Magdeburg's city library: a treasure of 500 years of reading culture!

Magdeburg's city library: a treasure of 500 years of reading culture!

Magdeburg, Deutschland - The Magdeburg City Library is a true jewel of culture and history. In 2023 she was able to celebrate her 500th anniversary and is therefore one of the oldest city libraries in Germany. Every day the library opens its goals at 10 a.m. and attracts a variety of enthusiastic visitors: inside. The diverse offer ranges from books and tonies to games to quiet jobs and special projects for school classes. And the events are also a hit: from Bilderbuchkino to a cartoon workshop to homework help is there for every need. According to reports from MDR , the library is perceived as an important" third place "as the committed librarian Rüster emphasized.

The city library is not only a place for reading, but also a room for encounter, learning and exchange. Under the direction of Cornelia Poenicke, the importance of reading is held up and the library is regularly equipped with new books. Over 1,000 new children's and youth books have found their way to the shelves, which is particularly interested in the young readership.

special treasures and events

On the occasion of the anniversary, the special exhibition "Treasures of the Magdeburg City Library", which presents bibliophile treasures. This includes around 100,000 historical works that document the incredibly diverse history of the library. The exclusive exhibits include impressive children's books, such as the pop-up and 3D books by Lothar Meggendorfer from the 19th century and the classic children's book "The Struwwelpeter" in various editions. Interested parties can visit the exhibition by the end of October, guided tours can be booked on the phone number 0391/540-4880, such as "https://kulturmd.de/index.php/md-im-blick/nachrichten/16-04-bibliophile-kostkinden-s- special exhibition-in-stadtbibliothek-zum- 500-jubilaeum" Class = "Source_2"> Kulturmd.de reported.

Another highlight is the currently taking place "XXL reading summer", the largest holiday reading campaign in Saxony-Anhalt. Here 57 libraries take part and encourage children and adolescents to read and discover new literature. Despite the competition through the Internet, the city library shows stable user and loan figures and enjoys high demand for fiction and children's literature.

A look at the story

The roots of the Magdeburg city library go back to 1525 when the Augustinian monastery library was handed over to the city council. This marked a significant foundation of reformation and laid the foundation for the development of urban libraries, which often emerged from monastery stocks. Historically, the beginnings of urban libraries before the 19th century were often in church, monastic or school institutions. An overview of the development of urban libraries shows that some were founded in the imperial cities in the 16th century, as well as the Magdeburgers, which are considered one of the oldest. More on this can be found in Historical Lexikon Bayerns

The history of the city library is a mirror of local culture and the thirst for knowledge of people. It not only provided the benefits of information, but also created a platform for social interaction and joint learning. With a rich historical inventory and modern offers, the Magdeburg City Library remains an important institution for all generations.