These materials are arranged according to a shelving system devised to meet the needs of the department. To order materials to be used in the reading room, please use the lending forms provided there. Thus, within the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sammlung Deutscher Drucke's consortial framework, a decentralized German National Library has been created, covering the nation's book production from the invention of printing in Europe unto the present. Thus, for instance, a dissertation from Leipzig written in Latin as well as a German-language almanac from Philadelphia belong in this collection. Presently not collected by any of the partner libraries are newspapers, posters, theatre programs, jobbing work, and fine bindings .
Preference is given to original editions.
A desiderata file is maintained at the DD18 Department to list materials that the library does not yet have, so that these works can be given preference in acquisition. Notification of any gaps in our holdings as well as suggestions for acquitions are most welcome. All items purchased are cataloged in machine-readable form. All these databases are easily accessible via the internet. A list of new acquisitions , arranged by subject and updated quarterly, is accessible over the library's homepage.