Open Zone

The Open Zone is a special space in the main hall of the Silesian Library with open access to books. It is a place where, not being even the library member, you can read books and magazines displayed on the shelves, watch a movie, listen to an audiobook and relax on the comfortable sofa.

The essential information:

Open Zone is available for the public in the opening hours of the Silesian Library,
all collection and facilities in the Open Zone can be used without the library card,
however, the library card is necessary for borrowing books and audiobooks home, as well as for using the computers in Informatorium,
before the crossing the anti–theft gate you should present your borrowed books (if you have any) to the member of the staff at the Information desk, to avoid triggering the alarm,
it is the place for borrowing and returning books from the Open Zone collection,
the librarian at the Information Desk provides all directions for using the Open Zone, including the loan of the indicated audiobooks, using computers and playing movies.

The Open Zone Collection

books are lent for 14 days,
the borrowed items can be renewed four times,
you can extend the borrowed books yourself online in the electronic catalog Integro, at the Information Desk or by phone ((+48)) 32 20 83 863,
number of volumes which can be borrowed both from the Lending Library and the Open Zone – 10 (academic teachers – 20),
books and audiobooks belonging to the Open Zone in the electronic catalog have next to their call number the location prefix „HOL”,
books from the Open Zone cannot be requested or reserved by electronic catalog Integro,
books can be borrowed at the Information Desk and there should be returned,
in the Open Zone, there are about 6.000 books, mainly new releases regularly updated,
the collection includes the following categories: fiction, non-fiction, regional literature, biographies, manuals, guide books, film, music, history, poetry and art, comic books, books for children and youth, foreign language books,
novels are arranged on the shelves alphabetically according to the authors’ names,
one of the bookstands is devoted to regional literature – you can find here books about Silesia, books written in Silesian dialect, dictionaries and regional guides,
the Open Zone has a large collection of comics and manga (the Silesian Library has one of the largest collections of this type literature in the region),
there is also access to books in English (many titles), as well as in French, German, Russian, Italian, Ukrainian languages,
a separate bookcase is intended for selected magazines, which can only be viewed on the spot (for more titles visit the Current Periodicals Reading Room),
on the spines of books, there are white or black stickers designed to distinguish collections from the Open Zone from others.

Audiobooks

you can listen to pieces of the selected audiobooks using the library tablet,
audiobooks are borrowed and returned at the Information Desk.

Films

selected movies can be watched on the TV set in the Open Zone,
the bigger collection of them is available in the Special Collection Reading Room (downstairs).

Internet

there is access to free Wi–Fi in the entire Open Zone.

Children’s corner, the so–called Greenhouse

books from the children’s corner can be borrowed home,
for the youngest readers, there are also cut-outs, coloring books, crayons and educational games that can be used on-site,
parents of the children are responsible for their safety, children should not be left unsupervised.

Individual and group work place

there are both individual workplaces and a group workplace in the Open Zone.

Bookcrossing

next to the Open Zone, there is a shelf with books released for free exchange (you can pick a book home and you can also deliberately leave your book for another reader).

Exhibitions

in the Open Zone, there are organized exhibitions,
on the walls, there have been displayed musical and film posters from the library collection,
next to the Information Desk, there is presented „Gallery, the smallest in the world”.

Other

in Informatorium you can buy publications of the Silesian Library (payment in cash),
computer terminals in the Open Zone can be used only for browsing the Integro catalog,
there is a public piano in the open Zone,
you can enter the Open Zone in your outer garment and hang it there on a hanger (leaving things at your own risk), as well as use lockers for clothes on the lower and higher level.

Open Zone and Informatorium
plac Rady Europy 1, 40-021 Katowice
tel.: (+48) 32 208 37 40, (+48) 32 208 38 63
Monday: 12.00–20.00
Tuesday–Friday: 8.00–20.00
Saturday: 8.00–15.00