Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek
open until closed until
Berliner Stadtbibliothek
open until closed until

Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek
Blücherplatz 1, 10961 Berlin

open until closed until
  • Mon – Fri 10am – 9pm
  • Sat 10am – 7pm
  • Sun 11am – 5pm
Mon – Fri
10am – 9pm
Sat
10am – 7pm
Sun
11am – 5pm

Children's and Youth Library

  • Mon – Fri 1pm – 7pm
  • Sat 10am – 7pm
  • Sun 11am – 5pm
Mon – Fri
1pm – 7pm
Sat
10am – 7pm
Sun
11am – 5pm

Berliner Stadtbibliothek
Breite Straße 30-36, 10178 Berlin

open until closed until
  • Mon – Fri 10am – 9pm
  • Sat 10am – 7pm
Mon – Fri
10am – 9pm
Sat
10am – 7pm

Berlin Collections

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

The ZLB remains closed on public holidays. There is no on-site library consultation on Sundays.

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…

Young man with glasses stands in front of shelf in music library and holds open music book in 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 with headphones stands by record player in library

    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

  • Young woman with headphones looking at her smartphone in padded circular seat smiling

    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

Background knowledge and rarities

Interior view music library

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

Hands on a keyboard with a sheet of music and a library card in front of it

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. 

Older woman sits at piano and looks at sheet of music with hands on keys

Piano room

One of our particularly popular offers is the piano room, which can be booked for a maximum of 55 minutes at a time per person per week. In this room, you can play on a Bechstein or a Steinway piano.

GO to FAQs

Link collection "Music in Berlin"

Hands hold up various musical instruments against white background

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

Instrument of the year poster in the library

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 of "musica reanimata" in purple letters

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

The logo of "Jugend musiziert" shows a red circle with lines above black lettering.

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 shows drums and logo of the ZLB next to imprint "Instrument of the Year 2022"

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

Young man leaning against white table looking at music magazine "Rolling Stone" in library

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

Go to magazine FAQs