# TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and University Library

> national library of Germany for all fields of engineering, technology, and the natural sciences

**Wikidata**: [Q2399120](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2399120)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_National_Library_of_Science_and_Technology)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/tib-leibniz-information-centre-for-science-and-technology-and-university-library

## Summary  
TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and University Library is Germany’s national specialist library for engineering, technology and the natural sciences. Established in 1959 in Hanover, it operates as a public foundation, houses roughly 9 million items and serves researchers, industry and the public through extensive physical and digital collections.

## Key Facts  
- **Founded:** 1959 (official inception)【source】  
- **Location:** Welfengarten 1 b, 30167 Hanover, Germany (Nord district)【source】  
- **Legal form:** Public foundation; parent organisations are the Leibniz Association and the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture【source】  
- **Collection size:** ≈ 9 million items (books, journals, technical reports, etc.)【source】  
- **Employees:** ≈ 500 (as of 2022)【source】  
- **ISIL:** DE‑89; GND IDs 7862‑1 and 1080328793【source】  
- **Primary focus:** Engineering, technology and natural‑science literature; designated as Germany’s national library for these fields【source】  
- **Memberships:** Leibniz Association, Common Library Network, DuraSpace, COAR, International GLAM Labs, among others【source】  
- **Digital presence:** Official websites https://www.tib.eu/en/ (and German version), online catalog http://opac.tib.eu/db=1/, extensive social‑media channels (Twitter @TIBHannover, YouTube, Mastodon, GitHub)【source】  
- **Recognition:** Awarded the Librarian of the Year Award in 2020【source】

## FAQs  
### Q: What is the TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and University Library?  
A: It is Germany’s national specialist library for engineering, technology and the natural sciences, providing both physical and digital resources to researchers, industry and the public.  

### Q: Where is the TIB located?  
A: The main campus is at Welfengarten 1 b, 30167 Hanover, in the Nord district of the city.  

### Q: How large is the TIB’s collection?  
A: The library holds roughly 9 million items, making it the largest German repository for technical and scientific literature.  

### Q: Who governs the TIB?  
A: It is a public foundation under the Leibniz Association and the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture.  

### Q: Does the TIB offer digital services?  
A: Yes – it provides an online catalog, open‑access repositories, APIs, and active social‑media channels for outreach and support.  

## Why It Matters  
TIB plays a pivotal role in Germany’s research infrastructure by aggregating, preserving, and disseminating the nation’s most comprehensive technical and scientific knowledge base. Its extensive collection supports academic research, industrial innovation, and policy development, ensuring that engineers, scientists, and scholars have reliable access to up‑to‑date information. As a member of multiple national and international consortia, TIB contributes to open‑access initiatives, data interoperability standards, and collaborative digital services that extend its impact beyond Germany’s borders. The library’s public‑foundation status guarantees long‑term stewardship of critical scientific heritage, while its modern digital platforms make this heritage readily searchable and reusable, fostering interdisciplinary breakthroughs and supporting the knowledge economy.

## Notable For  
- **Largest technical collection in Germany:** ≈ 9 million items dedicated to engineering, technology and natural sciences.  
- **National specialist status:** Designated as the German national library for all fields of engineering, technology and natural sciences.  
- **Award‑winning service:** Recipient of the Librarian of the Year Award (2020) for outstanding library leadership.  
- **Broad consortium membership:** Active participant in the Leibniz Association, DuraSpace, COAR, International GLAM Labs, and other research‑oriented networks.  
- **Robust digital outreach:** Maintains multilingual websites, an online catalog, and a suite of social‑media channels (Twitter, YouTube, Mastodon, GitHub) to engage global audiences.

## Body  

### Overview  
TIB – Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology and University Library (commonly “TIB”) is a research institute, central specialist library, university library and information service provider. It serves as Germany’s national library for engineering, technology and natural sciences, offering both physical holdings and extensive digital services.

### History  
- **1959:** Established as a public foundation under the auspices of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture.  
- **1970s‑2000s:** Expanded collections and digital infrastructure, aligning with the Leibniz Association.  
- **2016:** Updated visual identity with a new logo (preferred version introduced 3 Jan 2016).  

### Organization & Governance  
- **Legal form:** Public foundation.  
- **Parent organisations:** Leibniz Association; Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture.  
- **Leadership:** Governed by a board appointed by the parent bodies (specific names not listed in source).  
- **Staff:** Approximately 500 employees (2022).  

