Open Letter: Leipzig Needs the 5th Expansion of the German National Library

Dear State Minister, 

It was with incomprehension and great concern that we noted last week’s news regarding the suspension of the planned extension to the German National Library (DNB) in Leipzig. This would send a disastrous signal for Germany as a centre of science and culture in general, and for Leipzig in particular. We therefore welcome your announcement of 18 March 2026 that the project will be continued. As funding for the extension remains unsecured and would need to be approved during the current budget planning process, we would like to take this opportunity to emphasise the importance of the building from the perspective of Leipzig’s academic community.

For over a century, the German National Library has been one of the cornerstones of Leipzig as a center of scholarship, making a significant contribution to the city’s national and international reputation and its academic excellence by inspiring and promoting research in the humanities and social sciences in all its connections to other disciplines. To this end, the National Library provides a unique collection of publications that is constantly growing and whose print collection is actively used by scholars from all disciplines. And Leipzig’s status continues to grow in importance, as evidenced by the number of international visitors who come to Leipzig specifically for the National Library and its excellent on-site working conditions.

It was no coincidence that the DNB was built in Leipzig, a city renowned for its book trade and academic traditions, at the beginning of the 20th century. Thanks to its trade fairs, the city has been internationally connected for centuries, and with its university, founded in 1409, as well as numerous colleges and research institutions, it ranks among Europe’s leading centers of the humanities and innovation hubs.

Since 1945, the DNB’s Leipzig branch has held special significance, particularly for East Germany, as a place where literature and scholarly publications were freely accessible and as a “window to the world” for the population. The DNB is indispensable in its role as a repository of knowledge for academic excellence and collaboration in Leipzig as a center of scholarship, as well as for generations of students, doctoral candidates, and researchers in our city.

The preservation of cultural heritage in digital form is becoming increasingly important, but the question of its long-term accessibility remains unresolved. Furthermore, the costs of preserving these digital copies are expected to be enormous. Therefore, the book, as a physical object, remains an indispensable form of long-term archiving that must be pursued alongside digitization. We ask that you take this into account in any potential reform of the German National Library Act (DNBG).

The decision to proceed with the fifth expansion of the DNB at its Leipzig location was made in 2018 following thorough preliminary planning and careful consideration, and the project was successfully advanced through an architectural competition. Given the advanced stage of planning, and not least for reasons of efficiency and the rational use of resources, we consider implementation to be necessary.

Especially in times of tight public budgets, the federal government must demonstrate foresight in its commitment to preserving and strengthening Germany as a center of science and research in the long term. This includes supporting key infrastructure such as the German National Library. Only in this way can Germany’s scientific capabilities and cultural heritage be preserved, and Leipzig’s position as a hub for science, culture, and business be sustainably strengthened. We urge you to devote your full efforts to the swift implementation of the expansion of the German National Library’s storage facility in Leipzig.

Sincerely,

Prof. Dr. Eva Inés Obergfell
Chair of the Leipzig Science Network and President of the University of Leipzig