Library Co-operation, Organisations and Institutions

German libraries work together in many ways and the basis of this co-operation is first the awareness that it is only through networking that all libraries can offer the services that an evolving society and its members need and secondly, the realisation of the need to link the library structure with the whole education and information structure. To co-operate libraries in Germany have created organisations and institutions, which give foundation, permanence and also fresh stimulus to such co-operation. These include Deutscher Bibliotheksverband DBV (German Library Association), Verein Deutscher Bibliothekare, the Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Bibliotheksverbände, Deutsches Bibliotheksinstitut and the Library Committee and Library Department of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Association).

The Deutscher Bibliotheksverband (German Library Association) was among the first library associations on the federal level to cover all types of libraries. Founded in 1949 as Deutscher Büchereiverband, this organisation changed its name to the former to emphasize its intention of developing into a general organisation of the different types of libraries and bodies responsible for libraries. Membership therefore includes libraries, public book centres and other bodies. The purpose of the organisation is the promotion of librarianship and promotion of co-operation between libraries as well as professional expertise. It has especially concerned itself with issues such as library planning,

182 Ibid., p. 299

legislation and copyright. It is administered by a president and an executive committee with seven representatives of public and academic libraries. It also has a 26 member advisory council representing the Standing Conference of Ministers of Culture, the German Research Association, finance ministers of different federal states, independent bodies responsible for libraries, other library professional associations among others. It has five sections for public libraries, general academic libraries, special libraries, regional libraries as well as library schools which co-ordinate activities at these levels.

The Verein Deutscher Bibliothekare (Association of German Librarians), founded in 1900 and later re-launched in 1949 is basically an association of academic librarians. The basic purpose is to encourage co-operation between German librarians, to pursue their professional interests and assist in the development and exchange of professional knowledge. In so doing it has made crucial contribution to the development of German libraries. It was originally responsible for the publishing of “Zeitschrift für Bibliothekswesen und Bibliographie” (Journal for Library Science and Bibliography).

This association has restricted itself to librarianship as a profession and thus has three committees, for professional education, salaries for librarians and legal affairs.

The Deutsches Bibliotheksinstitut (German Library Institute) was founded in 1978 by a law of the Berlin state as an independent statutory institution under direct control of the state. Later it became an institution for the whole nation financed by the various federal states. It has its own administration, with state supervision being exercised by the member of the Berlin senate responsible for cultural affairs. It is recognised as one of the national research bodies and according to its founding law, it is responsible for providing services to libraries across the country and engaging in research and development in the field of libraries and librarianship. It has been responsible for publishing of the journal

“Bibliotheksdienst” (Library Service), creation and management of the periodicals databank, co-operative index to corporate bodies, network catalogue of machine readable catalogue data, collection and compiling of library statistics, and providing services and advice on data processing and library technology. In engaging in all these activities the DBI has been instrumental to the development of library development of German libraries. After a controversial assessment by an advisory council the DBI was dissolved

in 1991. Its activities were divided up among other institutions. The Foundation of Prussian Culture, Berlin under the newly founded Institute for Library Innovation and Development, took some up.

The Bundesvereingung Deutscher Bibliotheksverbände was established in 1989 and is an umbrella body for libraries and other related organisations. It has the aim of establishing and facilitating the co-operation between German libraries and other related organisations both in Germany and in the international arena, ensuring that libraries as establishments of culture, education and research guarantee free access to information for every citizen and finally to represent the interest of library personnel and their institutions to the wider society. Because of the nature of the organisation, its membership is institutional including Deutsche Bibliotheksverband, Goethe Institute International and other organisations.

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Association) has been providing funds to academic libraries for specific projects to support supra-regional information provision activities such as those aimed at creating union catalogues, cataloguing of special collections such manuscripts and archival materials, and automation programmes.

