"We celebrate reading" - this is the motto of the World Book Day on April 23, 2024, a welcome opportunity for Bonn City Library to present its year-round commitment to books and reading. "The city library is open to everyone. People of all generations and backgrounds visit us, regardless of nationality and culture, language, religion and gender, economic and professional status," reports Helga Albrecht, Head of Bonn City Library. In addition to the central library with the integrated children's and youth library in the House of Education on Mülheimer Platz, there are also the district libraries in Beuel and Bad Godesberg as well as the district libraries in Brüser Berg, Auerberg, Tannenbusch, Endenich and Dottendorf. The offer is supplemented by the music library in the Schumann House in Endenich.
330,000 analog and 17,000 digital media
Bonn City Library provides Bonn's urban society with free access to information. In doing so, it ensures the "right to obtain information from generally accessible sources without hindrance" (Article 5, Paragraph 1), which is enshrined in the Basic Law. Visitors have access to a stock of media that is tailored to their needs and is continuously updated, balanced and maintained. There are around 330,000 analog media units. Most of these are print media such as children's media, fiction and non-fiction (213,000). In addition, there are more than 80,000 audiovisual media such as audio books, DVDs, music CDs and 27,000 pieces of sheet music as well as around 1,300 games, for example for Playstation or Nintendo DS, and lots of magazines and newspapers. In addition, almost 17,000 e-media are available to customers of the city library via the eLibrary: 14,340 eBooks, 2,360 eAudios, 120 eVideos and 65 digital newspapers and magazines.
Offers even for the youngest
To give even the youngest children access to books and reading, the city library offers free guided tours for children from the age of five, as well as for teenagers and adults. To get children interested in reading, there are, for example, picture book cinemas for kindergarten children, reading sessions, reading mentor campaigns, author readings, classroom tours, reading lessons, special STEM readings for children on scientific topics, the summer reading club (also for adults), Playstation and Wii game afternoons or introductions to literature research (also for adults) and support for high school students in their research for specialist papers.
All services for children and young people are free of charge. Children and young people are generally issued a library card free of charge. There is a 50 percent discount for adults with a Bonn ID card; the regular price is 30 euros for an annual pass and nine euros for a three-month pass. Unlimited use of all nine city library facilities is also possible without a library card during opening hours. Almost all media can be used free of charge on site, even without a library card.
Attractive informal learning option and quiet oasis
"We are also concerned with teaching information and media skills and promoting reading; we see ourselves as an attractive informal learning option," says Helga Albrecht. In general, the diverse range of services has long since extended beyond the classic book and media lending: "The city library is also popular with many people as a place of learning, as an information center, as a place of inspiration, communication or as an oasis of calm in the midst of the hustle and bustle of everyday life," reports the head of Bonn's city library.
1.5 million items were borrowed last year
Around 1.5 million media items - analog and digital - were borrowed in 2023, most frequently analog books (1.3 million loans). A closer look at the types of books borrowed shows that children's books top the list (around 390,000 loans), followed by non-fiction for adults (270,000 loans) and fiction for adults (around 180,000 loans).
In 2023, the city library recorded more than 488,000 visits from users. Of these, around 23,500 people are considered active users. This includes all people who have borrowed a book or other medium at least once a year with their library card. The 46 to 60 age group are the most diligent borrowers (around 317,000 loans), followed by the 26 to 45 age group (273,000 loans), the over 60 age group (243,000 loans) and the seven to ten age group (around 141,000 loans). It is striking that the number of female borrowers is significantly higher than that of male borrowers, and this applies to all age groups.
Adults love crime novels, young people love classics and "romance"
Helga Albrecht can also clearly identify the literary preferences of Bonn library users: "In the area of fiction, crime novels are clearly at the top of the lending list. But romance novels and suspense novels are also very popular," she says. "Among young people, alongside classics such as Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Kerstin Gier's series and Warrior Cats, titles that are heavily advertised on social media are doing particularly well. The new/young adult genre in combination with fantasy is popular. Also "romance fantasy", so preferably fantasy or love - or both together," explains the head of the city library.
Events at Bonn City Library on World Book Day
On World Book Day on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the city library invites you to the opening party in the newly designed reading garden in the courtyard of the Haus der Bildung, Mülheimer Platz 1. There will be demonstrations and games from 3.30 to 5 pm. The SternKundt puppet theater at 4 pm is unfortunately already fully booked. In the evening from 7 p.m., journalist Jochen Spangenberg will talk about how digital content can be analyzed and checked in his lecture "Identifying disinformation" in the main hall of the Haus der Bildung. Admission is free. The event is part of the "Medien.Mündigkeit" project in cooperation with the Evangelisches Forum Bonn.
All information about the Bonn City Library at www.bonn.de/stadtbibliothek (opens in a new tab)
Background to World Book Day
In 1995, UNESCO declared April 23 as "World Book Day", the global holiday for reading, books and the rights of authors. The date of April 23 goes back to St. George's Day. It refers to the Catalan tradition of giving roses and books on the name day of the popular saint St. George. In addition, the presumed death dates of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes fall on April 23.