Ernst Abbe Library and Citizens' Services soon to move to new premises

The new building for the Ernst Abbe Library and the City of Jena's Citizens' Services is on the home straight for public use. It is planned that the Ernst Abbe Library and the Citizens' Services department will open their doors to the public at the new Engelplatz location on March 25, 2024. Until then, the future user teams and those involved in the project on site will be working at full speed to prepare for the set-up, relocation and commissioning. The citizens of the city can look forward to a modern and central contact point for Jena's citizen services as well as an attractive reading and learning environment for children, young people and adults in the heart of the city center.

Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche is looking forward to the upcoming opening: "The new location will have a lasting impact on the cityscape, as the city center will be extended to the south. Together with the theater forecourt and the Carmelite Monastery, a visitor magnet is being created that will revitalize the city center. I would like to thank all the partners and tradespeople who have brought the construction project, for which ERDF and urban development funds were also used, to the finishing line in a challenging environment."

The city-owned company Kommunale Immobilen Jena (KIJ) has managed the construction project as the client since the beginning and coordinated the planning offices and trades involved in the construction. The city of Jena would like to thank KIJ and the external project participants for their successful collaboration in a construction environment shaped by the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis.

Ernst Abbe Library: a library for people and their encounters

The total usable space of 3,800 m² offers new opportunities for learning and creative work, communication and leisure activities. By moving into the new library building, the Ernst Abbe Library will complete the transformation from a library of books and media to a library of people and their encounters.

The key points are

• a significant increase in the quality of stay
• the design of the library as an open platform for social encounters
• focusing on the areas of civic participation and children's and youth libraries, and
• the further development of the media collection towards digital and interactive learning opportunities.

Two children's areas and a separate youth area invite you to browse and linger. The extension of the opening hours on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. enables family-friendly use of the facility.

Bürgerdienste Jena: Central administrative services in one place

The city's citizens' services will be housed in the building on a further 2,000 m² - as a contact point for important administrative services. The aim is to serve the needs of citizens in a more digital, modern and centralized way. At the same time, the space situation for employees will be improved.

As a central service facility, the Citizens' Services department acts as a gateway to the administration. The facility has a lasting impact on the first and subsequent impression that residents have of the city of Jena and its municipal administration. Citizens expect a professional quality of service. The prerequisite for this was to expand and improve the quality of the space in the new building.

Relocation work requires temporary service restrictions in library operations

Citizens can still use the current location of the Ernst Abbe Library in the former eye clinic until February 17, 2024. After that, it will be closed to prepare for the relocation of the media collections to the new location. The library location in Lobeda will remain open for use without restriction. Users should note that it will be possible to return media during the relocation period in Lobeda or directly after the library opens at the new location. There will be no late fees during this time.

Citizen services well positioned before and during the move

The intention is to close the library for as short a period as possible - two to a maximum of three days. During the move, both accessibility and the coordination of particularly urgent matters that cannot be postponed will be guaranteed. Before and after the closure, the intention is to adjust the number of appointments, including Saturdays, in order to maintain a high level of service quality.