Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek
Berliner Stadtbibliothek

Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek
Blücherplatz 1, 10961 Berlin

  • Mon – Fri 10am – 9pm
  • Sat 10am – 9pm
  • Sun 10am – 6pm
Mon – Fri
10am – 9pm
Sat
10am – 9pm
Sun
10am – 6pm

Children's and Youth Library

  • Mon – Fri 1pm – 7pm
  • Sat 10am – 7pm
Mon – Fri
1pm – 7pm
Sat
10am – 7pm

Berliner Stadtbibliothek
Breite Straße 30-36, 10178 Berlin

  • Mon – Fri 10am – 9pm
  • Sat 10am – 9pm
Mon – Fri
10am – 9pm
Sat
10am – 9pm

Berlin Collections

  • Mon – Sat 10am – 7pm
Mon – Sat
10am – 7pm
Berlin's musical memory

Music library

Where in Berlin can you borrow CDs, sheet music and vinyl records, and stream music? At our music library, of course! Why not have a listen…
Junger Mann mit Brille steht in der Musikbibliothek vorm Regal und hält aufgeschlagenes Notenbuch in der Hand

Berlin's musical memory

The music library not only loans and archives audio recordings or sheet music but also offers audiences unique listening experiences and events.
 
We have great sounds from all genres: from Hildegard von Bingen to Beethoven and Billie Eilish, from afro-beats to progressive rock and Carnatic music from southern India.
 
Our almost 300,000 pieces of sheet music, music books, CDs and records are complemented by a music streaming service. With our link collection, we connect Berlin's music scene.

From the Music Library

    DJ mit Kopfhörern steht an Plattenspieler in Bibiothek

    Phonotheque

    Music fan? Our records are vinyl novelties from Berlin labels, but also LP rarities from the past. You can also listen to them in our Phonoklub!

    Record Collections

    Junge Frau mit Kopfhörern blickt in gepolstertem kreisrunden Sitzmöbel lächelnd auf ihr Smartphone

    Music streaming

    Stream music and start listening. With our tutorials and playlists, it's easy and sure to suit your taste.

    Record Collections  To our curated playlists

Media tips from the music library

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Music events and workshops

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Background knowledge and rarities

Musikbibliothek Berlin - Hintergrundwissen

The ZLB's music library is one of Germany's most extensive music libraries. The public area and an information desk staffed by research experts can be found in the America Memorial Library (AGB). Further music media can be ordered from the AGB repository and the Berlin Public Library (BStB), as well as the external repository.

 

Borrowing and streaming

Almost all music media can be borrowed; we also offer devices for listening, copying or digitalising audio recordings. In addition, we subscribe to 65 current music magazines, and offer access to databases such as "Grove Music Online" or music streaming portals such as freegalmusic, medici.tv and all Naxos Music Libraries.

Unique listening experiences

One of the highlights of our offer is a catalogue of over 78,000 LPs that had been collected in East Berlin (BStB) and West Berlin (AGB) since the 1950s. Since the turn of the millennium, our vinyl catalogue has grown through sample copies provided by Berlin-based labels. Several thousand sheets of printed and handwritten sheet music as well as phonograph cylinders and shellac gramophone records are stored in two cabinets in the historic collections (BStB branch).
 
We also receive national and international enquiries related to our special USA-themed collection of 20th century compositions, which encompasses sheet music as well as records. Another unique feature is our extensive collection of bound sheet music copies of the entire oeuvre of certain composers, which can be borrowed.

Documentation role

As a state library, we are officially charged with documenting everything that is published in Berlin, and therefore receive copies of all audio recordings released by Berlin-based labels. Many of these are kept in our repository and can be ordered in the usual way via the catalogue. For technical reasons, it may not be possible to borrow some of these, although they can be ordered and listened to at the library. Such recordings are labelled "for reading room use only", or their location says "AGB repository / large-scale music collection - collection from the reservations service desk."

Impressions from the music library

Music library special offers

Hände auf einer Tastatur, vor der ein Blatt mit Musiknoten und ein Bibliotheksausweis liegen

Music research

The German Music Information Centre (MIZ) has published a tutorial with tips on analogue or online searching for information about music, sheet music or audio recordings. 

Ältere Frau sitzt am Klavier und blickt mit den Händen auf den Tasten auf Notenblatt

Piano room

One of our particularly popular offers is the piano room, which can be booked for a maximum of 50 minutes at a time per person per week. In this room, you can play on a Bechstein or a Steinway piano.

GO to FAQs

Qeustions and answers about the piano room

The piano room can be booked for a maximum of two hours at a time per person per week.

The piano room can be found in the America Memorial Library in the audio area.

Time slots for the following week are always released Saturdays at 10:00 / 10 a.m.

Yes, a valid VÖBB library card is required to make a booking.

The key can be obtained from the information desk, where your library card will be kept until its return.

If you do not turn up, the reservation is cancelled after ten minutes. You are not entitled to a replacement booking.

Yes, please bring your booking number with you. We do not need a printed copy of your reservation.

Our security personnel need this time to open the windows, air the room, and close them again.

We will use your email address only to communicate with you within the scope of the booking you have made. For example, at the end of the booking process, we will send you a booking confirmation via email, or we will contact you via email if we need to make changes to your booking. Furthermore, we will automatically send you an email reminder 24 hours before the start of the booking. We also reserve the right to contact you in this way, if necessary, to inform you of any new circumstances / changes that may affect your reservation.

Link collection "Music in Berlin"

Hände halten verschiedene Musikinstrumente vor weißem Hintergrund in die Höhe

With far over 1,000 commented links, the ZLB's "Music in Berlin" link collection provides a structured overview of the music scene in Berlin. You will find agencies, bands, choirs, festivals, labels, orchestras or music academies, music forums and all kinds of other information related to Berlin's music industry there.

Go to link collection "Music in Berlin"

Curated music playlists

Poster zum Instrument des Jahres in der Bibliothek

For special themes and occasions, our music editors regularly post curated playlists for you on the Freegal Music and Naxos Music Library portals. Here are some examples:

Collaboration with musica reanimata

Logo von "musica reanimata" in violetten Buchstaben

Since 2012, the ZLB has cooperated with musica reanimata, an association dedicated to the rediscovery of composers who were persecuted by the Nazis, and their works. Each concert and discussion organised by musica reanimata is accompanied by a list of the works by the respective person the event focuses on that are in the ZLB's collection.

Collaboration with Jugend musiziert

Logo von "Jugend musiziert" zeigt roten mit Linien durchbrochenen Kreis über schwarzer Schrift

Every year, we mark our collaboration with the Jugend musiziert competition organised by the Landesmusikrat Berlin with a concert performed by the competition winners.

Instrument of the Year

Poster zeigt neben Aufdruck "Instrument des Jahres 2022" Schlagzeug und Logo der ZLB

Every year, the Landesmusikrat Berlin nominates a new instrument as the "Instrument of the Year". We accompany the project with a media presentation, tips on catalogue items related to the topic and a concert to celebrate the "Instrument of the Year".

 

Music magazines

Junger Mann lehnt an weißem Tisch und blickt in Musikzeitschrift "Rolling Stone" in Bibliothek

Spoilt for choice. We always offer you the latest issues of 65 music magazines, as well as digital magazine offers.

Go to magazine FAQs