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The article informs on an annual report of the IFLA National Committee Germany 2021/22 from September 2021-June 2022 including the 8th Leipzig Library Congress on May 31, 2022 on library.

German authorities are expecting more than 1 million refugees by the end of 2015. These people come to Germany to seek protection and assistance and to build a new life, therefore it is important to welcome them and to assist them in their integration as soon as possible. This situation creates a versatile and perfectly fitting opportunity for cultural and educational programs, including libraries, which can play a vital role in this integration process. The key to integration is the knowledge of the German language, and the most important challenge now is to teach the necessary language skills to as many asylum-seekers as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Die Öffentlichen Bibliotheken unseres Landes gehören zu den am meisten genutzten kommunalen Kultureinrichtungen. Dabei umfassen die Dienstleistungen der Stadtbibliotheken längst mehr als die Ausleihe von Büchern. Zunehmend fungieren Bibliotheken als sogenannte „Dritte Orte", also offene und freundliche Orte für die Lebensgestaltung außerhalb des Wohn- und Arbeitsumfeldes. Dieses breite Aufgabenspektrum erfordert natürlich, dass die Öffnungszeiten der Bibliotheken den Bedarfen und Lebensumständen der Bevölkerung angepasst sein müssen. Zahlreiche Projekte und Initiativen zur Öffnung Öffentlicher Bibliotheken an Sonntagen sprechen für sich und belegen die Notwendigkeit von Anpassungen. Local and public libraries are among the most widely used communal cultural institutions in the country. Their services go far beyond merely lending books. Libraries are increasingly establishing themselves as "third spaces" - friendly places that welcome everyone to spend quality time there outside their usual living and working environments. This implies a rather broad range of tasks and responsibilities, which include the adaptation of library opening hours to the needs and life situations of the users. Innumerable projects and initiatives to promote Sunday opening hours for public libraries speak for themselves and prove the need for adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the role of the association Bibliothek & Information International and its work with the association Bibliothek & Information Deutschland. Both associations seek to educate people in and out of Germany on what German libraries can offer to scholars and everyday users. The associations also work to further the librarian profession.

The article discusses a proposal for library law put forward in Erfurt, Germany on May 29, 2008. Two thirds of the 27 countries in the European Union have passed national laws concerning the purpose, standards, and financing of their nation's libraries. The library organization Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Bibliotheks- und Informationsverbände (BID) recognized the proposal but requested that municipalities be required to support public libraries.