The Institute has a well developed library and documentation service, which was founded in 1954, i.e. the same year as the Institute. Its library systematically collects criminological literature, i.e. books and other relevant materials, and annually receives on a regular basis about 80 titles of periodicals. All materials acquired by the library have been classified or indexed according to the subject matter and the references entered in subject catalogues (since 1987 in a computerised bibliographical database). The library does not serve the needs of the Institute's researchers alone, but is open to the general public. The library lends all available materials to its users and also provides an inter-library loan service. Its information service has its own bibliographical database, started in 1987, containing at present 25,000 indexed bibliographical references, mostly in foreign languages.