40 Years of the Joint University Library

RWU Ravensburg-Weingarten University and the Weingarten University of Education celebrated the 40th anniversary of their joint library with a ceremony at the university library. Housed in the historic Fruchtkasten building on Martinsberg, the library is the oldest collaboration of its kind in Baden-Württemberg and was a pioneering model nationwide when it was founded in 1986.

What seems obvious today was an innovative step in the mid-1980s: The two universities merged their library collections and created the Weingarten University Library, a joint institution for study, teaching, and research. This was preceded by several years of close collaboration. As early as the late 1970s, students were able to use the libraries of both universities. Another milestone followed in 1980 with the integration of the RWU’s Department of Social Work into the holdings of the PH Library.

A place of quality-assured information and a place where you can simply be yourself

“Cooperation is our strength. We bring together what belongs on a shared campus—with a large shared physical collection and two complementary virtual collections, as well as a network connecting both universities and beyond,” said Library Director Sebastian Ackermann. The library has continued to evolve over the past decades—from shared catalogs and a unified arrangement of collections to the expansion of electronic media and digital services. Today, users can no longer tell which university a book originally belonged to.

Digitization, too, has fundamentally changed the library’s work. Nevertheless, its importance remains undiminished, emphasized RWU Chancellor Henning Rudewig: “The library may not be in the spotlight, but it is a reliable institution that makes free scholarship possible in the first place.” Especially in light of the ever-growing flood of information, places that make knowledge accessible and support scholarly work are important.

Oliver Kohl-Frey, Chancellor of the Weingarten University of Education, underscored that libraries have lost none of their relevance even in the age of artificial intelligence. “Libraries are places with a special atmosphere—places where you can simply be, without having to consume anything, and where quality-assured information is available.” Contrary to some expectations, library use continues to rise.

The selection of information is crucial today

Professor Dr. Thomas Bayer of RWU highlighted how scholarly literature research has changed over the centuries in a keynote address. From handwritten copies in monasteries to digital search engines and AI-supported analyses, access to knowledge has accelerated enormously. “Literature research has become easier, faster, and more comprehensive—what matters most today is the selection of information.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Christian Gras, director of the University of Education’s Information Center, presented the two chancellors with a certificate honoring their 40-year collaboration.

Looking to the future, the university library is already working on further developments. Plans include a new website, the introduction of the FOLIO library management system, and the continued expansion of digital services. At the same time, the library remains a central part of campus life at both universities as a shared space for learning and socializing.

Text: Christoph Oldenkotte