Previously, the three library locations were staffed by student employees in the evenings and on Saturday afternoons at Emil-Figge-Str. 44. Thanks to them, the library was able to stay open longer than would have been possible with our specialist staff alone.
For cost reasons, however, we will have to manage without student staff from March 2026. The hours worked by our specialist staff will not be enough to guarantee the same opening hours as before. But there is a solution, and it's called the Open Library.
Longer opening hours than ever before thanks to Open Library
Open Library refers to a concept for opening libraries without staff during certain periods - in our case in the evening, on Saturdays and whenever staffing levels make this impossible. This is made possible thanks to technical solutions and regular patrols by the security service on our premises. During open library hours, users can study in the library as usual, borrow and return physical media, access electronic resources and use group rooms or areas. Just as usual - but without staff on site.
The big advantage of this is that we can not only stay open as long as before, but even longer - for as long as the building in which the library is located, i.e. usually until 10 pm. And this is always the case, regardless of lecture and lecture-free periods. This fulfills the wishes of many students for whom the previous opening hours were not long enough.
Of course, there are a few restrictions during open library hours. During service hours, our specialist staff are on site and can offer our full range of services. During unstaffed opening hours, however, all services that require staff are not available. This applies primarily to answering questions at the service counter and providing advice. A detailed list of the services that we only offer during service hours can be found here(Opens in a new tab) (at the bottom of the page). However, for many people who visit the library in the evening, concentrated study at our workstations is the most important thing, and this is of course always possible.
Changeover after transition phase
There is a lot for us to consider and prepare internally before introducing the open library concept, particularly with regard to the necessary technology. As a result, we will unfortunately not be able to start opening in the evenings without staff immediately after our student employees' contracts expire on February 28, 2026. There will therefore be a transitional phase in which only shortened opening hours are possible (details can be found here(Opens in a new tab) ) - a small tunnel, so to speak, through which we have to pass, but behind which the light of the all the longer library opening shines. At the Emil-Figge-Str. 44 location, the transition period will begin on March 1, at the Max-Ophüls-Platz and Sonnenstraße locations a little earlier, on February 2 and 16 respectively. Unfortunately, we are not yet able to estimate the end date, but as soon as we know more, we will provide information on all channels. We are making every effort to keep this phase as short as possible.
We hope that these circumstances will be bearable for our users in the knowledge that a significant improvement will soon follow. The open library concept is an opportunity for us to break new, modern ground and make it possible for everyone to use our library locations flexibly. Further details on how exactly the Open Library can be used will follow shortly.