Focus: Libraries

Goethe-Institut Istanbul

Mobility Program

Germany

08/10 – 13/10/2018

Libraries are rightly considered to be a crossroads of the past, the present and the future.  In cooperation with Goethe-Institut Istanbul, the General Directorate for Libraries and Publications and the Turkish Librarians’ Association, some of the most culturally significant libraries in in Berlin, Hamburg, Duisburg, Cologne and Hilden are set to host twelve librarians and other representatives from Turkey in offering intellectually stimulating activities for children and young adults alike. The Berlin Central and Regional Library, the biggest public facility of its kind in Germany, presents an opulent book collection about the city that covers both past and present eras of the urban center. Receiving more than a million visitors every year, the Duisburg Public Library is that city’s most visited education and culture foundation. The library continues to establish its social prominence through a string of intercultural events and training activities directed at refugees and immigrants. Visitors may also set their sights on the Hamburg Public Libraries, which together have the capacity to host almost five million people, as they offer service to library regulars of all ages via thirteen branches and a bookmobile. Awarded ‘Library of The Year’ in 2016 by the German Library Association, the Hilden Public Library retains a unique character for its interlibrary projects, youth services and cooperation with local schools. Other sites include the Kalk Public Library, drawing visitors’ attention with a modern and innovative approach to library services and its notable architecture, and the Cologne Public Library, which stands among Germany’s biggest and foremost public facilities. Collectively, the far-reaching event is sure to make a positive impact no matter what library visitors find themselves at.