Sponsors and Friends

The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich ranks among the world’s most important universal and research libraries: 

• As a treasure trove, knowledge centre and heritage institution holding around 37.2 million media units, among them approximately 11.2 million printed volumes, having a manuscript collection that is unequalled on an international level, the largest image archive held by any public-sector institution in Germany and excellently developed special departments, the library is one of the top destinations for scholars, students and everybody fascinated by the written and visual cultural heritage.
• With approximately 73,000 registered users and several hundred thousand visitors to the six reading rooms and the Plaza working area per year, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek is a highly sought-after place of research and learning, as well as academic and cultural exchange.
• The library is also an important venue of cultural life and exchange in Munich as a host of exhibitions and events.

The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek is a driving force of digital transformation in the cultural field in Europe:

• As a digital innovator with Germany's largest digitization center, almost 4 million digitized objects and a multiplicity of innovative digital services.
• Prepared for the information market that is growing at enormous speed internationally, with the objective being digital knowledge networking and knowledge conveyance.

Using state-of-the-art technology, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek sustainably offers first-class services for scholarship, education and culture:

• By preserving, restoring and presenting our written cultural heritage.
• By continuously expanding its extensive collections and holdings.
• By continuously improving and expanding its services for scholarship, research and all interested citizens.
• By innovative digital services, which are available to every user all over the world – for example as the operator of the Bavarian cultural portal bavarikon.

Founded in 1998, the association Förderer und Freunde der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek e. V. stands for civic commitment with the objective of actively supporting the library in its field of activities and of sustainably positioning its importance, performance capacity and power to inspire in the cultural life of Munich. They are heard, they initiate and they are actively involved. With a high-profile board, composed of representatives of the economy, politics, scholarship and culture, and several 100 members, the association belongs to the large cultural associations of the city.

Champion the library’s objectives!
Become a member of the association Förderer und Freunde der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek e. V.! Support the library’s interests by making a donation, also possible in the form of earmarked funding for specific activities!

With your contribution, you can help to fund

• the purchase of important individual objects or collections,
• the conservation and restoration of holdings,
• the further development of the digital infrastructure,
• exhibitions and events in cooperation with renowned scholarly institutions, universities and publishing houses.

Become a book patron!
With a donation, starting at € 1,000, you can make it possible to restore a particularly valuable object from the collections of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. Your donation will be acknowledged by name on a special patron signet.

The association pursues exclusively and immediately non-commercial and thus tax-advantaged purposes within the meaning of the German Tax Code (Art. 52 para. 2 clause 1 Abgabenordnung, AO). Accordingly, your membership contribution and your donation are tax-deductible.

The Sponsors and Friends of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek are looking forward to welcoming you. As a member, you can look forward to:

• invitations to lectures and discussions, readings, concerts or exhibition openings and guided tours, as well as
• an increased order volume allotment and access to the exclusive Aventinus research reading room as a library user.

Welcome!