Ivan Vurnik je zasnoval načrt za NUK leta 1934. Glavna razlika v njegovem projektu je bil visok knjižni “silos”, skladišče za knjige, ki naj bi zadoščalo za 50 let, kasneje pa bi ga bi bilo mogoče ...povečevati. Predvidel je veliko dvorano, vhod pa ne s stranske Turjaške ulice (kot Plečnik), ampak z Vegove ulice. Ob vhodu si je Vurnik inovativno zamislil t. i. »dnevno sobo« mesta s kavarno, saj je vizionarsko predvidel, da bo nova velika knjižnica postala tudi družaben prostor – medtem ko je Plečnik kot osrednji prostor knjižnice razumel izključno kot mesto kontemplacije, kjer veljata tišina in zbranost.
The National and University Library (NUK) acts as the Siovenian national library, at the same time performing functions of Ljubljana University Library. As of 1998 the library utilizes computer data ...processing to support working procedures. It provides access for library users to numerous foreign information services, including bibliographic databases on CD-ROMs, which can be accessed via the ULTRANET system from the university campus. The library collections comprise legal deposited material published in Slovenia, and also hold legal deposit copies from ex-Yugoslavia for the 1921–1991 period. In addition, it has an interesting collection of medieval manuscripts, incunabula, cartographic and graphic items, music, audiovisual and recent manuscript material, together with collections of periodicals and monographs in various languages. As well as performing the traditional tasks of national libraries, it also acts as a state ‘parent library’, i.e. a centre for library network development in Slovenia. The library carries out an extensive programme of both basic and continuing education, including seminars, courses and library qualifications. NUK has very recently completed several retrospective conversion projects, thus making available some 400,000 bibliographic records online. Future activities of the library will concern the archiving of electronic publications on the Internet, together with digitization of full texts. The existing building of the national library is now far from meeting modern standards within the profession, therefore preparations for a new library building in the immediate vicinity are in progress.
