Information in English

Address of the Gutenberg Library:
Liebfrauenplatz 5

55116 Mainz
Tel.: (++49) 6131-122623
Fax.:(++49) 6131-123488
email:gutenberg-bibliothek@stadt.mainz.de
Internet: www.gutenberg-bibliothek.de

Opening hours:

Tue. to Fri.: 9.00am to 1pm and 2pm to 5.30pm.
Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and on holidays.

The Library of the Gutenberg Museum is a specialist library covering all aspects of printing, book history, and history of writing. It has about 80,000 volumes and periodicals.

In this Reference Library the books and publications, which are for the most part housed in the stockrooms of the museum, are made available in the reading room. The reading room, which has also books on open shelves, can be used by all interested persons free of charge. Some of the books and publications are permanently or temporarily on show in the exhibition building of the museum.

The Library is subdivides into three fields: "Collection of Incunabula", "Exhibits", and "Specialist Literature".

The Incunabula, which are mainly loans from the Mainz City Library, consist of more than 4,000 titles. These are registered in a separate catalogue. In addition to specialist literature on this subject, there is also available a microfiche edition of the most important incunabula from well-known collections.

Among the Exhibits there are all kinds of prints that are typical of their time, historically important, or works of high quality in the field of book art. The exhibits are registered in an alphabetical catalogue with numerous references as well as in a chronological catalogue. In addition, there are separate registrations of German and foreign prints made by hand-presses; bibliophile serials; prints of the Gutenberg Museum; and private prints.

The Specialist Literature, which refers to the whole history of printing and the script and which is unique both in its kind and comprehensiveness, is permanently used by pupils, students, academics, and other interested persons. It is registered in a systematic catalogue and several alphabetical catalogues, as well as in computerised ones.

The collections "Hettler" (referring to the subject of bookbinding) and "Mori" (referring to the subject of type-founding) as well as the "Mainzer Minipressen Archiv" (Mainz Archives for the Works of Small Publishers and Artistic Private Presses) belong to the library, too. The "Mainzer Minipressen Archiv", which also has its own catalogue, is to be found in a separate department of the museum administration building. Other important parts of the library are the collection of type specimens and the collection of bookplates, which is outstandingly extensive.

We would be very pleased to welcome you.