Goettingen State and University Library

Göttingen University Library, founded in 1734, was the first library to be conceived and realised as a modern research library. It was the first academic universal library of European standards. Today the collection of the University includes 7.7 million media units, 1.6 million microforms, 35000 current subscriptions, 14000 manuscripts, more than 3100 incunabula, 318000 maps and 400 scholarly collections as well as a large amount of digital media. Göttingen State and University Library is thus one of the five largest libraries in Germany.

The Historical Building i.e. the original library building accommodates the Department for Special Collections and Conservation, the Department for Research and Development and the Digitisation Centre. Here, using modern digital technology, the historical collections are made available world-wide, for example, the Gutenberg Bible. This Bible has been included in the UNESCO »Memory of the World« programme and, along with Lichtenberg’s »Sudelbücher«, is one the treasures of the Library. The library hall in the Pauliner Church, where Goethe, Heinrich Heine and the brothers Grimm once worked, has been restored to its 18th century glory and is now used as an exhibition and lecture hall. In addition to the Göttingen State und University Library, the University also has 138 libraries throughout the university.