“Library of the Year 2020”
German Library Association (dbv) and Deutsche Telekom Stiftung present awards to TIB in Hannover and to Gotha City Library
Berlin/Hannover: The German Library Association (dbv) and Deutsche Telekom Stiftung presented the national library award, worth €20,000, to “TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and University Library” today. TIB receives the award in recognition of its outstanding library work in the strategic transformation to open science and in digital preservation, and its excellent development of services at the interface between analogue and digital formats.
The “Library of the Year 2020 in Small Municipalities and Regions” award was also presented this year for the first time. This award, worth €7,000, went to Gotha City Library. By providing maker spaces and numerous digital media, the city library offers out-of-school services to encourage children and young people to take a greater interest in scientific issues, among other things.
Due to Corona, the award ceremony this year took place digitally.
Dr. Thomas de Maizière, Chairman of Deutsche Telekom Stiftung, and Dr. Frank Mentrup, President of the German Library Association, presented the awards virtually. The laudatory speeches were held by Professor Dr. Wolfram Koch from the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and Knut Kreuch, Lord Mayor of the City of Gotha.
Dr. Frank Mentrup, President of the German Library Association and Chair of the Jury, remarked: “This year, we present the national library award to two magnificent libraries which, in their own special way, show what an important role libraries play in society. We present this award to TIB in recognition of a scientific library that plays a leading role in shaping the digital transformation driven by libraries. And Gotha City Library clearly leads the way in outstanding education and media work, tailored to very different target groups, which resonates far beyond the city into the surrounding areas. I warmly congratulate the two award-winning libraries and their teams!”
Dr. Thomas de Maizière, Chairman of Deutsche Telekom Stiftung, emphasised: “Deutsche Telekom Stiftung worked hard to ensure that a library in a smaller municipality received an award this year for the first time, highlighting the outstanding commitment of small town libraries and community libraries. Thanks to their wide range of digital services, these locations make an important contribution to non-formal digital education.”
Professor Dr. Sören Auer, Director of TIB, who received the prize on behalf of the TIB team, stated: “The award is a fantastic acknowledgement of TIB’s 550 employees who do a great job, day after day. It emphasises the importance of the digital transformation of libraries, and our achievements in this field, and also shows that, by combining traditional library services with innovative research results, we have set the right course for the future.”
Nicole Strohrmann, Head of Gotha City Library, commented: “Gotha City Library is a modern education and meeting place where our visitors can learn, read, play, explore and make music together. The library is open to everybody, regardless of age, origin, interests or social status. Everyone is welcome, and we consider it important that they all enjoy their visit to our library. Winning the “Library of the Year 2020 in Small Municipalities and Regions” award is a great tribute to our terrific, motivated team and, at the same time, an incentive to continue taking courageous steps and trying out new things in the future.”
For more information about the award winners, visit: https://www.bibliotheksverband.de/dbv/auszeichnungen/bibliothek-des-jahres/preistraeger/2020.html
Library of the Year award
The “Library of the Year” award, the only national library award in Germany, is given jointly by the German Library Association (dbv) and Deutsche Telekom Stiftung. The award seeks to make a positive contribution to the image of libraries in the digital world. The prize money is €20,000. The award acknowledges libraries of all types and sizes. In addition, a library in a municipality or region with fewer than 50,000 residents was also awarded a prize for the first time in 2020. The prize money is €7,000.
For more information, visit: https://www.bibliotheksverband.de/dbv/auszeichnungen/bibliothek-des-jahres.html
The German Library Association (dbv)
The German Library Association (dbv), with more than 2,100 members throughout the country, represents over 9,000 libraries with 25,000 employees and 11 million users. Its primary focus is to promote libraries in their endeavour to provide all citizens with free access to information. The Association is committed to the development of innovative library services for research and society. As a political stakeholder, dbv particularly provides support to libraries in the fields of information and media literacy, the promotion of reading, and the facilitation of cultural and social participation for all citizens.
Deutsche Telekom Stiftung
Deutsche Telekom Stiftung was established in 2003 to strengthen Germany’s position as an education, research and technology leader. With an endowment of €150 million, it is one of the largest corporate foundations in Germany. It devises and implements projects that address issues in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The Foundation is committed to enabling young people to learn in an educational ecosystem, which is why it initiates and promotes cooperative activities between different learning venues.
Media contacts:
Kristin Bäßler
German Library Association (dbv)
Head of Communication / Spokesperson
@email
Tel. +49 (0)30 644 98 99 25
Matthias Adam
Deutsche Telekom Stiftung
Communication Manager
@email
Tel. +49 (0)228 181-92015
Dr. Sandra Niemeyer
TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and University Library
@email
Tel. +49 (0)511 762 27 72
Nicole Strohrmann
Gotha City Library
Head
@email
Tel. +49 (0)151 40 10 43 79
