Berlin-Sammlungen

Berlin-Sammlungen ("Berlin Collections") is the Berlin-focused special collection of the Zentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin (ZLB), the central and state library of the German capital. It is not a commercial product line but a curated, publicly accessible collection brand within the ZLB, dedicated to documenting the multi-layered life and culture of Berlin as an urban space. The collection's mandate is to gather, preserve and make accessible the identity- and character-shaping testimonies of the city as completely as possible, fulfilling the ZLB's legal duty as Berlin's state library to collect the intellectual and cultural output of the region. The origins of the Berlin-Sammlungen date to 1901, when a substantial part of the Magistrats- und Ratsbibliothek (municipal council library) entered the Berliner Stadtbibliothek. Over the following decades the holdings were expanded through donations, foundations and purchases of estates and estate libraries. Today the collection includes an outstanding run of the Berlin press from 1742 onward, address and telephone books from 1707 to the present, and historical and special collections such as the estate libraries of notable Berlin personalities. The Berlin-Sammlungen are housed within the ZLB, which operates two locations: the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek (AGB) in Berlin-Kreuzberg and the Berliner Stadtbibliothek (BStB) in Berlin-Mitte. The ZLB is a foundation under public law (Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts) and serves as Berlin's state library. Alongside the Berlin-Sammlungen, the ZLB maintains a broad collection on urban, district and regional life, covering topics such as sustainability, housing and the mobility transition. The collection is supported by a service and events programme that offers diverse perspectives on Berlin as a city, living and cultural space. Guided tours and walks illuminate current and historical themes; readings, workshops and lecture series aim at active participation and exchange with and among Berliners. Various advisory services support research in the Berlin-Sammlungen, biographical research, and work with the newspaper and microfilm holdings. As a brand, Berlin-Sammlungen functions as a public-facing identity for a heritage collection rather than a commercial offering. Its "customers" are researchers, journalists, historians, genealogists and the general public interested in Berlin's history and culture. The collection's value lies in its completeness, its long temporal span and its accessibility as part of the ZLB's public mission.

The Berlin-Sammlungen trace their origins to 1901, the founding year in which a comprehensive part of the Magistrats- und Ratsbibliothek (municipal council and council library) entered the Berliner Stadtbibliothek. This initial transfer formed the core of what would become the Berlin-focused special collection. In the years that followed, the holdings were systematically expanded through donations, foundations and purchases of estates and estate libraries, reflecting the city's intellectual and cultural life. Over the twentieth century, the collection grew to include an outstanding run of the Berlin press from 1742 onward, address and telephone books from 1707 to the present, and historical and special collections such as the estate libraries of notable Berlin personalities. These materials document the city's development, its institutions, its residents and its cultural production. Today the Berlin-Sammlungen are part of the Zentral- und Landesbibliothek Berlin (ZLB), which was formed from the merger of the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek (AGB) and the Berliner Stadtbibliothek (BStB). The ZLB operates as a foundation under public law (Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts) and serves as Berlin's state library. Its legal mandate includes collecting all printed works, data and sound carriers, and digital media published in Berlin. The Berlin-Sammlungen continue to fulfill this mandate by gathering the identity- and character-shaping testimonies of Berlin as an urban living and cultural space as completely as possible. The collection is complemented by a broad ZLB holdings on urban, district and regional life, covering themes such as sustainability, housing and the mobility transition. Public services include guided tours and walks, readings, workshops, lecture series, and advisory services for research in the Berlin-Sammlungen, biographical research, and the newspaper and microfilm area.

• 1901

  A comprehensive part of the Magistrats- und Ratsbibliothek enters the Berliner Stadtbibliothek, forming the origin of the Berlin-Sammlungen.

• 1742

  Berlin press holdings from this year onward are part of the collection.

• 1707

  Address and telephone books from this year onward are part of the collection.

A publicly accessible heritage collection brand within the ZLB, dedicated to documenting Berlin's identity and culture with maximum completeness.

• Berlin press collection from 1742

  An outstanding run of Berlin newspapers and press materials from 1742 onward.

• Address and telephone books from 1707

  Address and telephone books documenting Berlin from 1707 to the present.

• Historical and special collections

  Includes estate libraries of notable Berlin personalities.

1. 1Berlin-Sammlungen | ZLBzlb.de
2. 2Über uns | ZLBzlb.de
3. 3Berlin-Sammlungen - Wikidatawikidata.org