This week yet another person told me that they have joined the Berlin public library because of my tweets, and they were probably the 10th person that has shared that with me. It made me think: what if I write a longer, more informative article I can link every time someone has a question and maybe win their subscription over?
In this article I will go through the practicals of how to join, the relevant websites (official and digital offer), the mechanisms like borrowing/ordering/recommending books, how to take advantage of the spaces they offer, what the simple act of joining the public library does for access to knowledge for all(and why you should support that) and end with a bonus section for parents and children.
The library, personally
I go to the library every second week, some months more often. Since my son was born, he always goes with me too. The library is my safe space and a place where I find joy since I was a child. Now that I have my own child, I try to foster the same love for books and knowledge that I carry with me all my life.
During the pandemic I missed the physical space so much, but the library was still my lifeline through their amazing digital offer. In 2020, I read 70 books. I am not sure how I would’ve gotten through that year without it.
The (basic) practicals
Let’s go over the practicals. As this article is in English, I suppose that almost everyone reading it will be new to Berlin, or an international resident that has been living here for a while and still hasn’t explored this part of the city. There is a lot to be said about the language barrier and how it hinders exploration, so I want to empower you with going through all of the practical steps to maybe make this a bit easier and safe for you.
Joining: You can join the library in person, or online with feeling this form with basic personal information. The yearly subscription costs 10 euros for an adult, it is free for children and (free or reduced) for other certain groups of people. You can pay online. If you decide to join online you will be able to take advantage of the amazing digital offer immediately. To be able to get access to the physical books, you need to take an ID or passport and a Meldebescheinigung. They will confirm you are indeed a resident in Berlin and will issue you a library card that you can use to rent books or other media with.
Borrowing: I will do a separate section about the digital offer as there is so much to say and I will detail borrowing online there. In the library you can borrow books or other media using the machines. They have multiple languages so you can pick the one you are the most comfortable with. You scan the card, you enter the password which is your date of birth, and then you can start scanning the books. Each book has a barcode. Once you are done, you get a little piece of paper detailing what you’ve borrowed and that’s it! Some media has this counter sign, which means that you need to go with your card to the counter and have an employee scan your card and give it to you. That is though almost never books in my experience.
A few important rules to know: You can extend the time to have the books/media twice for free, as long as you do it before the end of the lending period. You can find the books/media you have lent and how much they have until they need to be returned online at Mein Konto->Ausleihen, otherwise you have to use the machines or ask an employee. You can extend the time with just a click of a button. After two extensions, you will have to talk to an employee if you still need the book/media or take the book to a machine in the library with you to borrow it again (that is about three months of renting already). Extensions are possible only if on one has reserved this particular book/media. If you go over the rent time without an extension you will start accumulating fees. If you are not able to make the return because you are sick, a sick-note will waive your fees. Important: some books/media have different rules, like the “Im Trend” books, or the Tonies I get for my son.
The digital offer
Where do I even start? These 70 books I mentioned earlier were almost all rented through the online e-book/audio-book/e-magazine website. Look at the wealth of works there! Whenever I want a book, even the latest books in English I’d like to read, if I am a tiny bit patient, I will always find it there. I challenge you to search a pretty recent book you loved :) You can also take advantage of the whole offer through the app Libby after signing in with your library credentials.
Some of the practicals:
You can borrow any media listed there, anytime, given it’s availability status.
If the media isn’t available, you can place yourself in the queue and you will be notified when it’s available. Waiting time depends on how many copies are available and how popular the media is.
There is a category from which you can borrow always without waiting time(ebooks, audiobooks).
The foreign languages offer is way larger here than it is in the physical library. So many languages, and so much to read.
You can easily recommend books. You can search a title, and if it isn’t yet in the collection, but it shows up, you will have an option to recommend it. If the library purchases it, you will be the first person to borrow it. I’ve recommended 11 books, and they have bought 6 of them <3. This is an especially important function of libraries. Recommending books for purchase is an important instrument to enlarge the offer to the general public, especially on topics and viewpoints that are marginalised. There is a limit to this, but you can definitely do it from time to time. Please do.
What can you borrow?
You can borrow: books, audio-books, magazines, newspapers, movies, music, board games, educational resources like e-readers, puzzles, even art! I just read a small poster while passing by the library in Wedding that you can rent robots. The offer differs from library to a library, so you have to check what is available at your nearest one. For a small fee, there is also a service that can fetch you something from another library and bring it to your nearest one.
