Sections - english version
Foyer Ground Floor
Foyer Ground Floor
In the foyer of the City Library you will find an information and service desk, and help in finding your way around, together with the first two of the library’s collections in the Studiolo Generale and Gallery b.
Information Desk
This is where library staff will give you basic information about the building, or point you to specialists in the individual sections. Audio guides giving you an introduction to how to use the library, and information about the library’s architecture, are available here.
Borrowing and Return
There is a self-service system for borrowing and return. There is also a self-service machine on every floor.
Sorting of Returned Items
Returned items are automatically transported to the different floors.
Reservations
Reserved books and other media are available for self-service collection.
Finding your Way Around
Information boards and interactive information points help you to get your bearings, and show you where to find the media or service you are looking for.
Search
There are special workstations on the ground floor where you can search the electronic catalogue to help you find the media or topics you are looking for.
In the “Scriptorium” you can make quick searches on the internet; you also have access to a database of international daily newspapers.
Scriptorium
In the middle ages, the scriptorium was a writing room in which texts were copied. Similarly, a computer now copies and saves any text. To symbolise the link between traditional written culture and digital culture, we are calling these search stations Scriptorium.
Newspapers
Around 90 daily newspapers from around the world are available on the ground floor.
Studiolo Generale
The Studiolo Generale acts as a first port of call to the thematic content of the library. It gives you a deeper knowledge of interdisciplinary themes, and at the same time reflects the idea of the Studiolo on each floor of the library.
Gallery b
Gallery b is an exhibition area for visual language, video and internet art. Sophisticated international exhibits are displayed on 16 large screens at the intersections of text - image - code.
Music Section
Music Section 1st floor
The Music Library now has a floor to itself in the City Library at Mailänder Platz, having been housed externally since 1995. It is one of the largest and most important public music libraries in the whole of Germany, and is a meeting point and centre for music for all music enthusiasts - amateurs and professionals alike. It plays an important role in the musical life of Stuttgart, and is closely linked with the musical institutions in the city and the surrounding area.
Media Collection 100,000 items
Sheet music, CDs, DVDs, books, magazines, CD-ROMs of every style, era and level of complexity
Spectrum
Basic information about music, with important introductory and characteristic works
Children's View - “Music for Children”
Sheet music, CDs, child-friendly introductory music books
Young Library
Music for young people aged 12 and over, with the focus on studies at school
Studiolo - “Music in and around Stuttgart”
Documentation and coverage of musical life in Stuttgart and the surrounding area;
largest collection in the region of sound recordings from the current music scene in Stuttgart; news and information about the current season of the Stuttgart State Opera
Sound Studio
The Sound Studio combines the analogue with the digital.
Experience music: playback options for LPs, digitised LPs, CDs and sound files, digitisation programs
Make music: notation software, software for scanning sheet music and composing, keyboard
Study music: search the music database
Silent Piano
Play sheet music and check it out
Josephine Lang Room
Meeting room for workshops and study groups
Children´s Section
Children's Section 2nd Floor
One of the important aims of the children's libraries in the Stuttgart City Library is to allow the children to interact with media of all kinds - in their own way. The Children’s Section in the City Library at Mailänder Platz encourages comprehensive literacy in terms of books as well as audiovisual and digital media. It strengthens digital literacy, which means also improving media skills. The provision of the section takes account of the fact that every child has different (learning) needs, and may be moulded by a different culture. The Stuttgart children's libraries have close links with the educational institutions of the city, and make a contribution to the child-friendliness of Stuttgart.
Media collection (projected) 60,000 media items
Spectrum – “Goodies”
Recommendations by children for children
Studiolo – “Hausch Children's Room”
The Hausch Children's Room gives children a relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy literature recommended for every child’s room. Children make themselves at home in this public space. This concept was made possible by a generous donation by the C. + G. Hausch Foundation.
Theme Islands
These cube-shaped theme islands contain material for children on a number of themes: “reading”, “leisure”, “people”, “culture”, “history”, “technology”, “nature”, learning” and “world”. Inside the theme boxes there is a small intimate space where children can experience different media, and enjoy the ever-changing entertainment by children for children.
Parents' Table
A place for parents to meet up
Children's Table
A place for children to meet up
Reading Land
Picture books to browse through and enjoy, on every subject in the world
Comic Island
The kingdom of reading for all strip cartoon fans
Workshop
Space for creative media activities with children
Jella Lepman Room
Space for reading promotion activities and workshops
Leseohren e.V.
This association co-ordinates the Stuttgart reading buddies, one of the largest and longest established reading projects in Germany. More than 380 reading buddies go and read with children in kindergartens, schools and libraries in Stuttgart. The Association has its headquarters in the Children’s Section of the City Library at Mailänder Platz.
Life Section
Life Section 3rd Floor
The Life Section includes the following topics: “psychology”, “medicine”, “education”, “religion” and “philosophy”, as well as the department of “sport and leisure”. The focus within the topics is on “early years education”, “adult education”, “care” and “sport and play”. The comprehensive range of media in the section provides orientation, information and excitement for people searching for the right pieces to fit into their personal jigsaw-puzzle of life.
Media Collection (projected) 80,000 items
Spectrum
Personal recommendations, classics, original titles, and books that people have been discussing
Children's View
Interesting material on topics for parents and children
Young Library – “Life”
Books and magazines for young people about how they live their lives; tips about relationships, bullying, drugs and addiction, search for the meaning of life, hobbies, fashion and accessories, living and furnishing their homes.
