University library in new premises

Angela Malz

One of the biggest relocations in the city's recent history will come to an end in the next few days. After six years of construction, the Technical University's Central Library will open in the Alte Aktienspinnerei at the beginning of October. All three decentralised TU library locations, the two campus libraries and the central library, as well as the university archive will then be concentrated in one place. For Angela Malz, Director of Chemnitz University Library, this is an opportunity to finally take a deep breath.

Preparations for the move began back in 2015. Do you now see light at the end of the tunnel or are the nights still short?
Angela Malz: They are still short because the move is still in full swing. We're already more than halfway through. It's going really well because the removal company is really good and my colleagues are also really good. Combining four locations into one required a logistical masterstroke. Where is which book on which shelf. We went through the libraries with a ruler and metre rule and measured the stock so that the move went really smoothly. However, there is more to think about than just the move. Not just the books, but also other things, right down to the hygiene concept. It's a plethora of topics that fill my days and sometimes nights.

It really is a move of superlatives. More than 1.2 million books and journals are moving into the new 12,3000 square metre university library. 38 kilometres of library and archive material have to be moved into what was once Saxony's largest spinning mill. Around 53 million euros have been invested. From October, users will have access to a learning and communication centre with more than 700 workstations for all learning habits. "From quiet individual workstations in the reading room and reading booths to places in the learning and communication area for group work. A reading garden invites open-air learning," says Angela Malz. "This building will hopefully also be a magnet for the people of Chemnitz." Expectations are high. The library director has already realised this several times. "The building already attracted a lot of interest during the construction phase. There were queues of people outside the door at lectures or on Architecture Day who wanted to get in."

The date for the opening at the beginning of October?
I hope that we will be ready at the beginning of October, also with regard to the hygiene regulations. Before the coronavirus pandemic, we had planned to practise Bibo six months after the opening (laughs). We now have four permanent teams working in four different places. From October, we'll all be working together under one roof, with new work processes and new technology that you have to familiarise yourself with. That doesn't happen overnight. That's why I say ironically that we still have to practise. From
1 April 2021, I'm not kidding, we will become a 24/7 library. Our entire range of services will be available around the clock. This is a unique selling point for the TU in Saxony.

How does the 24/7 library system work?
We place a lot of trust in our users. In the branch library in the Pegasus Centre, we have had no staff between 7 p.m. and midnight for many years, only a security service. This has worked and users behave exactly as they do during the day.

In an earlier interview, you said that you have a lot of ideas for the new library in the drawer. Where did you get them from?
I really learnt the profession of librarian (laughs). Libraries have developed over time. In the past, they were just places for books on the shelf. And every customer "disturbed" the librarian because they made a mess, dog-eared the books and brought their own drinks. This image has now completely changed. Libraries still consist mainly of books, but they have now become primarily houses or rooms for people. And they want to spend time in different ways. We have also observed this in many other libraries. We also asked our users what they wanted. They wanted there to be spaces for all user habits. Where you can also have a coffee and chat informally. But also areas where it is really quiet. In our building, the higher up you go, the quieter it gets. On the last floor there are 20 lockable reading cubicles with a view of the reading room. So if you need total silence, you can rent one of these booths.

Have you looked at many libraries for inspiration?
We looked at many and were inspired. We then all had a picture of a library in our heads. Later, when the architectural competition for the extension of the Alte Aktienspinnerei was held and the winning design was presented, I was taken aback. That wasn't really how I imagined a library. Over time, however, I fell in love with the design and can't imagine a better one. So many high-quality materials, the beautiful ceilings with the poles and the columns in the room. And the faithfully reproduced windows from the 19th century. All of this characterises the house and gives it character.

Comparisons with the set of the Harry Potter films have been made?
I'm not a Harry Potter fan. But I have heard the comparison. That also fits.

The Alte Aktienspinnerei was built in 1857 as a result of the foundation of a public limited company as the largest spinning mill in Saxony at the time. The building was made of iron and stone, mainly for fire safety reasons. This made the building one of the most fireproof in the city. Spinning operations ended in 1914 and, like many buildings in the city, the Alte Aktienspinnerei was badly damaged during the Second World War. The building later housed a department store, the city library, the Museum of Natural History and the puppet theatre, among other things.

Do you still have other tasks to fulfil during the stress of the move? As Director, you still coordinate the University Publishing House and the University Archive, for example.
The move is currently very much in focus. Nevertheless, the other departments are still running and I'm trying as best I can to stay on top of things. My aim is to be well informed and act as a point of contact if anyone asks me anything.

How optimistic are you that student life will also move into the city centre when the Central Library moves in?
I think it will succeed. Some people are already sitting or skating on the square in front of the Alte Aktienspinnerei. Recently, a young woman and her children were drawing on the pavements with crayons. For me, that has something to do with urban life. So I really hope that the move will allow students to see more of Chemnitz and not just live on campus. This will give Chemnitz more of the character of a university city.

We have the ambitious goal of becoming the European Capital of Culture in 2025. Can the Alte Aktienspinnerei play its part?
I very much hope so. The building as a building with its history behind it can certainly contribute to this. And the fact that you can turn such a relatively dilapidated industrial building into an ultra-modern library. We also have an area here that we can use multifunctionally for events. So that together with other organisers, we can get something going here and come up with things that are worthy of a Capital of Culture.