Does Thuringia need a library that is open 24 hours a day? The 27th Thuringian Library Day in Gotha deals with these and other questions.
Gotha (dpa/th) – According to the Thuringian Library Association, there is no public library in Thuringia that is open day and night. The possibility of reaching citizens with a so-called “Open Library” (German: open library) outside of normal opening hours and without staff – up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week – will be presented on Wednesday at the 27th Thuringian Library Day examined more closely in Gotha.
Implementing such a concept was “not done with a snap of the fingers,” says Milena Pfafferott, chairwoman of the Thuringia state association in the German Library Association. Instead of a 24/7 offer, it could also be about other opening days and times in rural areas. So far, the open library offer has mainly been used in Germany to extend opening hours in the morning and evening as well as on days when the library is closed.
Whether and how this can be implemented in Thuringia must be assessed by each institution. “We found it very exciting to take a look at the Open Library concept. Without there being a requirement behind it,” said Pfafferott. In addition to the large Hamburg library, the libraries from Moers and Verl also presented their experiences with the concept of an open library without staff.
The Thuringian Library Day takes place once a year in a different city. It should be completed this year with the presentation of the Thuringian Library Prize 2022 in the Gotha Culture House to the Rudolstadt City Library.
