17 April 2024 press release

Young people aged 16 and over can now use the German National Library's collections in its reading rooms in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main. The minimum age for obtaining a user ID was previously 18 years.

The German National Library provides services and offerings with an eye to promoting freedom of information and expression; by lowering the age limit, it aims to make them available to an even wider circle of users and interested parties. Formats are being developed specifically for young people and will add to diverse portfolio of events in the future.

No general user fees are currently being charged for library use; these were revoked as part of a trial phase which began in March 2020 and has now been extended until 28 February 2025. The German National Library already offers free exhibitions, guided tours and events to attract visitors and encourage them to explore its collections.

More information: https://www.dnb.de/use

Background

The German National Library collects, documents and archives all written publications and sound recordings issued in Germany since 1913 together with works in German and about Germany published worldwide; it then makes them available to the public.

It offers a comprehensive range of services at its sites in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main along with digital services that can be accessed all over the world.

The German National Library also holds a wealth of valuable special collections in the German Exile Archive 1933–1945 and the German Museum of Books and Writing. It regularly organises readings, exhibitions, presentations and concerts to draw attention to its treasures and promotes a culture of books, reading and music with a varied programme.

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