Azil Bookstore was established in October 2003 by the Scientific Research Centre (ZRC SAZU), Slovene Academy of Science and Arts, next door to its premises in the centre of Ljubljana. With the motto 'the asylum for critical thoughts', Azil is the first bookshop to specialise in theory and reference books related to social science and humanities, especially sociology, philosophy, archaeology, psychology, anthropology and the arts. It offers numerous books published by international publishing houses, along with titles published by Slovene publishing houses, eg ZRC Publishing, other Slovene publishing houses specialising in humanities (eg Studia humanitatis, Založba/*cf, Krtina and Študentska založba) and several university and research institute publishing houses in Slovenia (please see a complete list here).

Azil Bookstore also organises several book presentations and innovative reading culture promotion events like the 'Library under the trees' taking place at the city park every summer Fri-Sun - see http://www.knjiznicapodkrosnjami.si, 'Books in motion', 'Azil open term' and the children programme 'Frockarije'. In Summer 2008 the Azil Bookstore offers a special treat - comics.