Preserving collections - Shaping their use
Photo: DNB, Stephan Jockel
Books, online publications, sheet music, leaflets, even letters from exile – we are constantly expanding our collection and making it accessible to everyone. This is part of the German National Library's statutory mandate.
This valuable cultural heritage, which currently encompasses more than 50 million media, is kept in optimum conditions and made widely available for use. One important task in this context is the digitisation of our holdings. Our work also encompasses the preservation of our collections, from mass deacidification to the restoration of individual books.
Users are the focus of our activities. The wealth of knowledge held by our library is intended to benefit the general public and provide low-threshold access to information. We therefore make sure that our locations offer the best possible conditions for concentrated work and discussion. And we are constantly at pains to expand our digital services and make them widely available for use.
We preserve our common cultural heritage and make it accessible to all with as few restrictions as possible. Support us in this effort!
Donate now
Support your favourite topic "Collection and Use" by making a bank transfer or setting up a standing order payable to the following account. Your donation to the German National Library is tax-deductible.
Account holder: Bundeskasse Trier
Bank: Deutsche Bundesbank Filiale Saarbrücken
IBAN: DE81 5900 0000 0059 0010 20
Intended use: 1156 5111 1240, Spende DNB
Your donation supports
The image as a knowledge resource – illustrations as cultural assets
Illustration: Rotraut Susanne Berner
The well-known German children's book illustrator Rotraut Susanne Berner is to become part of our national cultural heritage. The German Museum of Books and Writing in Leipzig is planning to acquire Rotraut Susanne Berner's works and thus preserve her creative oeuvre for posterity.
Preservation of our holdings
Photo: DNB, Stephan Jockel
Our conservation and restoration projects enable us to preserve the unique objects and extensive holdings in the German National Library's collections. Preventive measures such as cleaning, packing for archival storage, conservation and restoration measures for damage repair, emergency management measures and support for digitisation projects – all these tasks are vital when it comes to preserving our holdings in the best possible condition and enabling users to experience them.
Funded projects
Numerous projects have benefited from generous support in the past. A selection:
Photo: DNB, Stephan Jockel
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Preservation of Walter Meckauer's suitcase
The German Exile Archive 1933–1945 preserves original testimonies left by the Meckauer family, including the suitcase which Walter Meckauer took with him on various stages of exile to America and back to Germany. The suitcase and all the writings it contains were dry-cleaned and harmful materials removed. The restored suitcase can now be seen in the German Exile Archive's permanent exhibition. (The conservation of the suitcase was partly funded by the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Cultural Foundation of the German Federal States.)
Contact
The opportunities to get involved are many and varied. We are happy to tell you more and answer your questions at engagement@dnb.de
Last changes:
06.02.2025
