The drama about the Bensheim city library: a move full of hurdles!

The drama about the Bensheim city library: a move full of hurdles!

A new chapter in the history of the Bensheim City Library begins: The hotly discussed decision of the city parliament provides to move the library from the Neumarkt Center to the old tannery. This measure comes after the termination of the rental agreement in the Neumarkt Center, which expires in August 2025. According to the Bergsträßer indicator , which is expected to be opened in the new location, which is expected to be opened in summer 2025, but also numerous adjustments for the library operation be carried out. In the new line -up, the city administration surrendered to the financial and structural challenges associated with comprehensive equipment.

moving details and capacity questions

The old tannery will act as the sole interim location of the city library and is intended to offer space for around 10,000 media, while the total stock includes 37,000 titles. This drastic reduction will shift many books to depots, which is a heated topic among the citizens. As reported by bensheim.de , the premises must be extensively rebuilt before the opening, in particular to ensure adequate accessibility and use of the offer. Accessibility becomes a problem: the planned event room and the reading spaces are difficult to realize.

The city library currently ensures some relaxation in the tense situation with a “pop-up library” in the park theater. Users can browse there in a small offer of 250 media. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether this makeshift replacement can alleviate the existing challenges of the city library. With the start of construction in the old tannery, the city will now try to create a new cultural anchor. But while some praise the clever solution, others fear that the library could lose vitality and relevance.