1477

Foundation of the Electoral University, whose library, however, contains no more than two dozen books in its early years. The library grows in the 16th and 17th centuries, but after the Thirty Years' War, it has to start all over again: the Swedes have taken precious manuscripts, incunabula, and important scientific works to Sweden (Uppsala).

1773/1781

The university library receives significant additions from the extensive holdings of the Jesuit College (1773) and the libraries of Altmünster, Reichklara, and the Carthusian monastery (1781). During the Revolutionary Wars of 1798, the university was abolished by the French government. After that, it remained unclear for several years who could claim the former university library. Initially, it remained part of the medical school.

1805

The holdings of the old university library become the property of the city of Mainz. The French Minister of the Interior ends the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the old university library's holdings and decrees that the library will be made available to the city and may continue to be used by the medical school.

1814

The first rules of use are published. Among other things, they stipulate that "all citizens of Mainz who obtain a permit from the mayor" may take books home for use. It is not until 1909 that Mainz residents are allowed to borrow books without a "permit." The same year sees the introduction of the first legal basis for a mandatory deposit to the Mainz City Library, which is hardly ever complied with by publishers and printers. Nevertheless, the City Library requests mandatory copies and registers them in various directories from around 1837 onwards. The practice of making deposits remains unsatisfactory throughout the 19th century and only changes in the course of the 20th century.

1911

First precursor to a public library: A small area with entertaining and popular science literature, freely accessible to users, is set up in the city library and is very well received.

1912

The city library moves into its own building at Rheinallee 3 B. Previous locations were rooms in the Burse am Neubrunnenplatz and in the Electoral Palace.

1940

The city of Mainz takes over the municipal libraries in Gonsenheim and Weisenau. This marks the beginning of a separate municipal public library, which is maintained in addition to the Academic City Library. The public library and the city library are one office under one directorate. In the following years, library director Aloys Ruppel sets up a small public library in a shop on Schillerplatz.

1945

During the bombing raid on February 27, the public library on Schillerplatz is completely destroyed, and the roof trusses and the two upper floors of the city library on Rheinallee are damaged by fire. Part of the holdings of the Scientific City Library have been moved to another location, so that the fire mainly destroys duplicates, which is not a dramatic loss. On the other hand, however, the books banned by the Nazis, which Ruppel had stored in the photo chamber in the roof of the building to protect them from book burning and access by the Nazis, were destroyed in the bombing raid, which was particularly painful. In the same year, the repatriation of the relocated holdings began, and after the roof was repaired, library operations were able to resume shortly before Christmas 1945.

1947

Opening of the municipal library in the "Haus am Dom," where the public library remained for only two years. Further locations included the municipal theater and the Neutorschule school. Branches have been established since the 1950s.

1973

The public library is renamed the "Public Library of the City of Mainz." Two downtown libraries (Neutorschule and Schillerschule) are merged into a central location on Parcusstraße. However, the children's and youth library is not located there; it remains in the Haus der Jugend for the time being.

1980

The central branch of the Public Library opens in the Bonifaziuszentrum with a children's and youth library, followed by the opening of the music library the following year. The foundation stone for the music library is laid by a donation from Dr. Ludwig Strecker, senior partner of the Schott music publishing house, on the occasion of his 95th birthday in 1978.

1985

The public library is named after the Mainz writer and honorary citizen Anna Seghers.

1994

Founding of the Friends of the Mainz City Libraries, the Mainzer Bibliotheksgesellschaft. Its goal is to preserve and promote the importance of libraries, improve their literary and informational offerings, and support their publications and events.

2001

After initial steps were taken in the 1990s to incorporate the Internet into library operations (the start of online cataloging, the setup of individual Internet workstations—initially for staff, then also for users), the Internet is now being widely introduced into the libraries of the City of Mainz: Several Internet workstations are made available to users in both libraries for comprehensive research, and the libraries launch a joint website that provides access to numerous web resources and, of course, to the online catalogs of both libraries. The holdings of the Anna Seghers Public Library are fully cataloged in the online catalog, as are most of those of the City Academic Library (with the exception of some older collections from the 16th–18th centuries). Work is ongoing to catalog the remaining older holdings online.

2012

As part of the City of Mainz’s participation in the Municipal Debt Relief Fund, the Mainz City Council passed austerity measures in the fall of 2011 that resulted in a drastic reduction in acquisition funds and significant staff cuts for the City Academic Library. In response, the library administration implemented a fundamental restructuring: The City Library will maintain its visibility in the future through two “flagship” areas—first, as a regional library with literature from and about Mainz and Rheinhessen, and second, as a library of historical collections featuring manuscripts, historical holdings, and special collections. Current literature required for work related to these areas of focus and the library’s established collections will continue to be acquired. In its capacity as a center of excellence for the medium of the book, the library fulfills its mission to preserve cultural heritage and keep it accessible. By focusing on these priorities, the City Library can continue to ensure access to its comprehensive literary collection, which has grown over centuries and extends into the early 21st century. Within the limits of its financial and personnel resources, the library—as one of the city’s most time-honored cultural institutions—will remain a central hub for scholarship and research.

Reference: Commemorative publication “200 Years of the Mainz City Library”