The National Széchényi Library (NSZL) was founded in 1802. It owes its establishment and name to the Hungarian aristocrat, Count Ferenc Széchényi. Serving as a storehouse of knowledge, National Széchényi Library is an institution storing and making publicly available traditional (paper-based) and modern (electronic) library documents of the Hungarian cultural heritage.

The main goal of NSZL as a cultural strategic institution is to contribute to the preservation of the national identity and increase the competitiveness of the country by preserving and making available the Hungarian written cultural heritage, to actively participate in the creation and continuous development of the knowledge-based society, to provide broad access to the information necessary for competitive knowledge, and to support the library supply and development of the Hungarian communities across the border. In order to achieve these goals, the NSZL cooperates with actors from domestic and international scientific life, education and public culture, as well as professional organisations. We are determined to maintain the high standard of the national library’s services even in difficult situations, and to constantly adapt to the challenges of the current situation and the needs of our readers.