Librarian associations
In libraries there are a variety of organizations and institutions that often have themselves numerous regional and sub-groups. The association landscape is very different from one country to another. In some cases, associations take on infrastructural tasks for the library system and are then often co-financed by government agencies, in some cases they are purely representative of libraries or library staff. In many cases these tasks also overlap. In particular, subject-specific libraries are organized across national borders.
Umbrella organization
The common umbrella organization for library and information systems is Library & Information Germany (BID) - Federal Association of German Library and Information Associations. V., created on July 1, 2004 through the merger of the Federal Association of German Library Associations (BDB) and the German Society for Information Science and Information Practice (DGI).
Library associations
The German Library Association is the association of the majority of German libraries . The DBV is divided into sections for individual library types (including the Working Group of Special Libraries (ASpB)).
The libraries of one or more federal states maintain regional network systems. These operate a regional union catalog , regulate external interlibrary loan and act (e.g. by organizing advanced training) as service centers for the libraries of an association. The Association of Libraries of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the regional library associations .
The German Librarian Day is an important national library conference. See: List of German Librarian Days
The following associations exist in Germany :
- Joint library network (GBV)
- Cooperative Library Network Berlin-Brandenburg (KOBV)
- North Rhine-Westphalian Library Association (HBZ-NRW)
- Hessian Library Information System (HeBIS)
- Southwest German Library Network (SWB)
- Library Association Bavaria (BVB)
In Austria , the academic libraries in the Austrian Library Association (OBV), public libraries in the Austrian Library Association (BVÖ) and the Catholic libraries in the Austrian Library Association (ÖBW) are combined. The Association of Austrian Librarians (VÖB) acts as a representative for people who are employed in (mainly academic) libraries . There is no equivalent for employees in public libraries.
Bibliosuisse has been the joint association for academic and public libraries in Switzerland and Liechtenstein since 2019. It was formed through a merger of Library Information Switzerland (BIS) and the Swiss Association of General Public Libraries (SAB).
In South Tyrol the library association Südtirol exists on a regional level, while with the Associazione italiana biblioteche a national library association also exists.
The American Library Association is the association of American libraries. The Japanese library association is called Nihon Toshokan Kyōkai .
Library associations of specialist libraries
At the international level, specialist libraries are represented in the Special Libraries Association . There are also special organizations for medical, theological, legal, etc. specialist libraries.
Library associations of government libraries
The working group of parliamentary and government libraries is an independent organization . Often there are also regional associations or working groups such as the library network of the state authorities of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Thuringian working group of official libraries, the working group of Lower Saxony authorities' libraries, etc.
Library associations of specialist medical libraries
Organizations are the Working Group for Medical Libraries , at the international level the Medical Library Association , Europe-wide the Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL).
Library associations of theological specialist libraries
The Catholic libraries in Germany are combined in the Borromäusverein (or, for Bavaria, in the Sankt Michaelsbund ). The German Association of Evangelical Libraries is the professional association for the Protestant public library system.
Other organizations are the Association of Church Research Libraries and the Working Group of Archives and Libraries in the Protestant Church , as well as the Association of European Libraries for Theology .
The academic libraries sponsored by the Catholic Church in German-speaking countries are organized in the AKThB Working Group of Catholic-Theological Libraries . This association currently has 138 member libraries.
The American Theological Library Association exists in the USA and the Association of British Theological and Philosophical Libraries in Great Britain .
Library associations of specialized legal libraries
For the legal libraries department, there is the Working Group for Legal Libraries and Documentation , at the international level the International Association of Law Libraries , and in Great Britain there is the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians .
Library associations for art libraries
In Germany there is the Association of Art and Museum Libraries , in the USA there is the Art Libraries Society of North America , in Great Britain there is the UK & Ireland Art Libraries Society , and there is also the Art Libraries Society .
Library associations for music libraries
The International Association of Music Libraries, Music Archives and Music Documentation Centers , also known under the French name Association Internationale des Bibliothèques, Archives et Centers de Documentation Musicaux (AIBM) represents all music libraries, music archives and music documentation centers worldwide. In the USA there is the Music Library Association .
Library associations for research libraries
Internationally there is the International Association of Scientific and Technological University Libraries , throughout Europe there is the Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche and the Consortium of European Research Libraries . In the USA there is the Association of Research Libraries , (ARL). In Canada there is the Canadian Association of Research Libraries .
Library associations for school libraries
There are u. a. the School Library Association (SLA), the International Association of School Librarianship, and the European Network for School Libraries and Information Literacy .
Professional associations
The existing since 2000 Professional Association Information Library (BIB) is from the Association of Librarians of public libraries (VBB) and the Federal Association of Library assistant / inside and another employee / inside of libraries (BBA), the 1997 Library Association and assistants (vba) merged, and the Association of Diploma Librarians at Scientific Libraries (VdDB) emerged. It brings together people from the entire library and information system. In addition, there is the Association of German Librarians (VDB) for academic employees in the higher service.
In addition to the DBV , the ekz and the Goethe-Institut, BIB and VDB are members of the Bibliothek und Information Deutschland (BID), which, among other things, represents the general interests of the associations involved in relation to the public.
In Austria the Association of Austrian Librarians (VÖB) and in South Tyrol the Library Association South Tyrol (BVS) represent the interests of librarians.
The Working Group of Critical Librarians (KRIBIBI) in Austria and the Working Group of Critical Librarians (Akribie) in Germany are two organizations that - like the Forum Computer Scientists for Peace and Social Responsibility (FIfF) for the field of computer science - also work specifically with the deal with social and societal aspects of the dissemination of information . The working group of critical librarians (meticulousness) in Germany dissolved in 2011.
service provider
The German National Library (DNB) takes over with the creation of the German National , among others, an excellent position in Cataloging . After the German Library Institute (DBI) was dissolved, it also took over some of its tasks. Other tasks are now carried out cooperatively by the competence network for libraries .
The German Research Foundation (DFG) makes a significant contribution to the funding of academic libraries and, through its funding policy, exerts a strong influence on the development of the library system. A major contribution to the supraregional supply of literature was the coordination and promotion of the special collection areas at German libraries.
The purchasing center for public libraries (ekz) in Reutlingen has acted as a service provider for public libraries since 1947. The offer includes media deliveries and their technical processing, editing services as well as furniture and other library material.
The specialist offices for public libraries offer advice and other services for public libraries and their providers. These are non-commercial institutions that are set up differently in the federal states. The services offered by the departments are aimed at all municipal public libraries, but they also support the smaller public libraries in their area of responsibility.
In Austria, the Austrian Library Association takes on central service tasks .
International associations
The most important international library association is the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), based in The Hague .
The European umbrella organization of national library, documentation and archive associations , European Bureau of Library, Documentation and Archive Associations (EBLIDA), sees itself as a lobby group at European level, especially within the EU . The office is based in The Hague. There is also the International Archives Council (ICA) and the Blue Shield International organization for cultural assets , and the International Council of Museums (ICOM) for museums .
Former associations
The former institutions include, for example, the German Library Institute or the Central Institute for Libraries .