God is in the Pages of One of the Four Hundred Thousand Books in the Clementinum National Library of Prague

The Building:
The founding of Clemetinum goes back to the 11th century and the Chapel to St. Clement (hence the name) near which the Dominican Order set up their monastery. Couple of hundreds of years went by and during the 16th century Jesuits arrived at the place of the monastery with a task to strengthen the catholic belief. Their influence and riches grew and soon Clementinum rivalled Carolinum – the core of the legendary Charles University. Despite the expulsion of Jesuits in 1618 they returned after two years (because of the defeat in the Battle of White Mountain), literally took over Carolinum and brought here the precious library.

In 1918 the newly-established Czecho-Slovak state took over the library. Since 1990, it has been the National Library. It contains a collection of Mozartiana, material pertaining to Tycho Brahe and Comenius, as well as historic examples of Czech literature. The architecture is a notable example of Baroque architecture and Clementinum, covering 20,000 square metres, is the second largest complex of buildings in Prague after the Prague Castle.

Cool facts from Wikipedia:

• At one time the Clementinum was known as the third largest Jesuit college in the world.
• The oldest weather recording in the area of the Czech lands started in Clementinum in the year 1775. The recording continues through the present day.

And my favorite:

• The Clementinum is mentioned in "The Secret Miracle" by Jorge Luis Borges. The main character has a dream of the library of Clementinum where the librarians look for God in the books of the library. One of the librarians says: "God is in one of the letters of one of the pages of one of the four hundred thousand books of Clementinum. My fathers and the fathers of my fathers have looked for this letter; I myself have gone blind looking for it." 

So, a reader enters and delivers an atlas for the main character, saying that this atlas is useless. The main character opens the book at random, and find a map of India, touching one of its minimum letters and, then, finds God.

This website has some great information about the history of the Clementinum building, http://www.radio.cz/en/section/czech-history/the-clementinum-the-baroque-pearl-of-prague.

The Job:
Would you believe I landed an internship here??
I have never been so giddy as the stirring I felt walking through the maze of the Clementinum building. Getting the behind-the-scenes tour of the Clementinum was truly a special experience. The halls, musty in their ages, are filled with torn and weathered pages. Books itching to be opened to be touched, to be seen, to be opened. They scream at me, making my hands shake and heart beat, what mysteries lie inside? What place have you come from? Who's fingers have grasped your spine? What lessons have you taught? What kind of love have you brought? These books hold so much beauty, each unique and overwhelming. I am possessed.

The National Library of Czech Republic is focusing the Manuscriptorium Department on digitalizing their books and linking them with word texts, translations, search words and live images of the real document. Guess which doe-eyed American girl gets to help? That's right! Me!

Right now, I am working on a Latin Encyclopedia, Isidori Hispalensis Etymologiarum sive Originvm libri XX Volume 1. It is an encyclopedia compiled by Isidore of Seville (died 636) towards the end of his life. It forms a bridge between a condensed epitome of classical learning at the close of Late Antiquity and the inheritance received, in large part through Isidore's work, by the early Middle Ages. Etymologiae presents in abbreviated form much of that part of the learning of antiquity that Christians thought worth preserving. Learn more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymologiae

Using some xml coding and some handy software I get to play (very carefully and lovingly) with this gorgeous text. Here's a little snapshot, isn't the prettiest thing you've ever seen?! The main website is www.manuscriptorium.com, but be aware we are in beginning stages.

I am so happy I get to stare at these magnificent pages all day!

The Perks:
Baroque Library Hall
The Baroque library hall was finished in 1722. Its appearance and arrangement - for example the labels on library bookcases - survive intact. Thus it provides us with an example of the setting of an authentic Baroque library. The books in this hall constitute a collection of printed theological literature written in all languages except Czech, gathered as they were arriving at the Klementinum from 1600 until recent times. The books with whitened backs and red marks have been here all along since the Jesuit period. The ceiling decoration, created by Jan Hiebl, symbolizes the antique wisdom and learning as the basis which leads to Biblical prophets and later to Christian teachings.

The Baroque Library Hall has been closed off for the past several years due to restoration. However, a got to walk throughout the hall! Colossal globes of the world and the stars divide the hall. A ceiling hand-painted and bright in its restoration shows the meaning of why this Library was so important to its creators. The feeling of warmth, mystery and awe at human creation can truly be felt within this secret treasure.

I couldn't take any pictures but I found these on the internet and they should make up for my lack of words. Not just a book lovers' place of worship but a magical place for anyone!

Getting There:
From Florenc take the B line to Mustek and switch to line A, get of at Starometska. Exit the middle staircase that says "Tram," turn Right, you'll see the river. Walk towards the Charles Bridge. You've passed it! But it's O.K because it's a block long-it will be on your left side. Go into the courtyard and enter by the metal tree sculpture. No jackets or backpacks allowed, check your items!