Librarians in Germany

Abstract

This paper trys to make it clear that why and how the distinction of scholarly library and people's library in Germany is so apparent. Through historical retrospect of German librarianship, especially of librarians statuts and training, it is tried to point out that the distinction is not of substantial but of temporal character for the transitional period.
Though the concept of people’s library relatively new in Germany, the overenthusiastic authorities tried to develop nation-wide library-system within a few years. The question of how far this plan succeeded, must be answered after very careful literature survey, specially of library development during the period of 1938-1945. Author thinks, however, this hastened projects to build up the library system was the main reason, which caused the separation among the profession.
Author believes this separation, which brought many problems in Germany, will be gradually diminished, for the qualification as librarian is now improving itself with the training programm and examination system for scholarly as well as people’s library. The professional consciousness of librarianship in Germany is also changing.
There are two points which we, Japanese librarians must notice and trace carefully in the tendencies of German library world. One is “Einheitsbi-bliothek” and the other is cooperative acquisition program, which is federated by the Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.