Bibliotheken von Frauen

Women’s libraries are part of the book cultural heritage of a country. This encyclopaedia by Dagmar Jank is a first collection of data on this topic for Germany based on previous and new research results. The work provides information on the stock size, stock profile, stock development and library history of 770 women who lived in Germany between the 16^th and 20^th centuries or - coming from other countries - spent an important phase of their lives in this country. These women either held a special social, scientific, cultural or artistic position or achieved fame by practising certain professions or writing their own works. Today, their libraries or partial collections can be found in cultural institutions such as libraries, archives, museums and memorial sites. In some cases, however, only references in archival sources, auction catalogues, diaries, autobiographies or letters still prove that a woman had her own library. The index of the literature used reflects the current state of research, the register enables a targeted search for library owners of specific groups of women (including aristocratic women, women in academic professions, artists, educators, writers).