In order to be able to assess Bohuslav Martinu's personality and oeuvre within the context of the time in which he lived and worked, the resources of the library are focused on a whole range of issues in 20th-century music. The Library of the Bohuslav Martinu Institute shall primarily serve musicologists, students and researchers, but it is also open to those of the general public who are interested. The acquisitions are carried out upon the recommendations of prominent musicologists with a view to the requirements of Martinu Institute employees. The library has been greatly enriched by the purchase of the estate of the outstanding Czech music writer, teacher and director, Edvard Herzog. Thanks to the library's acquisitions and regular purchases abroad, visitors will find unique titles here which are hardly available to other libraries.
Visitors thus can compare various interpretations of works.
The library collects copies of documentary films and diverse unique non-public and historical recordings from the archives of foreign radios and various world orchestras, as well as video recordings of concerts, opera and ballet performances. Except for the Bohuslav Martinu Museum in Policka in Policka, this library is therefore the only place where it is possible to study copies of materials deposited in the collections of dozens of libraries, institutional archives and private persons from all over the world. The visitors have at their disposal musical equipment, a piano and a photocopy machine. In view of the uniqueness and rare nature of the preserved materials, the Library of the Bohuslav Martinu Institute offers services only on the premises. The library is open to the public every working day by appointment only.