The best of both worlds
Almost every city has them, and we're all familiar with them: library cards, lockers for belongings, endless shelves of books, digital resources, the need to be as quiet as possible, and the missed deadline again. There might be some truth to that, but the Lübeck City Library is unique, and it's open to everyone: from kindergarten children to academic researchers, from permanent residents to those visiting for a short or long period. All the more reason to get to know it and its services better.
Library director Bernd Hatscher , a native of East Frisia who went to Berlin to study and whose profession and career led him to Lübeck in 2007 via several stops in Germany – most recently in Frankfurt and Gütersloh – presents “his” library at Hundestraße 5-17 and offers a glimpse behind the scenes.
The building – like real life
A unique treasure lies hidden in Lübeck's historic old town, as the buildings that make up the ensemble date from the Middle Ages and the 19th and 20th centuries. The library was founded in 1619 through the merger of several church libraries and has retained its original home, the former dormitory of the Franciscan monks in St. Catherine's Monastery, to this day. Alongside these magnificent rooms from the 14th century – the Scharbau Hall and the Consistorial Hall – as well as the Mantel Hall from 1877 – the Willy Pieth Reading Room from the 1930s, designed in the style of "New Objectivity," is particularly striking.
The 1970s building of the city library was a true showcase project at the time, opening in 1979 after only three years of construction in the presence of the then Federal President. At that time, the reading room, which was housed in the building that now houses the Willy Brandt House, and the academic city library merged. The charm of the 1970s might not be immediately apparent from today's perspective, but its light-filled atrium and low ceilings give the house its distinctive character. Don't miss the opportunity to take one of the regularly scheduled free guided tours when visiting Lübeck. They take place every first Wednesday of the month.
The library as a third place – an invitation to ALL
In 1989, the American spatial sociologist Ray Oldenburg published his theory of "third places," social spaces that play important roles in people's lives after home and work. The Lübeck City Library also sees itself as a meeting place, a place to linger and learn, and simply a place to feel comfortable. Everyone is welcome to spend time here, surf the web, browse in the available seating areas, conduct research, and immerse themselves in other worlds. Gone are the stern-faced ladies with their hair in buns, once stereotypically associated with reading rooms, who urged quiet and monitored the appropriate behavior of library patrons. The Lübeck City Library is a hybrid institution, offering both online and offline services to reach the broadest possible audience. 71% of users in Lübeck opt for digital services. However, the number of those borrowing books in the traditional way has also increased recently.
The library aims for visibility: in addition to regular guided tours, it offers a wide variety of events to highlight its diverse contributions as an indispensable cultural and educational institution. It participated in the Long Night of Libraries for the first time in 2019. Two thousand visitors attended, tango was danced in the Scharbau Hall, and visitors could program Ozobots or discover old Lübeck through film while enjoying a glass of wine. The library also participated in the Long Night of Libraries in 2023. Naturally, the effort is considerable each time, but the success justifies the team's efforts, and another vibrant program is planned for Lübeck in 2025.
Isn't the book already dead?
A provocative question, one that Marcel Reich-Ranitzki wasn't the first to ask – or ask us. Of course, the book isn't dead, and there's no such thing as THE book anyway. The number of new releases is increasing. Around 29.9 million people in Germany buy books. E-book or the classic book with pages to turn?
"The book will still be there, even if the first electronic pulse weapon has destroyed all electronically available information."
Bernd Hatscher
And it might not even be necessary, because it's still completely unclear whether the data stored on our current state-of-the-art media will still be accessible and readable in 30 years. Bernd Hatscher prefers specialist and non-fiction books to novels, but doesn't have a favorite. For him, a book means relaxation and leisure, allowing topics and ideas to unfold peacefully in his mind and heart.
Digitalization – innovative and exemplary
Since taking office, the library director and his team have been driving digitization forward with great dedication. The catalog has been available digitally since 2007, digital reference services were introduced in 2009,
and e-books have been available for loan since 2011. Due to its nearly 400-year history, the Lübeck City Library possesses a valuable collection of older materials, including many rare and unique items. The core collection of 1,100 printed works and approximately 230 manuscripts dates back to the 11th century and originates from the collections of St. Mary's Church, St. James' Church, St. Peter's Church, and St. Giles' Church. These were supplemented by the libraries of the city council, St. Catherine's Church, and the Latin School.
Thanks to the support of the Possehl Foundation, a high-quality scanner was acquired. Since 2015, the older holdings have been systematically scanned, digitized, indexed, and cataloged in-house. This allows valuable books to be made accessible to specialists and the interested public worldwide. This has two advantages: the original editions are preserved and can thus be retained for future generations. At the same time, more people have access to the digital versions of the works.
And what is there to discover?
Nearly 940,000 items – both analog and digital: academic textbooks and historical treasures, exciting children's and young adult books, tons of games and audiobooks. A fantastic music library offers everything from sheet music to BRAVO hits and Kesha's latest album. So, there's something for everyone. Library cards are available on-site, as is free Wi-Fi. Why not drop by?