Studiolo
Text books for non-academic occupations in “medicine”, “education”, “adult education”, “home economics” and “sport”;
Musing and puzzling – hand-crafted large-format puzzles and brain games to help you “think with your hands” and relax;
Listen and learn – a special archive of knowledge
Games
All kinds of games, from board games to group games to computer and console games
Max Horkheimer Room
Meeting room for workshops and study groups
Knowledge Section
Knowledge Section 4th Floor
The Knowledge Section includes the following themes: “media”, “law”, “social sciences”, “economics”, “mathematics”, “natural sciences”, “technology”, “crafts” and “IT”. It provides a highly informative range of material for everyone who is looking for clear facts, objective analysis, solid arguments and lively discussion.
Media Collection (projected) 80,000 items
Spectrum
Special selection of recommended titles
Children's View
Interesting material on the topics for parents and children
Young Library – “Springboard”
Stimulating ideas for young people and young adults who are making the transition from school to work
Studiolo – “Floods of data”
Detailed information about the balance between freedom of information and data protection
Search Stations on the Shelves
Spatial connection between printed texts and digital media: notebooks with direct access to databases, press reports, e-books, e-learning courses, and a selection of websites
Maria von Linden Room
Meeting room for workshops and study groups
World Section
World Section 5th floor
The World Section contains material about countries and cultures, their geography and politics, history and language, as well as literature in foreign languages. One of the main themes is the tension between home and abroad. Stuttgart and Baden-Württemberg are the areas under the spotlight. The City Library’s provision contributes to intercultural communication and mutual understanding. Language is an essential prerequisite for understanding, so visitors will find extensive material to help them learn languages, especially the German language.
Media Collection (projected) 80,000 items
Spectrum
Personal recommendations and current titles
Children's View
A place where children and parents can discover the world
Young Library
Literature for young people in the foreign languages learned at school – English, French, Spanish
Studiolo
Information about Stuttgart: history of the city, town planning, development of the town, town-twinning schemes;
New horizons – longing for distant places: voyages of discovery, historic accounts of voyages, cultural history of travel, cartography
Gallery
Fiction in 25 original foreign languages
Carl Engelhorn Room
Meeting room for workshops and study groups
Literature Section
Literature Section 6th Floor and Gallery 4th Floor, 6th Floor and 7th Floor
The Literature Section includes the study and history of literature, with information about authors and their work, about national literatures and literary genres, and interpretation guides to help students. Novels, poetry, drama, fairy stories and legends, epic poems and complete works are to be found in the gallery. There is also an extensive range of audio books in various kinds of media. The “Literature Scene” provides a forum for the literary life of Stuttgart and environs. The range of material is complemented by literary events: the series “World literature rediscovered” involves actors and narrators reading works from world literature.
Media Collection 80,000 items
Children's View
A canon of children’s classics that mirror the development of children’s literature.
Young Library
Novels and stories for young people – gripping, entertaining and critical, literary trends
Studiolo – “Exquisite and rare”
Correspondence, works in bibliophile editions
Large-print Books and Screen Reader
For people with impaired vision
Gallery 4th floor
Literature Scene
Authors from Stuttgart and the surrounding area, literary prize winners and scholarship holders
Guests' Library
Presentation copies that recall significant literary events in the City Library.
Gallery 6th floor
Detective novels, fantasy, science fiction, prose collections, fairy stories and legends, epic poems, poetry, drama, complete works
Gallery 7th floor
Novels and stories
Johannes Poethen Room
Room for meetings
Art Section
Art Section 8th Floor
The Graphotheque in the Art Section brings together different kinds of art – classical and contemporary art, photography and multimedia, architecture, design, fashion, dance, theatre and film – in an exciting visual experience. Hand in hand with the collection, there are themes from the municipal, regional and international art scene, theatre and film, as well as current trends in fashion and design. Film enthusiasts will find a selection of films on DVD from a century of film history.
Media Collection (projected) 25,000 items
Spectrum
Special selection of recommended titles
Children's View
Interesting material on topics for parents and children
Young Library
Comics, graphic novels, tips on drawing manga and comic strips, films for young people, and hip-hop and breakdancing films to dance to
Studiolo
Range of material about film and film theory, special works from the history of film to watch, and film reviews to listen to
Graphotheque
In the Graphotheque you will find more than 2,500 original graphics by more than 1,100 artists available to borrow. The aim is to generate interest in the wider public in modern and contemporary art, and illustrate current developments in the art scene. Special presentations and opportunities to meet the artists provide a forum for further discussion on current topics in art.
Lower Ground Floor
Lower Ground Floor 1
Max Bense Forum
The Max Bense Forum is a meeting place for authors, artists and academics from all over the world. The City Library is working in close co-operation with the cultural and educational institutions from the town and region to promote literature, humanities and science, as well as awareness of other cultures. The City Library invites everyone on a voyage of discovery, or rediscovery – of world literature, young authors or experimental literature. It presents recent publications on current topics, embraces philosophical debate, and encourages the dialogue on fundamental aspects of the future development of our society. The capacity of the Max Bense Forum is 300 people, and the space can also be divided into two smaller rooms.
Showroom
Computers and all digital technologies are alphabet-based, just like the library. In order to understand the digital world, people need a degree of literacy; this will be a new emphasis in the services offered by the City Library. Small it may be, but this showroom with its top-spec computers is a room for discourse, a laboratory, creative world and digital architecture.