Users holding a valid reader pass can use the "BSB Reading Room Reservation" to reliably book a working place in a section of the General Reading Room specially reserved for this purpose. During the start phase, around 60 working places can be booked using the app for the time being. It is possible to make reservations for up to five dates in advance, also at short notice and for shorter periods of time, starting at one hour. First, the desired date, time and duration of the reservation are selected. Subsequently, a map shows the actual occupation of the working places and the desired place can be selected. The user is sent a booking confirmation.

At the working place itself, an e-paper display shows the PIN which serves for checking in by means of the app. The display technology, which is used for electronic price tags in shops, among other things, was adapted specially for use in the new reservation system of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. Additional functions, such as check in, check out, a break function or also location-based reminders, make using the app particularly comfortable.

Dr. Klaus Ceynowa, Director General of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek: "It is important to us to enable our users to plan their library visit exactly to the date and hour. In this regard, it is essential to optimally utilize all working places that can be made available and to offer a place to as many users as possible. We are very pleased that we can do this now with the app 'BSB Reading Room Reservation'. The app is the first of its kind in Germany and we are planning to quickly expand its use for further areas of our reading rooms."

The General Reading Room of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek has a total of about 580 working places. It is one of the favourite places to learn and work of scholars in and around Munich. Due to the limitations imposed by the Corona pandemic, currently only around 140 working places in the entire reading room can be made available to our users. Besides the new "BSB Reading Room Reservation" covering an area with 60 working places, users can book working places via the website of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.

Further information about the app "BSB Reading Room Reservation"

The app "BSB Reading Room Reservation" is available for download free of charge for iOS and Android:
App Store
Google Play Store

Image material
App logo BSB Reading Room Reservation, copyright: BSB/Bokowsky + Laymann
Screenshots BSB Reading Room Reservation, copyright: BSB/Bokowsky + Laymann
View of the General Reading Room during the Corona pandemic (December 2020), copyright: BSB/Michael McKee

Press release for download
Press release  (PDF, 177 KB)  (in German)

Contact persons
Dr. Berthold Gillitzer
User Services Department
Phone  +49 89 28638-2659
berthold.gillitzer@bsb-muenchen.de

Peter Schnitzlein
Press and Public Relations
Phone  +49 89 28638-2429
presse@bsb-muenchen.de

About the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Founded in 1558 by Duke Albrecht V, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek is an international research library of world renown. With around 34 million media units, it is the largest universal library in Germany and forms part of the most important heritage institutions of the world. With more than 2.5 million digitized works, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek holds the largest digital data stock of all German libraries. The library offers a broad variety of services in the field of innovative digital use scenarios.

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Ludwigstrasse 16, 80539 Munich
www.bsb-muenchen.de