### Collections  
- **Size:** ~9 million items, covering books, journals, conference proceedings, patents, standards, and grey literature.  
- **Identifiers:** ISIL DE‑89; GND 7862‑1 (pre‑2016) and 1080328793 (post‑2016).  
- **Specializations:** Engineering, information technology, natural sciences, and related interdisciplinary fields.  

### Services  
- **Reference & research support:** Library reference service (phone +49‑511‑762‑2268, email information@tib.eu).  
- **Digital catalog:** OPAC available in German and English (http://opac.tib.eu/db=1/).  
- **Open‑access repositories:** Participation in OA Switchboard (since 2023) and other open‑science initiatives.  
- **Training & outreach:** Career portal, official blog, and social‑media engagement.  

### Digital Presence  
- **Websites:** English https://www.tib.eu/en/ and German https://www.tib.eu/de/.  
- **Social media:** Twitter @TIBHannover, YouTube channels, Mastodon tibhannover@openbiblio.social, GitHub TIBHannover.  
- **APIs & data services:** Integrated with national and international library networks (e.g., EZB library ID UBTIB, Scopus affiliation 60112390).  

### Partnerships & Memberships  
- **Consortia:** Common Library Network, DuraSpace, COAR, International GLAM Labs, ORCID, and the Verein zur Förderung eines Deutschen Forschungsnetzes.  
- **Research collaborations:** Works with researchers such as Sören Auer, Anett Hoppe, Argie Kasprzik, Svantje Lilienthal, and Oliver Karras.  

### Contact Information  
- **Address:** Welfengarten 1 b, 30167 Hanover, Germany.  
- **Phone:** +49‑511‑762‑2268 (reference); +49‑511‑762‑2772 (press).  
- **Email:** information@tib.eu (reference); kundenservice@tib.eu (press).  
- **Impressum & privacy:** https://www.tib.eu/en/imprint and https://www.tib.eu/en/data-protection.  

## Schema Markup  
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## References

1. [Source](https://orcid.org/members/001G000001EAnAvIAL-tib-leibniz-universitaet-hannover)
2. [Source](https://icolc.net/participating-consortia)
3. [Niedersächsisches Gesetz- und Verordnungsblatt](https://www.niedersachsen.de/download/98836/Nds._GVBl._Nr._10_2015_vom_21.07.2015_S._129-155.pdf)
4. [Source](https://www.bibliotheksverband.de/dbv/auszeichnungen/bibliothek-des-jahres/preistraeger/2020.html)
5. directory of German Library Codes
6. [Source](https://www.dfn.de/verein/mv/mitglieder/)
7. [Source](https://orcid.org/members/001G000001EAnAvIAL-technische-informationsbibliothek-tib)
8. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20231020113811/https://orcid.org/members)
9. [Source](https://www.tib.eu/en/service/news/details/technische-informationsbibliothek-tib-ist-mitglied-bei-duraspace/)
10. [Source](https://idw-online.de/de/institution1185)
11. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20190714135243/https://www.coar-repositories.org/community/members-and-partners-by-country/)
12. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20240131234035/https://www.coar-repositories.org/members/)
13. [Source](https://glamlabs.io/list-members/)
14. [Source](https://www.bibliotheksverband.de/landesverbaende/niedersachsen/mitglieder.html?tx_3pcdbvmemberdb_pi1%5Bview%5D=details&tx_3pcdbvmemberdb_pi1%5Bid%5D=1642051)
15. [Source](https://wbstakeholder.group/members)
16. [Source](https://www.nfdi.de/verein/#mitglieder)
17. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20191127082323/https://icolc.net/consortia)
18. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20231222085310/https://icolc.net/participating-consortia)
19. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20230803111744/https://cdn.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/ifla-members-and-association-affiliates_2023-07-21.pdf)
20. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20240227072556/https://www.iatul.org/membership/members-list.html)
21. [Source](https://eosc.eu/members/)
22. ROR release v1.19
23. [DBpedia](http://dbpedia.org/resource/German_National_Library_of_Science_and_Technology)
24. [Source](https://www.tib.eu/de/die-tib/kontakte-und-ansprechpersonen)
25. [Source](https://www.tib.eu/de/die-tib/karriere-und-ausbildung/)
26. [Source](https://www.oaswitchboard.org/participants)
27. [Source](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2QlcYSF3wgFaFNWwepviHQ)
28. GRID Release 2016-05-31
29. GRID Release 2016-12-06
30. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
31. [Source](https://openbiblio.social/@tullney/109279491887834349)
32. GERiT
33. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
34. [Source](https://www.tib.eu/en/)
35. FactGrid
36. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)