20 years of Medienzentrum Wartenberg: We look back on a politically extremely turbulent early days and talk to the two directors.
Wartenberg - It has long since become an institution: The Wartenberg media center is celebrating its 20th birthday this year - after an extremely eventful history (see also box).
Ironically, in the jubilee year, the facility's pandemic plays a bad role in the planned celebrations.
The fact that reading can be helpful, especially in these difficult times, is what manager Ulla Zehtner (38) and her deputy Sabine Schneider (57) know in an interview with our newspaper.
Ms. Schneider, you have been with us for almost 18 years, so you have seen almost the entire history of the media center.
What does your 20th birthday mean to you now?
Schneider: I think a birthday means a lot - we enrich the place.
“Media center” sounds somehow more impressive than “community library”.
Schneider: The term “community library” has been dropped from the new statutes. “Center” hits it pretty well. We are in the middle of town. Where the town hall used to be, there is a central meeting point for many people, especially for the elderly. We also have daily newspaper readers who have not subscribed to the newspaper, but who read it here with us and talk about the news. Our knitting café and picture book cinema are also popular.
A politically extremely turbulent early period
“From the Bible to Bravo everything on offer”: This is the headline of our newspaper after the opening of the Wartenberg media center on December 8, 2001. The two pastors Michael Henger and Thomas Hegner, who bless the facility, are particularly pleased about the Bible in the library shelf.
And that cost a lot of money: around a million marks devour the renovation costs in the former town hall.
Bringing culture to the market town - that was what the mayor of the Free Voters at the time, Gustav Weltrich, was committed to.
He replied to the critics of the high level of investment: "It is the task of municipalities to make their citizens an offer."
The first director of the media center is Gabriele Vogel, she is supported by Jutta Paulini, Monika Neblich and Susanne Scheumaier.
At the time, Mayor Weltrich was not only enthusiastic about the many books: there was even “really good coffee” in the media center.
Vogel has to fight for her post in 2005 and 2006. Mayor Walter Rost (CSU) gives the contentious librarian a resignation without notice.
It is the inglorious climax of a true culture war that is raging, even years after the opening, over this facility, which is too expensive, especially from the perspective of the CSU.
The reason for the termination seems like the continuation of this skirmish.
The leader is said to have exempted her children from 8.50 euro dunning fees - for rust and a majority in the market council "serious infidelity".
Vogel argues with IT problems in the labor court proceedings that follow.
These fees - as for many other readers - were canceled late because the books were booked incorrectly.
In court, however, manual errors on the part of the market town count first, because of which the termination is ultimately ineffective.
Citizens vent their indignation with a demonstration.
Another dismissal follows - against which Vogel wins again in court.
In the end, she remains the manager until Ulla Zehtner takes over.
ta / mas
But that doesn't work at the moment due to the corona ...
Schneider: At the moment, unfortunately, we only have loans upon registration. For collection, we pack wish bags for people or, if necessary, age-appropriate surprise bags.
How big is the library, how many employees does it have?
Zehtner: There are now a total of 17,000 media on the shelves: books, audio books, newspapers, magazines, but also many new offers - from experiment kits to board games to Tonie boxes. We have six employees, a seventh just started on April 1st. We all work part-time or on a € 450 basis.
What has changed in the past 20 years?
Schneider: Not really much. People like to come in here. Of course, some of them like to read e-books these days, and there are more media than the Tonies.
Where do readers most often seek advice?
Zehtner: These are questions like: I liked that a lot - what else could I read about that? Or: How does the eLibrary work, how can I download something? That takes a lot of advice. But it's also about making reading more palatable to an eleven-year-old who doesn't like to read. For example, if he likes to play “Minecraft” on the PC, the youth manual series for Minecraft would be interesting for him to read. Or one tries to find access to literature through audio books.
Do young people read less today than in the past?
Zehtner: No. It is just read differently today. Online, on social media, for example. I think young people read even more these days. Perhaps, however, fewer books are read today, that may well be the case.
What do you both like to read yourself?
Schneider: I am currently reading a lot about strong women, for example the novel “Neuleben”, which is set in the 50s / 60s. And of course crime novels. Zehtner: Everything across the board and preferably several books at the same time. At the moment I read a lot to my children. I can't commit to one favorite book.
Are you nostalgic who still like to hold a book in your hand, or can it be a small screen in front of your nose?
Schneider: I have to admit that e-books are extremely pleasant to read. And you have something light in your pocket. That's a big advantage. Zehtner: I also use the e-book reader, tablet or mobile phone very often. It is actually convenient. Incidentally, there is also a general trend towards online lending.
Has the good old book slowly become obsolete?
Zehtner: The things that will remain important for a long time are children's books. Because with the children you just read books - picture books etcetera. However, online media now make up half of our catalog directory.
How many readers does the media center actually have?
Zehtner: There are around 1,500 in total. 522 readers are between 0 and 20 years old, almost 600 between the ages of 30 and 60.
And if they all return their books satisfied, are you all happy?
Zehtner: There are great situations when people come and show themselves to be very, very grateful. For example, many parents at Christmas when we packed surprise bags for the children. It's really fun.
Are books stolen from time to time or not brought back?
Zehtner: That can actually be neglected here in Wartenberg. There is hardly any loss through theft here. I experienced that differently in other libraries (as reported, Zehtner worked, among other things, at various libraries in Finland, for example in the National Library in Helsinki; editor's note).
The corona pandemic could certainly remain stolen from you.
To what extent does this affect the anniversary year?
Zehtner: We had planned various readings, we hope that those planned for September and October can take place. For example, on October 1st, the reading of “The Ludwig Conspiracy” with author Oliver Pötzsch. In addition, our painting competition is currently running (see end of text), and we are planning a festival in the market square in summer, where a band will also play. That would be on July 3rd, but it is still unclear whether that will be possible. I hope that the picture book cinemas and the knitting café can take place again soon. We have also set up a new reading room for magazines and newspapers. We want to make a reading café possible there. Cooperation with schools and kindergartens will also be strengthened again at some point. At least we are currently lucky enough to be able to offer our media bags.
If one or the other thing cannot take place, it can at least be read that way.
Zehtner: A reader recently said to us: “You saved me through this difficult time!” Then you swallow, that was really nice.
Painting competition:
On the occasion of his 20th birthday, the media center is holding a painting competition in three age groups (up to 10, 14 and 100 years).
A picture is to be painted on the subject of “What do I associate with the media center?”.
The medium and size of the painting are freely selectable.
All pictures are exhibited in the media center.
The closing date for entries is Tuesday, April 13th.
Then you can hand in from 3 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
The three winning pictures adorn the book bags of the center, which has them made on the occasion of the birthday.
