Newspaper Reading Room

Latest Information

For the use of microfilm devices (microfilm scanners and microfilm readers), booking is  required. The devices are primarily intended for newspaper research.

Please order the desired newspapers via StaBiKat Classic. Additional information can be found under Requests. For your questions about working in the Newspaper Reading Room and with our newspaper collection, please use our contact form Just Ask Us - select the subject  "Newspapers" there.

In the Newspaper Reading Room we make available the library’s complete holdings of historical as well as current newspapers of universal content and in various media formats. You will find specialist journals and academic magazines in the general reading rooms and in our catalogue.
During our service times we give advice and support both with your search and the use of newspapers that you requested. In the library it is possible to make reproductions or to place orders for reproductions.

Reference Collection

In the Newspaper Reading Room readers find a comprehensive reference collection in the subject areas of newspapers and media studies. Volumes cannot be borrowed. The holdings are still being rearranged, but are available for use.
A selection of current daily and weekly newspapers is also available there. The last seven issues of daily newspapers and the last two issues of weekly newspapers are on display. An overview of these newspaper titles is available in the StaBiKat.
This does not apply to current issues of newspapers in Eastern European languages, which are displayed in the Eastern Europe Reading Room in the Potsdamer Straße building.

User Services

Get an overview of the best ways to search for online newspaper resources.

All newspaper titles are searchable in the StaBiKat . Start your search by selecting the field 'Journal/Newspaper' instead of 'All Fields' for a title search. Navigate to available volumes by clicking the 'Show availability' button and place an order.

We provide support and answer your questions on searching and the reproduction services regarding newspaper holdings.

Newspaper volumes in microfilm or original format should be requested online. Please use the request function of the StabiKat.
If in specific cases this should not be possible, please contact us on-site or send an email to  zeitungen@sbb.spk-berlin.de . The following information is required:

  • Your name
  • Library card number
  • Newspaper title and, if necessary, desired issue (morning, evening, regional…)
  • Shelfmark(s), desired day, month, year
  • Day when the item should be ready for collection

Please refer to the library account for the item delivery times for your orders in the newspaper reading room.

  • Newspapers can only be consulted in the Newspaper Reading Room at the site Unter den Linden.
  • If a newspaper is available on microfilm, the microfilm version will be provided and not the original bound volume.
  • Readers can use the available microfilm scanners and readers.

Please note the following rules in the Newspaper Reading Room:

  • Please be extremely careful when handling newspaper materials (be cautious when turning pages). If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact reference staff at the information desks.
  • Avoid written notes and markings on original materials and do not place anything on an original item.
  • When handling original newspaper volumes, please use only pencils (ballpoints etc can permanently damage the material)
  • It is not allowed to take scissors into the reading room
  • It is not allowed to take food and drinks (water excluded) into the Newspaper Reading Room
  • Readers are allowed to take photos of library items; it is not allowed to use the flash.

In addition to the general regulations for copying and reproducing in the Staatsbibliothek there are the following rules for newspapers:

For preservation purposes it is not allowed to make copies from original newspapers (print editions). It is however allowed to make photos without using a flash or a tripod. It is possible to order scans or microfilm copies of orginal materials. The Digitisation Centre of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin produces these scans and copies according to the respective list of charges and fees.
Invoices will be sent later and by normal mail.

It is possible to scan single pages from microrollfilms in self-service and save the data on a USB-Stick . The library does not set a limit on the number of scans. For saving data, please bring your own USB-Stick.

If you are not able to use our newspaper holdings on-site in our library, you should consider to use the possibility of an inter-library loan request to a library near your home.

You can find more information on the newspaper collection of the Staatsbibliothek and on searching newspaper collections  Newspapers in the section subject areas.