1949                   

Relocation of the Pedagogical Institute from Reutlingen to Weingarten; founding of the “Institute Library” with approximately 1,500 volumes in the castle building of the Weingarten Teacher Training College.

 

1962   

The Institute of Education becomes a university of education with a research focus, and the Institute Library is thus transformed into a university library.

 

1972   

With the Act on Teacher Training Colleges in Baden-Württemberg of July 26, 2001, the teacher training colleges were granted the status of research universities. The demands on the library increased.

The Institute for Secondary School Teachers in Tettnang is integrated into the University of Education. The university library takes over the institute’s library, comprising approximately 7,000 volumes.

The library moves into the ground floor and basement rooms of the Fruchtkasten. A reading area is created on the ground floor. The circulating collection is stored in the basement rooms for interlibrary loan.

 

1973 

The collection has grown to over 100,000 volumes.

 

1976   

A planning group called “Bibliotheksplan Baden-Württemberg,” established in 1975 by the Ministry of Culture, develops a comprehensive plan for the expansion and modernization of the academic library system, which also includes the colleges of education and the universities of applied sciences.

The first professional library administration team begins its work.

 

1980

First collaboration between the two universities in Weingarten in the area of library services:
An agreement on full integration is reached for the newly founded Department of Social Work at what was then the Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences.

An agreement is reached to make library collections mutually accessible to the respective university communities.

 

1984 

The library moves into the first floor of the Fruchtkasten building and offers an extensive open-stack library there.

 

1986   

The stacks (basement levels of the Fruchtkasten) are opened for open-shelf use. Users can now locate books in the stacks themselves and have them checked out.

The Weingarten University of Education and the Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences sign a cooperation agreement. The University of Applied Sciences’ library (approx. 14,000 volumes) is incorporated into the university library’s collection.

From this point on, the library is known as the “Weingarten University Library.”

The formation of the Joint Library Committee is also part of the cooperation agreement.

 

1990   

Computerized cataloging begins. The University Library becomes the first teacher education college library to join the Southwest German Library Network (SWB). 

The library holds more than 200,000 volumes.

The first search services in electronic databases are offered.

 

1994   

Electronic circulation tracking is introduced.

 

2000

Library staff move into new spaces on the second floor of the Fruchtkasten. Offices on the ground floor and first floor are closed to make room for additional open-shelf collections and study spaces.

 

2002

The local library system HORIZON is introduced.

 

2007

The first full-text databases are made available.

 

2008

The cooperation agreement between the Weingarten University of Education and Ravensburg-Weingarten University is renewed. The handling of e-media is also clarified. The RWU’s computer center takes over the library’s IT equipment.

The university library now holds approximately 300,000 volumes.

 

2011

The aDIS library system is introduced.

 

2013

Launch of the major collection maintenance project. The library’s open-stack collection, which now comprises four different classification systems and five different arrangements, is standardized and converted to the Regensburg Union Classification (RVK). This measure is accompanied by a comprehensive review, collection maintenance, and deaccessioning.

 

2018

Completion of the major collection maintenance project. 

The standardization of the classification system (RVK) for the entire open-shelf collection is complete. Various uncataloged book collections from the Weingarten University of Education have been integrated into the university library. Following a comprehensive deaccessioning process, the library now holds just under 200,000 volumes.

At the same time, self-checkout via RFID is being introduced.

The space freed up is being used primarily to create additional study and work areas.

 

2023

Following the introduction of the PH Weingarten Open Access Policy in 2018, a publication fund is established.

 

2025

Library staff will move into new offices on the 3rd floor of the Fruchtkasten.