Institution Tag: Library
Deutsche
Oper am
Rhein
About us
The Project
A New Triad for the Opera House of the Future in Düsseldorf: Opera, Music School, and Music Library
The future alliance of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, the Music School, and the Music Library in Düsseldorf is unique in its composition – and challenging. Different forms of sponsorship, structures, and working methods come together, as do diverse target groups, programs, and perspectives. All the more important, then, is to create a foundation for collaboration that does not erase these differences but instead uses them as a strength. The initial planning for the new opera house has already been developed jointly – now it is a matter of bringing it to life. To achieve this, viable strategies will be worked out to explore interfaces, responsibilities, and synergies, to sharpen the profiles of each partner, and to formulate shared goals. The aim: an opera house of the future that embraces diverse voices and needs.
Contact
Stadt
bibliothek
Pankow
About us
The Project
Alliances, Networks, Bridge-Builders
What role can libraries play at a time when social cohesion and democratic values are increasingly under pressure? The Stadtbibliothek Pankow – the Pankow City Library –, together with the Städtische Bibliotheken Dresden – Dresden City Libraries – and other partners, seeks to position libraries as indispensable, adaptable public resources. The conviction is clear: now more than ever, they are places of learning, participation and social connection. As part of the Zukunftsbande (“Future Alliance”), the libraries aim to build bridges with other democratic forces and to trial new models of cooperation – intermunicipal, participatory and learning-oriented. The goal is to develop creative responses to contemporary challenges such as disinformation or social fatigue, to test innovative usage concepts, and to empower staff to actively shape processes of change.
Contact
Stadt
bibliothek
Stuttgart
About us
The Project
StoryLab – A Space for Literary and Technical Fusion
How can the library become a space of possibility for the city’s community? The Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart – the Stuttgart City Library – aims to explore this question within the framework of the programme, together with experts and partner institutions. The plan is to create a StoryLab – a space where technology meets artistic and literary approaches: for example, through AI-supported writing and video workshops, or by producing 3D objects of literary characters. The aim is to enable new forms of participation and to actively involve civil society in technological developments. To achieve this requires expertise, time and exchange: concerning technical equipment, the design of the space, the development of a viable access model and networking with potential partners. The first step, therefore, is to gather creative ideas and develop a concept that will make the StoryLab a vibrant place for innovation and social dialogue.
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Stadt
bibliothek
Mannheim
About us
The Project
Future Library – Ideas, Exchange, Transformation
How can the setback of a cancelled new-build project be turned into a productive perspective for the future? The Stadtbibliothek Mannheim – the Mannheim City Library – sees in it the opportunity to launch a much-needed innovation process, together with staff, the city administration, the municipal council, partner institutions and local residents. At the centre is the development of future-proof service formats, new working and organisational structures, and sustainable forms of participation that respond to the needs of a diverse urban society. In this way, change is actively shaped – moving towards a library as a vibrant cultural and social meeting place with renewed visibility.
Contact
Amt für
Kultur und
Weiter
bildung Kiel
About us
The Project
The Cultural Post Office – A Place for Social Exchange
Five cultural institutions under one roof – that is the situation in the Neues Rathaus in Kiel. As part of its initiative, the Amt für Kultur und Weiterbildung – the municipal Office for Culture and Continuing Education – now aims to further develop the building as an open, inclusive Third Place, together with the people of the city.
The focus lies on the needs of users, the physical opening up of the building, and closer, more collaborative cooperation between the institutions themselves as well as with the independent scene. Existing structures – from barrier-free access to free offers – provide a strong foundation. The next step is to devise strategies for breaking down boundaries between the different areas – both architecturally and in programming – and to explore new spaces for encounter.
Contact
Stadt
bibliothek
Köln
About us
The Project
We Step into the Air!
