Germany: With Our Libraries into a Better Future

In Germany, libraries are a voluntary task for the local authorities, not a legal obligation as in some other countries. Nonetheless, German public libraries—in spite of the challenges presented by the digital age and by society—are demonstrating stability in the face of change while simultaneously repositioning themselves regarding their role in the community. But how should this future be exactly shaped? What kind of library roles do German librarians and citizens envision? As an answer, the author describes the results of a representative study undertaken by the German Allensbach-Institut für Demoskopie on the future of libraries and discusses its possible implications as well as issues going beyond the survey. In the end, he presents six strong recipes for a successful library future which can be applied worldwide.