The Somogyi Library opened on October 16, 1883. Between 1897 and 1984 it was located in the Közmûvelõdési Palota (Palace of Public Education, now a museum). The collection represented a wide variety of disciplines, and it was intended to form one of the bases of a university to be established later in the city. The new library building, occupying 6 500 sq. meters of floor-space, was opened on June 6, 1984, and it is now open to readers on workdays from 10 am to 7 pm., Saturdays 10 am to 4 pm. Today, the stock includes over 880 000 books and 638 newspapers and periodicals. In addition, there are 19 branch libraries throughout the city.