University Library "St. Kliment Ohridski"

The University Library "St. Kliment Ohridski” is a library-information, cultural and educational complex, consisting of the Central Library and 26 branch libraries at faculties, departments and specialties. It was established simultaneously with the Higher School in Sofia in 1888, the first University Library in Bulgaria and to this day plays an important role in the development of Bulgarian science and education as the largest scientific library in the country. The founder of the library is the first rector Prof. Alexander Teodorov-Balan. Initially, the library was located in a room in the building of Sofia's First Boys' High School at 49 Moskovska Street, where the University itself is located. The successful non-standard execution of the interior through the location and shape of the premises, arched windows, winding wooden stairs, rich paneling, the English courtyard. All this in combination creates a unique coziness and atmosphere of the library lobbies and halls.

In 1889 the management of the library was assigned to Prof. Ljubomir Miletic. A Library Committee was established, and in 1900 the first regulations of the University Library were adopted. Only six years after its establishment in 1894, the annual report of the rector of the University states that the library has a fund of nearly 15,000 library units. From 1903 to 1936 the director of the University Library was Acad. Stoyan Argirov, founder of Bulgarian library science. For 33 years he built the Alma Mater library as a modern European institution.

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