Bavarian State Library
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The Bavarian State Library (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, abbreviated BSB) in Munich is the central "Landesbibliothek", i. e. the state library of the Free State of Bavaria and one of Europe's most important universal libraries. With its collections currently comprising around 9.39 million books, it ranks among the best research libraries worldwide. Moreover, its historical stock encompasses one of the most important manuscript collections of the world, the largest collection of incunabula worldwide, as well as numerous further important special collections.
The legal deposit law has been in force since 1663, regulating that two copies of every printed work published in Bavaria have to be submitted to the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek. This law is still applicable today. The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek furthermore is Europe's second-largest journals library (after the British Library). The BSB publishes the specialist journal Bibliotheksforum Bayern and has been publishing the Bibliotheksmagazin together with the Berlin State Library since 2007. Its building is situated in the Ludwigstrasse.
Another rush of precious items arrived in Munich in the course of secularization: many German monasteries and abbeys were dissolved in 1802 and 1803, and with them libraries with traditions extending back over 1,000 years. Only a part of these manuscripts and books could be rescued in the rooms of German state libraries.
The library was renamed the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in 1919.
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