The city library is her life's work

Elke Beer

Elke Beer has done a lot of packing, sorting and archiving over the past few weeks. "A lot of things have been left behind over the past few decades. I had to catch up," she reveals with a smile. With 31 years as head of Chemnitz City Library and 46 years as an employee of the institution, this is understandable. "When you leave tidy, it's a little easier to say goodbye." Elke Beer, an institution of the city administration, goes into her well-deserved retirement this Friday. Time to take a look back at her exciting professional life.

How difficult is it for you to say goodbye?

It's very difficult for me. In so many years, I can say that the library has become a matter close to my heart, or in Fallada's words (editor's note: Hans Fallada, writer) - which have become my life motto: "You have to set your heart on something worthwhile." That's why I'm leaving with a smile and a tear in my eye. Above all, I find it very difficult to let go. But I'm determined not to ask my colleagues too often how things are "going". (laughs).

Looking back over this long period, can you think of one particular highlight among the many that you remember with particular fondness?

The biggest and most memorable experience was the move of the city library to the TIETZ in 2004, a building right in the heart of the city - a dream come true for a library director. It couldn't have come any better and it was a very moving moment. Not only for us employees, but of course also for the people of Chemnitz. They stormed this building, this library, and were thrilled. I still get goosebumps thinking about it today.

Of course, there were many other highlights. Like the introduction of the first computer in 1992, which replaced our card catalogues. Or our big library birthdays, such as the 125th anniversary in 1994 and the 150th anniversary in 2019. And countless smaller events at which we have hosted big-name artists, authors and actors. For example, Iris Berben, Christoph Hein and Manfred Krug. But the real reward for our work was the daily walk through the TIETZ and the library, looking at the satisfied faces.

After 54 years, the city library moved from its premises on Schillerplatz to the former Kaufhof building on Moritzstraße - the TIETZ. Under one roof with the adult education centre, the Museum of Natural History and the Neue Sächsische Galerie, the library has become a meeting place, a public place of learning, work and communication for everyone in Chemnitz. "I was able to be involved in the planning and furnishing of the TIETZ. And all this with a wonderful team. I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart," reveals Elke Beer.

Together with your team, you have also overcome challenges. Like on the evening of 2 June 2013, when you received a call to come straight to the TIETZ because the books were threatened by flooding.

My knees were shaking. Moritzstraße and the car park were already covered in water. That was a really bad feeling for me because I didn't know whether the books in the stacks would survive. With wellies on our feet, we then rescued the valuable books from the stacks. That was an event that I don't like to remember.

How has the library changed in almost half a century?

Libraries today are much more than the lending libraries we used to know. Users are offered everything, can use everything and for very little money per year! In addition to current literature, newspapers and magazines, films, music and games on the shelves, including digital media, there are also gaming, streaming and database services. Pupils do their homework here, students complete their seminar papers, older students get to grips with electronic catalogues and e-book readers. The importance of the library as a place, as the cultural centre of a city or district, is increasing noticeably.

Was the Chemnitz city council's decision to provide funding for a new library bus a nice farewell gift?

Absolutely. Even in the age of digitalisation, we need a book bus for the major social task of promoting reading. This is important because there is no well-developed school library network in Chemnitz, for example. That's why the book bus has travelled to twelve primary schools, among others.

How do you see the development from analogue reading in a book to the digital format?

That is the biggest change during my work. From a book that you can pick up, leaf through, smell, to an e-book reader, to digitalisation. On the one hand, I can see the many advantages of rapid availability for everyone. But what particularly scares me are the opinions that libraries are no longer needed in the age of digitalisation. Yet the promotion of reading in libraries plays such a large and important role for society. When you consider that 30 per cent of children are never read to. Many households do not even own books. Children are confronted with a book for the first time in their lives here in the library or in the day-care centre.

