State Library: “The ZLB will not be able to cope with further cuts”

Shortly after the handover of leadership of the Central and State Library of Berlin (ZLB), the institution is drawing attention to the cuts in municipal funding. These represent "a severe cut," according to a statement on Friday, and are now being felt by users.

Specifically, the ZLB press office reports that the €2.2 million shortfall consists of a €1.6 million cut and €600,000 in uncovered additional costs. As already announced at a media event in mid-February, approximately 30 positions will have to be eliminated over the next five years. At the time, the hope was apparently still that the publication of the figures would bring about change. The first information desks serving as contact points for users have already been closed.

The next impact will be more noticeable starting July 1. The ZLB announced: "Service hours—the times when people are available in the library to provide support, provide information, obtain a new library card, borrow large-format media, and other items—and the times when the stacks are open, will be reduced by one hour daily." Only Mondays will remain open until 8 p.m. to accommodate working people. From Tuesday to Friday, library staff will only be on site until 7 p.m.

The fresh air library is discontinued

For reading, borrowing, and anything that can be managed electronically, the library will remain open until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and until 7 p.m. Saturday. Currently, it is still possible to continue offering Sunday opening hours. However, the previously heavily used outdoor library in front of the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek (American Memorial Library) will be a victim of the cuts this summer. The number of events will be reduced, and several newspaper subscriptions will be canceled.

"The ZLB will not be able to cope with further cuts," the statement reads. Information about the restrictions will be posted in the entrance areas of both its buildings in Kreuzberg and Mitte. A postcard campaign is also being conducted – apparently to raise awareness among the up to 3,500 visitors a day to Berlin's largest cultural institution.