Phantastische Bibliothek Wetzlar

The Phantastische Bibliothek Wetzlar (Fantastic Library of Wetzlar) was founded in 1989 and has become one of the largest public libraries specialised in Fantasy literature worldwide, it is the largest in Europe. It is generally a reference library, open for the public and scientists.

The aim of the library is to collect everything in print which belongs to: science fiction, fantasy, literature, classical fantasy, horror, utopian novels, fantastic journey and adventure novels, fairy tales, saga, myths etc.

At the moment the library is in possession of 150,000 titles. This collection includes hardcovers and paperbacks, dissertations, magazines and fanzines. There are also some rare materials, e.g. the "documenta" 1984 science-fiction-collection.

Work

The Phantastische Bibliothek Wetzlar closely cooperates with schools, universities and literary societies. Seminars, conferences and exhibitions are held. Once a year the library organizes the "Wetzlarer Tage der Phantastik” (Wetzlar Fantastic Conference), a literary symposium for authors, journalists, publishers and the public.

Zentrum für Literatur (Centre of Literature) is a department of the library and offers programmes in general education, reading and language courses, e.g. to support the children's reading skills.

Publications

The Phantastische Bibliothek Wetzlar is the editor of the scholarly series Schriftenreihe und Materialien der Phantastischen Bibliothek Wetzlar which publishes monographs and collections of essays.

Further reading

*Ulrich Blode: Die Phantastische Bibliothek Wetzlar, in: Das andere Arkadien / Unterwegs im Universum Fantasticum. die horen – Zeitschrift für Literatur, Kunst und Kritik. No. 217, 2005, pp. 205-207
*Ulrich Blode: Die Phantastische Bibliothek Wetzlar – Verkehrssysteme der Zukunft, in: phantastisch! No. 18, 2005, pp. 45-49
*Ulrich Blode: Die ewige Bibliothek, Die Phantastische Bibliothek Wetzlar, in: phantastisch! No. 26, 2007, pp. 38-42
*Stefanie Guthörl: Öffentlichkeits- und Programmarbeit einer wissenschaftlichen Spezialbibliothek am Beispiel der Phantastischen Bibliothek Wetzlar, Schriftenreihe und Materialien der Phantastischen Bibliothek Wetzlar Band 2. Wetzlar: Förderkreis Phantastik in Wetzlar e. V., 1993
*Bettina Twrsnick: Kosten sollte es eigentlich nichts, Die Phantastische Bibliothek in Wetzlar, in: BuB, Forum für Bibliothek und Information. No. 4, Jg. 52, 2000, pp. 315-317
*Jörg Weigand: Zehn Jahre "Phantastische Bibliothek" Wetzlar, in: Aus dem Antiquariat, No. 8, 1999, pp. 479-481