The fundamentals of library co-operation in Germany were laid down by the position paper Bibliotheksplan ‘73 and reinforced in Bibliotheken ’93. The former was the first ever comprehensive draft for a network of the libraries in the former West Germany and not only created consciousness for library co-operation but also made recommendations through which this co-operation could be achieved. It led to the foundation of German Library Association and the establishment of the Deutsches Bibliotheksinstitut. These were instrumental in the exchange of experiences between librarians and libraries.

In both these papers we find recommendations on how the different information needs of the country could be fulfilled. All libraries were divided into 4 categories and each group assigned the responsibility of collecting and supplying information of a particular type to

a well-specified region.¹⁸³ Each category of libraries starting from category 1 which consists of the smaller libraries to category 4 consisting of the university and national libraries is assigned responsibility of collecting and supplying information in line with its level of financing and national importance. For example those libraries in category 4 have the responsibility of supra-regional coverage of information and literature by acquiring and supplying comprehensively in all fields of learning including highly specialised research literature and documentary material. In varying degrees each category assumed additional functions of bibliographical control and interlibrary loans.

These position papers have had a positive impact in the development of library co-operation and were the basis for many action plans in different regions as far as library co-operation is concerned and also for joint ventures such as consortia for data processing, book evaluation and interlibrary loan systems. Examples of these are plans such as “Die Bayerischen Bibliotheken in der Landesentwicklung” (Bavarian Libraries in the Development of the Land) and the “Empfehlungen zum Ausbau des Bibliothekwesens in Nordrhein-Westfalen” (Recommendations for Development of Libraries in Northrhine-Westphalia). An example of one such joint venture is the “Verbund Bibliotheksregion Südostniedersachsen (The Bison Library Network in South East Lower Saxon).

Other forms of co-operation also exist between German libraries. The first among these is in book selection and cataloguing. This takes the form of arrangements for specific libraries to collect in specific subject fields and also co-operative checking and ordering especially those with automated acquisitions and cataloguing. Cataloguing in publication (CIP) services are provided by the Deutsche Bibliothek to participating institutions.

Libraries use these entries as sources of information in book selection that are up to date and as ordering records for acquisition purposes hence saving on work. In former times academic libraries used the national bibliography as a basis for their own cataloguing by subscribing to magnetic tapes of the Deutsche Bibliothek, which they use to prepare catalogue entries; today it goes online, of course. There also exist a regional cataloguing consortia, which comprise of university and comparable libraries.

183Bibliotheken’ 93 / Bundesvereinigung Deutscher Bibliotheksverbande. – Berlin: DBI, 1993. - p. 39-42

Another area of co-operation is that of interlibrary lending and union catalogues. For many decades German libraries have tried to meet the user expectation that if materials are not available in the local library then it would be borrowed from elsewhere.

Interlibrary lending has evolved between branch and central libraries, and between libraries maintained by different bodies in one town. There are also interlibrary systems on regional, supra-regional and international levels. All these are based on the principle of reciprocity. The costs are bone by the lending libraries and whenever possible photocopies are sent. It is important to note that there exists legislation that govern and regulate interlibrary lending. This has supported and encouraged libraries to participate in the activity.

In Germany, a clearinghouse exists at the Staatbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin for handling international requests. Application for materials in the other countries is not sent via this clearinghouse but rather directly to a specific foreign library thought to be able to satisfy the request. For materials in Britain requests are made to the British Library Lending and Documentation Centre.

2.5.5 Library Buildings

In the large university libraries, the library building is divided into three main areas:

storage area where most books and periodicals are kept, the user space, including the reading hall, borrowing and catalogue area and finally the administration area which includes the acquisitions and processing. This set up can still be found in the older university libraries. However in the last two decades there has been evidence of new building ideas, which do not follow this principle. Notably, there has been demolition of boundaries between readers and the reading materials. Smaller reading rooms have replaced the large reading room. Many university libraries have their collection open and accessible to the readers and apart from reading areas, they have consultation areas, halls for lectures, meeting, or exhibition. These functions are reflected in the modern building formats.