A German Public Library and Its Community

Abstract

The legal position of public libraries in Germany is discussed with particular reference to Bonn. Libraries see themselves as institutions which supply and circulate freely expressed opinions, but nowhere is there any mention of the necessity to establish and maintain them. Librarians have to create their own principles regarding contents and organisation of librarianship. Libraries other than municipal ones are discussed, and the effect of political and social structure of communities on the provision of information and services. The needs of the physically disabled and foreign workers, who have to be catered for specially, are also considered.

Citation

OBBERG, H. (1987), "A German Public Library and Its Community", New Library World, Vol. 88 No. 10, pp. 186-189. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb038737