Overview
- The new Zentralbibliothek Essen reopened after a €25 million renovation on Saturday, October 24, with six floors that include a gaming zone, maker-spaces, study areas and an events program and officials expect up to 2,000 daily visitors at first.
- The Koalitionsausschuss decided this summer that public libraries may open on Sundays from 1 January 2027, a change the Deutscher Bibliotheksverband welcomed while calling for clear legal rules for implementation.
- Several municipalities are now planning technical pilots such as RFID-based ‘open library’ access to allow unsupervised borrowing outside staffed hours but say installation costs, insurance and legal clarity remain unresolved.
- Libraries are broadening services to attract families and young users by adding gaming walls, consoles for loan, maker equipment and expanded digital lending while strengthening reading programs with schools and kindergartens.
- National use rose to about 188 million visits in 2025, yet local patterns vary: some towns report strong circulation and steady visitor numbers while places like Altkreis Münden saw falls in visits and loans, and volunteer-run village libraries continue to provide weekly community access.