Using the German Digital Library and publishing documents and data

The German Digital Library is the central platform for culture and science in Germany. The German Digital Library can be freely used by all, and cultural and academic institutions can also publish their own content.

The German Digital Library (DDB) offers full online access to the cultural and scientific heritage of Germany, namely to millions of books, archive documents, images, sculptures, pieces of music and other audio recordings, films and music scores.

Cultural and academic institutions in Germany can provide data to the DDB, and curators can display the objects thematically as part of an exhibition.

In order to provide digitised content, you must first register on the DDB website. Registration is free of charge.

As the national central portal, the DDB aims to serve as a hub for all digital offerings from German cultural and academic institutions. So far, 4 000 institutions have registered, and around 400 institutions are already providing data.

Digitisation will take place over a number of years, and the portal functions will continue to be expanded.

The DDB is financed jointly through the Federal Government and the Länder in line with the Administrative and Financial Agreement of December 2009.

Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Postal address:
Von-der-Heydt-Str. 16-18,
10785 Berlin
 

For general questions about the DDB and about making works available to the public in the DDB

Head Office
Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Postal address:
Von-der-Heydt-Str. 16-18,
10785 Berlin

Email: geschaeftsstelle@deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de

Questions about registration, content and technology

Service Point
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (German National Library)
Adickesallee 1
60322 Frankfurt am Main
Primary contact:
Tel: +49 691525-1797
Tel: +49 691525-1793
Email: service@deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de

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• Forms: no, but cooperation agreement
• Online procedure possible: yes
• Written form required: yes (cooperation agreement)
• Personal appearance necessary: no

If you wish to publish content in the DDB:

• you must either be the original author of the documents or
• be able to assure the German Digital Library that you have the right to deposit the content in the DDB, including distribution to third parties, or that the content contributed is not copyright protected (is for the public domain).
• The data for the DDB must be provided in a supported metadata format.

If you want to publish content to the German Digital Library,

• you must first register your setup on the DDBpro portal.
• The DDB service center checks your registration.
• Their institution appears on the culture and science map.
• Now contact the service center.
• A cooperation agreement is concluded between the DDB and your institution.
• The DDB sends you a link to an online questionnaire and clarifies questions about data formats and copyright.
• The DDB loads your data into the test system.
• You check the view of the content, then the data is imported into the DDB. The files are published under Creative Commons license.
• If you wish, the DDB will also forward your data to Europeana.  

You can also use dDB's holdings in external applications (such as websites or mobile apps) unless they are protected by copyright. This allows a wide range of applications to be developed and the data of the DDB to be displayed according to your own wishes.

The integration takes place via the Application Programming Interface (API), a programming interface.

The API is open to all.

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Processing time depends on the quantity and quality of the data provided.

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