©ZLB
©ZLB
The state of Berlin is making major cuts to its funding for cultural institutions. These cuts will also affect us, the ZLB.
For the year 2025 alone, a total of 2.2 million Euros will be missing from our previously allocated budget, i.e. this is money that we will no longer receive. Of this total, 600,000 Euros will be from joint services with the VÖBB. These cuts are made at your expense.
The funding cuts mean that we will have to eliminate around 30 jobs. We will spread these staff reductions out over the next five years, but you will notice the difference.
At present we are working hard to figure out how we can implement these cuts. That means that we are planning and testing various ways to cancel and reduce services, with the overall aim of nevertheless maintaining a good level of service to you, the customer.
Below you will find an overview of the most important initial changes in our public service area:
- We are reviewing our service hours and may only be available on-site for shorter periods – this does not affect the opening hours.
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We will be closing our advice desks at both library locations.
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We are testing how we can change our repository services. We want to continue to offer very popular items in the usual way. But in future you may have to wait a little longer for less popular items.
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We will reduce the number of events on offer.
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The Fresh Air Library will be paused this summer. But we will switch on the Wi-Fi in the lawn area in front of the AGB. (Bring a blanket, borrow a book from inside and carry on enjoying the grass!)
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We will be cancelling around 200 subscriptions to infrequently used newspapers and magazines.
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Jobs will be cut in various administrative and other ZLB departments which will mean further changes. You might not notice these at first, but it will have effects on our entire work.
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Digital services in the VÖBB will be reduced. This is also something which might not be noticeable at first, but the cumulative effects will be felt later on.
Would you like to support us? What can you do?
Write to the Governing Mayor of Berlin. You can find an example mail here:
Take a photo of yourself in front of the funding-cuts-themed banner in the foyers of our buildings and post it on your social media channels. Or simply use the share pic templates here as a basis for your posts.
Please don't forget to tag us @zlb_berlin and the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion @senkultgz #zlb — and feel free to use these hashtags as well: #BerlinIstKultur #KulturabbauVerhindern #BerlinIstKulturelleVielfalt #KürztDieKürzungen
©ZLB
We are working on further — also analog — ways for you to support us and we are grateful for all your help.
Please keep up with media reports and join the demonstrations against the cuts to Berlin‘s culture funding. No further cuts to ZLB funding! The decision for funding for the years 2026/27 will be taken in parliament. Join our protests!
Do you have ideas, comments, or messages of support? Feel free to contact us, preferably by mail to info@zlb.de.
Your ZLB
