Nikolic pledges support to work, development of NBS

BELGRADE - Speaking at the main event marking the National Library of Serbia Day and the National Book Day, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said on Friday that, as the patron of the National Library of Serbia (NBS), he will back its work and development, noting that the role of the NBS is unavoidable in preserving the Serbian language, the Cyrillic alphabet and the cultural heritage.

We must devote particular attention to the care for integral preservation of cultural heritage through investments in infrastructure that will ensure comprehensive protection of collections, he noted.

Nikolic said that he is pleased to have had the opportunity to support the process of a full reconstruction of the treasury of the NBS department of archaeography and the procurement of the first compact shelves, which alleviates the problem of the lack of space for storing library materials.

The collections of the Serbian national library represent the largest repository of movable cultural heritage of the Serbs and many other nations, the Serbian president said.

The most significant period for the NBS was the one in which it established or intensified cooperation with the national libraries of Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Russia, the Netherlands and other countries.

Exceptionally significant are also numerous NBS activities aimed at presenting to the public its carefully protected cultural treasure, such as exhibitions, publications, expert conferences and scientific projects, Nikolic noted.

"Libraries have long ceased to be mere depots for books - they are multifunctional cultural, scientific, educational and information centres. Stepping courageously into the...