Library

    The collections of the Museum's library concentrate on Biology, Geology, Palaeontology, Mineralogy, Botany, and Zoology, and are an indispensable resource for Museum's research, exhibition development, and educational programs. The Library serves the Museum's staff, visiting scholars and, with some restrictions, the general public. The library holds over 75,000 volumes and several thousand individual papers. About 75 % of its 1650 current periodicals are provided by an extensive exchange program with institutions throughout the world.

    Catalogue entries for all books acquired since 2000 can be obtained on the Web through the Regional Catalogue Stuttgart - Tübingen of the Südwestdeutscher Bibliotheksverbund (SWB), and new book acquisitions are made available as they are received (about 10.000 titles in total). Older parts of the holdings are being catalogued electronically by subject, starting with Botany.

    Since 2002, periodicals are catalogued and searchable through the Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZDB). Older holdings, such as the ornithological periodicals, will be added subsequently to this database.

    The oldest holdings date back to the 18th century, many of which were obtained when the collection of scientific literature started with the founding of the "Naturalienkabinett" in 1791. After the 2nd World War, the Museum was reorganized, with some holdings located at Schloss Rosenstein in Stuttgart and others at Arsenalbau in Ludwigsburg. The library's collections were also divided between the two locations.

    In 1984, the Museum moved into its new building, the Museum am Löwentor, in Stuttgart, where the consolidation of the Library's holdings into a central collection provides advantages for users, as well as insuring greater efficiency in collections management. Like the Museum, the Library currently has two locations: the Museum am Löwentor and, within walking distance through the park, the Schloss Rosenstein.

    Visitors are welcome if they require literature that is not available in public libraries. Please contact the staff for an appointment or any further information:

    Information, Acquisition, Cataloguing Monographs / Serials Tilmann Fischer, Phone +49 (0)711 8936 109
    Exchange of Publications, Bibliographic research / Inter Library Loans Sabine Petri, Phone +49 (0)711 8936 108
    Cataloguing Monographs Stefanie Schwarz, Phone +49 (0)711 8936 148