German National Library fills three new management positions

published 02.07.2025

As part of its organisational development process and based on the Strategic Compass 2035, the German National Library has created three new domains which will take up operations on 1 December 2025.  The Collections Domain will be headed by Constanze Schumann, Ulrike Junger is taking over the Metadata Domain and Susanne Theile is going to be in charge of the Access and Engagement Domain.

• More

VW-LIS will start again on 1 July

published 01.07.2025

Access to the German National Library's licensing service for out-of-commerce works (VW-LiS) will be restored on 1 July 2025. Tailored to the requirements associated with the (mass) digitisation of written cultural heritage, the licensing of out-of-commerce works facilitates the provision of legally watertight access to copyright-protected 20th century sources. Cultural heritage institutions can now register again for a VW-LiS account at the German National Library and file applications for out-of-commerce books with VG WORT.

• More about VW-LiS

Antitext

published 01.07.2025

The exhibition titled “Antitext” by the Literary Museum of Kharkiv (Ukraine) will be shown at the German Museum of Books and Writing of the German National Library between 1 and 31 July 2025. The exhibition explores the ways in which censorship and the banning of literary texts impact a society’s cultural identity.

• More

The digital annual report 2024 is here!

published 18.06.2025

In 2024, the German National Library tried out exciting new event formats, continued to grow and became more modern in many ways. The Strategic Compass sets the course for the next ten years. Take a look for yourself!

• To the annual report

New Director

published 11.06.2025

Kathrin Brannemann has been appointed Director of the German National Library in Frankfurt. The Administrative Council of the German National Library appointed Ms Brannemann based on the selection committee’s recommendation. The decision was preceded by a comprehensive selection process.
Ms Brannemann is currently the Library Director of the Göttingen State and University Library (SUB Göttingen). In February 2026, she will succeed Ute Schwens who will retire after more than 25 successful years in this position.

• More

25 years of the Office for Library Standards (AfS)

published 04.06.2025

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Office for Library Standards (AfS) at the DNB. The core task of the AfS was and is standardisation work. Other tasks are the further development of the Integrated Authority File (GND) and the documentation platform of the Committee for Library Standards.

• More (only available in German)