Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Name	Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Caption	The main building in Leipzig
Established	1912
Location	Leipzig, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin
Collection size	Over 38 million media units
Director	Frank Scholze
Website	www.dnb.de

Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. As the central archival library and national bibliographic centre for the Federal Republic of Germany, it collects, documents, and permanently archives all German and German-language publications since 1913. Its legal mandate extends to preserving the nation's published cultural heritage and making it accessible to the public. The institution operates from three main locations in Leipzig, Frankfurt am Main, and Berlin, each with distinct collection focuses and historical significance.

History

The library's origins trace back to the founding of the Deutsche Bücherei in Leipzig in 1912, an initiative by the Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler and the Kingdom of Saxony. Following World War II and the division of Germany, the Deutsche Bibliothek was established in Frankfurt am Main in 1947 to serve the western zones. During the Cold War, these two libraries operated separately, with the Deutsche Bücherei serving the German Democratic Republic. After German reunification in 1990, they were merged by the Einigungsvertrag to form the modern institution, which was renamed in 2006. The addition of the Deutsches Musikarchiv in Berlin, originally founded in West Berlin in 1970, completed the current tripartite structure.

Legal mandate and functions

Its operations are governed by the Law regarding the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, which mandates the collection of all media publications issued in Germany, regardless of format. This includes works by German authors published abroad, translations of German works, and foreign publications about Germany. Key functions include the creation of the national bibliography, the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie, and the assignment of standard identifiers like the International Standard Book Number. The library also administers the Gemeinsame Normdatei authority file in cooperation with other major German libraries and archives the legal deposit copies of all German phonographic works.

Collections and holdings

The combined collections exceed 38 million items, encompassing millions of books, serials, and non-print media. Special collections include extensive holdings of exile literature from the Nazi era, the archives of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, and the complete collection of German music recordings. The Anne-Frank-Shoah-Bibliothek forms a significant part of its exile collections. The Deutsches Exilarchiv 1933–1945 preserves the written legacy of those forced to flee. Furthermore, it maintains large collections of incunabula, maps, and patent documents, forming one of the world's most comprehensive archives of German-language publishing.

Buildings and locations

The main building in Leipzig, designed by architect Oskar Pusch, opened in 1916 and has been expanded several times, including a major modernist extension. The Frankfurt site, opened in 1997, features a striking design by the architect Metamorphosis von Gerkan, Marg und Partner. This location houses the German Library Museum. The Berlin branch is situated in the Kulturforum near the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin and the Philharmonie Berlin, primarily serving as the home of the Deutsches Musikarchiv. Each building is architecturally significant and tailored to its specific collection and functional profile.

Organization and administration

The library is a federal institution under the auspices of the German federal government, represented by the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media. It is led by a director-general, currently Frank Scholze, and supervised by a board of trustees comprising representatives from the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, publishers, authors, and library associations. Key internal divisions include the departments for Acquisition, Cataloguing, Preservation, and Information Technology. It works in close partnership with institutions like the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz and regional library networks across Germany.

Digital services and projects

A central digital initiative is the Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, for which the library provides key technological infrastructure and coordination. It maintains the central ISBN agency for Germany and offers extensive online services through its portal, including the integrated authority file Gemeinsame Normdatei. Major digitization projects focus on historical newspapers, exile press, and the national bibliographic dataset. The library also participates in international digital preservation efforts like the International Internet Preservation Consortium and develops long-term archiving strategies for born-digital publications and net literature.

Category:National libraries Category:Libraries in Germany Category:Buildings and structures in Leipzig Category:Book publishing in Germany