…and what you can also take home forever
Libraries also have a small “Trödelmarkt”, a second-hand market that works with donations. I check it every time I go, and there is almost always something for me to take home. It is usually a couple of shelves, or it can be a much larger collection. The offer is updated all the time. I’ve gotten tons of workbooks to practice German, books for children(even in English!), some magazines, architecture books etc. They are usually slightly damaged. The amount of the donation is something you decide for yourself, I leave a euro per book.
The library is more than a book-lending place
Libraries do way more than just lend books to eager readers. At the library there are peaceful workplaces, that you can use even without a library card(no one will check for one upon entry). There are computers and Internet that can be used by people who aren’t fortunate to have those at home. Libraries host constant events, like readings or educational lectures. Libraries welcome various groups that seek connection, offer help with homework for the children who need it or support for newcomers in the community. Libraries can be quiet places of contemplation and a place to get lost in someone else’s thoughts, to get inspired and stumble on someone’s work that you won’t meet in your usual bubble. Libraries offer opportunities to print and scan for those in need, and can be a chance for those seeking to find footing in their life. They offer a brief refuge for the homeless. Here is an article with some personal stories about why libraries are more than book lending places to people.
If you can afford any book, why should you sign up for the library?
People that have resources often ask how can they make a difference in the local community. For 10 euros a year, you are making a big contribution to the community, by also keeping the possibility of benefiting from it yourself.
With your library subscription, you are showing interest in keeping this place alive. With your subscription, you are directly showing policy makers and the authorities to keep investing and funding the jobs and rents and everything else that libraries need to run. With your subscription, you are keeping knowledge publicly accessible, and a space open that every single person can access. With your subscription, you are providing for the community with a possibility to cover any of the needs discussed in the previous section.
I hope you still consider supporting even if you don’t see yourself a frequent user of the space(or digital offer). Thank you!
Bonus: why visit the library with your (young) child?
I feel like I can write a full other article about this, but I will try to keep brief. I am not sure I can get you to click twice on my writings, so here is my one chance to charm you into a library subscription.
Children get their own library card. You need to bring an ID/Passport and a Meldebescheinigung just like for yourself . Children don’t pay for their subscription. Technically, you can also borrow your books/media with this card too, although it would be nice if you’d consider also signing up.
So, why bring your young child to the library? It differs from library to library, but a lot of the children’s sections have really nice reading nooks, and even spaces where children could crawl safely. There are boxes with board books for the youngest to explore, and many more as they get older and older. Often, the library is a place where parents come from time to time during their parental leave to get a bit of a change. You might even meet some nice folks this way. I had a little crew to go to the Pablo Neruda library with when my son was a baby.
Once they start understanding, they are proud of their own little card. My son can use all the machines by himself(I have to enter his password still) since he was about two I think. Children can pick their books, scan them, print the paper with the details of that particular borrow. My son would insist to carry those in his pocket always. Children feel taken seriously and empowered by this ritual. They are quite proud of themselves for having a card and navigating the world just like the grown-ups.
It is also a great opportunity to teach rules and interactions with an institution and a public space from a young age. Although the library employees are understanding, especially in the departments for children, there can’t be running, or yelling or throwing etc. It is a safe, gentle space to learn these rules, which are then applicable in many other public settings.
And of course, the books. Reading to children as early and as much as possible is widely known as beneficial and is a scientific fact. It does not only support language development, but overall cognitive development and paves a way for later academic success. Building early relationships with books and a sense of adventure and agency around acquiring knowledge will make the transition to school more natural.
Even if you don’t read German books at home, there are picture books in so many languages to pick from. The reading nooks a cosy, and offer a free/low-cost adventure during cold and rainy days. Children can borrow CDs with Höspiele, Tonies and a Toniebox, TipToi device, board games(we are currently learning to tell the time through one), puzzles, memory games, magazines and more. There are often tiny exhibitions from work that children did on some wall, as their contributions are valued there. There are readings and other events specifically for children.
Thank you for reading this long love letter to the Berlin public libraries! Let me know if you join the library and see you there :)
This is great! I love my local library, the Gedenkbibliothek. I had no idea you can recommend books, how can I do that?!