The Stadtbibliothek Köln is using the complete renovation of its Central Library as an opportunity to reconceive the library system as a forward-looking space of possibility – going far beyond structural modernisation. Together with citizens and experts, ideas are being developed for how the reopened Central Library from 2028 onwards can serve as a vibrant and socially relevant place – well beyond its classical functions.
What role can the Stadtbibliothek play in a city society in transition? How can it become a catalyst for community, education and democratic participation? These questions for the future are now being explored in dialogue with local and international partners, taking up new impulses and initiating first steps so that structures, competences and working methods become fit for the future.
Contact
Stadt
bücherei
Frankfurt
am Main
About us
The Project
Meeting Point Future – The Role of Neighbourhood Libraries in a Changing City
How can neighbourhood libraries in the city of the future continue to position themselves as key players – right at the heart of the community, close to the people? The 16 neighbourhood libraries and the mobile library service of Frankfurt’s City Library define themselves as open spaces. They stand for educational equity and equal opportunities, for digital and cultural participation, and for freedom of information. They are far more than places to borrow books: they are spaces of encounter and dialogue. In many districts – especially where cultural infrastructure is lacking – they serve as a strong anchor for community life. But how can these libraries maintain and further develop their role within the neighbourhoods? In a growing city, they must adapt precisely to the changing needs of diverse communities, take on new responsibilities, and create room for innovation. At the same time, they remain committed to the core identity of the City Library. Existing approaches – such as responding to changes in the media landscape and evolving user behaviour – provide an important foundation. In the next phase, these will be further refined, with the aim of striking a new balance between shared identity and local diversity: neighbourhood libraries as strong, interconnected actors in Frankfurt’s urban fabric – each with its own distinctive character, yet working in close collaboration.
Contact
Dr. Sabine Homilius
Stadt
bibliothek
Rostock
About us
The Project
Beacon 42 – A Guide to Übermorgen
How can a city library reposition itself in times of rapid social and technological change – and what does it need in terms of space, content, and structure to remain relevant as a “third place”? Rostock’s City Library is preparing for a planned relocation and is using this as an opportunity for a fundamental realignment. Its current premises no longer meet the requirements of modern library work nor the needs of its users. As part of the programme, future-proof concepts for use are being developed, and questions regarding target audiences, services, and societal relevance are being reconsidered. The aim is to reimagine the library as a central hub for encounter, learning, and participation – open, welcoming, and forward-looking.
Contact
Steffen Bockhahn
Stadt
bibliothek
Karlsruhe
About us
The Project
Library in Transition: Creating Spaces for the Future Together
Karlsruhe’s City Library is entering a new chapter: alongside the planned redevelopment comes a strategic realignment. The aim is to further evolve the library into an open, inclusive and inspiring place – one that brings knowledge, culture and human encounter together. At the heart of this vision lies the creation of spaces that can be used across generations and that actively accompany processes of social change. How can the history of democracy, media art and dialogue on future issues be interwoven in ways that are accessible, comprehensible and tangible for all? In its current orientation phase, the library is sharpening its profile and developing a sustainable concept, one that responds to the needs of the city’s communities while also providing impulses for urban transformation.
Contact
Ilka Zarberg
Leipziger
Städtische
Bibliotheken
About us
The Project
Leipzig’s Municipal Libraries as a Place for the Future and a Cultural Hub at the Newly Redesigned Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz
Leipzig’s Municipal Libraries see themselves no longer merely as guardians of knowledge, but as active shapers of urban life. Around the Central Library in Leipzig, a range of new cultural and knowledge spaces are being planned and built. Even today, the library invites the city’s communities to bring their own topics and initiatives into its walls through the “LeipzigZimmer” project. As part of this programme, the Municipal Libraries aim to develop a new model of partnership in order to strengthen connections with both local communities and neighbouring cultural institutions. This also involves a critical reflection on their own role and organisation, and – where necessary –reshaping them for the future. The goal is to generate fresh ideas for how the libraries present themselves, both as a physical space and as an institution, working with long-standing as well as new partners.