State-wide tasks and services

As the central state library and repository library, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek took over the role of public agency for all matters concerning the Bavarian library system in 1999. It thus plays a decisive part in all Bavaria-wide planning and coordination activities in the library system.

• On the basis of its function as a service provider for Bavaria and as a location of academic research, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek was inscribed in the Bavarian University and College Act (Hochschulgesetz) in 2006.
• The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek manages the "Bayerische Landesbibliothek Online", Bavaria's central information portal in the field of cultural studies. Likewise, the library manages the operation of "bavarikon", the portal on art, culture and regional studies of Bavaria, in terms of the day-to-day technical, editorial and organizational processes. bavarikon presents gems of art, culture and knowledge from various institutions in the Free State of Bavaria.
• Furthermore, within the framework of the "Bayern-Konsortium" (Bavarian Consortium) the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek coordinates the licensing of electronic journals, subject databases and e-books for all universities and colleges in Bavaria.
• Since 1663 the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek has had the legal deposit right regarding Bavarian publications, which it collects, catalogues, archives and makes available to its users.

Three departments of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek perform special state-wide tasks for the Bavarian library system:

• The Head Office of the Bavarian Library Network (Verbundzentrale des Bibliotheksverbunds Bayern) is the regional information-technology competence center for all networked libraries. It administrates the central catalogue database of the Bavarian libraries. In cooperation with the Bavarian university and college libraries, the "Virtuelle Bibliothek Bayern" (Virtual Library of Bavaria) develops innovative projects and services for supporting an excellent information infrastructure for Bavaria as a location of academic research.
• The Consulting Center for Public Libraries (Landesfachstelle für das öffentliche Bibliothekswesen) is the agency used by the Free State of Bavaria to support the development of public libraries in all parts of the state, involving financial support and subject-specific counselling.
• The Bavarian Library Academy (Bibliotheksakademie Bayern) trains future Bavarian librarians. It is also a national center for training academic librarians.