Under Beer's leadership, the city library has developed into a modern, innovative institution. Together with her team, she shaped the digital transformation with the latest media, modern information technologies and professional information provision. She also paid great attention to the quality of the library experience and developed the library facilities into places for encounters and communication as well as inclusion and integration. The city library has created a large network through diverse project work and co-operations and is a partner of numerous educational institutions and associations in the city and the region. For this dedicated work, Chemnitz City Library was awarded second place in the "Library of the Year" competition in 2006. In the nationwide performance comparison for public libraries (BIX) at the time, it took second place in 2010 and third place in 2011. In 2012, it was honoured with the Saxon Library Award. With around half a million visitors a year, the library is the most frequented cultural and educational institution in the city.

What will you miss most?

The opportunity to help shape cultural and literary life in our city. I really enjoyed that. Together with a fantastic, dedicated team at the city library and the many great network partners.

What's the first thing you'll do when you retire?

Definitely do more for my health again. And there are lots of projects waiting for me at home (laughs). I want to get back to hobbies that have been neglected over the years. For example, painting or reading through my pile of books, which I haven't managed to do yet.

That's surprising now. Don't you read all the time as head librarian?

Yes, of course you always do, often specialised literature to keep up to date. You deal with the answers to the question: "How can we help and contribute to the transfer of knowledge and the solution of social challenges with our services?" In GDR times, 6,000 book titles appeared on the market every year. Today there are 80,000 and more. You have to try to keep an overview. That's why I love the job so much. You're always up to date as far as possible. But sometimes you don't have the time to browse, except on holiday of course.

Did you learn the profession of librarian directly and how did you come to work at the Stadtbibo?

Yes, I have a degree in librarianship and have been working at Chemnitz City Library since 1975. I could never have learnt and studied a better profession. Being a librarian was always something special for me.
I started as a technical assistant in the city library. We had to set up the books early in piecework time and wax and polish the entire library every Friday. I learnt everything from scratch and worked in all areas of the former city and district library. I had never planned to take over the management of a team of currently 60 employees. But that's how it turned out. Today, librarians are all-rounders. A bit of a psychologist, information mediator and, what is very important today, they should have IT skills.

You are not only head of the library, but also active in the Friends of the City Library and the Stefan Heym Society. Will you remain loyal to these honorary posts?

I want to remain loyal to them. I actually wanted to cut these connections so that I wouldn't be tempted to talk my successor into her work. I certainly don't want to give that impression. But I have been asked to stay on and contribute a little. And so I'll do my best and see what happens. (laughs)

Especially because we have a real treasure in the TIETZ with the Stefan Heym Forum.

Yes, that's true. The Stefan Heym Society and especially the Chairwoman, Dr Uhlig, have done a fantastic job here with the city. Stefan Heym's work belongs in his home town and not scattered around the world. That took a lot of effort. Now the people of Chemnitz just have to be allowed to visit it. Unfortunately, this has not yet been possible due to coronavirus.

Is Chemnitz a city that loves to read?

Judging by our numbers in the library, I can answer the question in the affirmative. We have a lot of loans compared to libraries in other cities, where this has decreased. This is certainly due to the fact that the media stock is so up-to-date.

The new director, Corinna Meinel, will take up her post on 1 September 2021. What do you wish her successor?

That the positive development of the city library can continue and that the conditions are right for this. I hope that she has the City Library team by her side as much as I do and that Chemnitz residents continue to become aware of the library as a place and see the opportunities it offers as a place of learning, a platform for dialogue and a meeting place - and that they actively take advantage of this great opportunity.

Keyword Capital of Culture: How did you take the decision?

I am delighted that we have been awarded the title. I hope that it is a goal for many people in Chemnitz to look ahead and have a desire and enthusiasm for something. We have an incredibly great range of art and culture in the city. However, I have the feeling that this is sometimes not really recognised, which is why I hope that this title will bring many guests to our city and that the people of Chemnitz will be carried away by them. We as the city library are on board and will actively participate in the process.