The working group regards itself as a forum for scholars, librarians, bibliophiles and members of institutions who are interested in interdisciplinary discussions of issues surrounding library development and the history of books and media in connection with the history of knowledge and scholarship. It strives to achieve cooperation with all other institutions that pursue research in these areas. The working group organises annual conferences.

A committee is responsible for planning and preparing events. Its members are currently as follows: Dr Cornel Dora (St Gallen), Prof. Christine Haug (Munich), Dr Sven Kuttner (chair, Munich), Prof. Ursula Rautenberg (Erlangen), Prof. Ute Schneider (Mainz), Prof. Andrea Seidler (Vienna), Prof. Carlos Spoerhase (Bielefeld), Prof. Bettina Wagner (Bamberg) and the director of the Herzog August Bibliothek.

2020 annual conference (postponed until autumn 2021)
‘“Alles außer Lesen …” – Praxeologien des Buchgebrauchs’ / ‘“Everything but reading …” – Praxeologies of book use’
Annual conference of the Wolfenbütteler Arbeitskreis für Bibliotheks-, Buch- und Mediengeschichte at the Schloss Herrenhausen conference centre near Hanover
Organisation: Prof. Ursula Rautenberg, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg / Prof. Ute Schneider, JGU Mainz
16–18 September 2020

2019 annual conference
‘Window on eternity: The oldest libraries in the world’
Annual conference of the Wolfenbütteler Arbeitskreis für Bibliotheks-, Buch- und Mediengeschichte in the Erzabtei St. Peter, Salzburg
Organisation: Dr Cornel Dora, St. Gallen diocesan librarian, Sonja Führer, librarian at the Stiftsbibliothek St. Peter
26–28 September 2019, Erzabtei St. Peter, Salzburg (Austria)

2018 annual conference
‘The used book’

Coordinators: Prof. Ute Schneider (Mainz), Prof. Daniel Bellingradt (Erlangen)
24–26 September 2018

2017 annual conference
‘The Reformation and books: Centres of ideas, centres of book production’
Coordinators: Prof. Andrea Seidler (Vienna) and Prof. István Monok (Budapest)
25–27 September 2017

2016 annual conference
‘Books and libraries in the economic miracle: Lines of development, continuities and ruptures in Germany and Italy in the post-war era, 1949–1965’
Coordinator: Dr Sven Kuttner (Munich)
5–8 September 2016, Villa Vigoni (Loveno di Menaggio, Italy)

2015 annual conference
‘Public librarians in the Nazi era: Scope for action, continuities, patterns of interpretation’

Coordinator: Dr Sven Kuttner (Munich), Prof. Peter Vodosek (Stuttgart)
28–30 September 2015

2014 annual conference
‘Research into the history of books and the digital humanities’

Coordinator: Prof. Ursula Rautenberg (Nürnberg-Erlangen), Dr Oliver Duntze (Berlin)
29 September – 1 October 2014

‘Books as a medium: Interdisciplinary research at Wolfenbüttel’
Since 2019, the Wolfenbütteler Notizen zur Buchgeschichte has been published in a new format as Medium Buch, which appears once a year. Members of the working group receive the journal at a reduced price of 28 euros annually. The first edition came out in autumn 2019. You can find further information on the working group and the registration form for membership on the right-hand side in the ‘Download’ section.

Guest institutions

There are also several guest institutions based at the Herzog August Bibliothek. They are fully integrated into the site and close cooperation is maintained with them.

• Lessing-Akademie
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Erforschung des 18. Jahrhunderts (German Society for 18th-Century Studies, DGEJ)
• Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Erforschung des 19. Jahrhunderts (German Society for 19th-Century Studies, DGE19J)