Hemau City Library is celebrating: Over 55,000 loans in 2025!

Hemau City Library is celebrating: Over 55,000 loans in 2025!

The Hemau City Library achieved a new lending record in 2025. A total of over 55,000 loans were registered, which impressively demonstrates the popularity of the institution among citizens. The reference collection includes around 12,000 media, from which 50,000 loans were made. In addition, over 5,000 loans from the digital collection contributed to this record. The number of active library users rose to almost 1,000.

The library's diverse offering includes not only books, but also various events that were very well attended last year. In total, over 70 events were held that enriched the city's cultural life. The event calendar for spring 2026 has already been set and promises further highlights, such as Easter crafts for children on March 25th, readings with Richard Auer and Stefanie Söllner as well as regular reading and Beebot® play hours.

Cultural events promote community life

The city library's cultural events make a crucial contribution to community development. Last Sunday the second literary piano evening took place on the occasion of the library's 20th anniversary. Around 70 guests came to listen to the sounds of pianist Lukas Klotz, who performed pieces by Domenico Scarlatti, Franz Schubert and Frédéric Chopin.

In a varied program, city priest Berno Lässer read from “Pardon, I am a Christian” by C. S. Lewis, while Mayor Herbert Tischhöfer recited humorous stories from “You can leave anything behind, you just have to want it” by Torsten Sträter. Dr. Thomas Feuerer, head of the cultural department, reported on the author Werner Bergengruen and his bizarre, macabre story “The Sea Devil”. The library director Karola Künzl drew a positive conclusion and described the event as thoughtful, cheerful and melodious.

A look at the library landscape in Germany

The Hemau City Library is part of a larger network of over 8,860 public and academic libraries in Germany. According to Statista, around 350 million borrowings were registered in German libraries in 2023, which represents an increase compared to the previous year. Public libraries contributed around 312 million loans, including around 47 million e-media.

Overall, the number of libraries has fallen slightly in recent years. Nevertheless, many institutions offer special programs to promote reading and media skills, especially for children. Over 75% of public libraries are actively committed to promoting reading.

The success of the Hemau City Library shows once again how important libraries are as cultural meeting places and knowledge centers for the community. They not only offer access to a variety of media, but also space for creative and educational events.