The German National Library (DNB) operates sites in Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig. It is Germany’s central archival library and collects, documents and archives all text, image and sound recordings published in Germany, in the German language or on Germany since 1913 – without exception, without bias and in the original.
The Minister of State for Culture and the Media, Wolfram Weimer, is currently working on proposals for reforming the Law Regarding the German National Library (DNBG). The aim is to take greater account of the development of media markets, the increase in digitalisation and feasibility of the legal deposit and to thus ensure that the cultural heritage is adequately safeguarded in line with the statutory mandate. Furthermore, the DNB is to be enabled to handle its collection mandate more flexibly, even assuming that the provision of physical copies will remain mandatory, for example, by replacing duplicate copies with digital ones.
It is in part in the context of these concepts that fundamental questions arise concerning the capacities that will be needed in the future. However, a final review of the cost-defining planning documents for a 5th extension to be added in Leipzig is yet to be carried out by the responsible federal building authority, and long-term financing has not been secured to date. Nevertheless, the resulting moratorium does not mean that the project has been abandoned. It can be introduced to the current budget preparation procedure to allow for the matter to be discussed in parliament.
Wolfram Weimer, Minister of State for Culture and the Media: “It goes without saying that the Federal Government is and will continue to be committed to the German National Library as the treasury of our written cultural heritage, and also to Leipzig as its location. At the same time, we want to make greater use of digitalisation options for handling its comprehensive collection mandate going forward.
It is therefore key that this statutory collection mandate is adjusted to the changed circumstances of our digital age, not least in consideration of the expected greater financial restrictions in the years ahead. In this context we will ensure that incoming physical media items will be preserved also in the future.”
Frank Scholze, Director General of the German National Library: “We welcome the Minister of State’s decision to take the next step towards realising the annex. To preserve the cultural heritage as the ‘memory of the nation’ and to make it accessible for future generations is not only our statutory mandate, but also our social responsibility. The fact that a broad consensus has by now been established with the Minister of State and the general public is an encouraging signal for the future of our country.”