könyv (book) and tár (storehouse or collection), reflecting the function of storing and providing access to books.

In Hungary, libraries operate at municipal, regional, and national levels. Public libraries serve local communities with lending services, reading rooms, reference assistance, events, and programs for children. School and university libraries support students and researchers by maintaining specialized collections and access to scholarly resources. The national library is Országos Széchényi Könyvtár (OSzK), the national bibliographic and heritage institution, founded in 1808 through a donation by Ferenc Széchényi. OSzK collects works published in Hungary and about Hungary and provides access to digitized resources, catalogs, and national bibliographies; it serves as a coordinating body for the Hungarian library system.

Access to libraries generally requires membership or registration for lending, though many libraries offer free access to reading rooms and online catalogs. In addition to physical holdings, modern libraries provide digital resources, interlibrary loans, and public programs.

Throughout Hungary, libraries play a central role in education, culture, and lifelong learning, adapting to digital resources while preserving printed heritage.