Come Alone by Meet & Mint Events you can go to on your own

Library nights · Berlin

Library events in Berlin, walk in alone.

4 upcoming free programs at 3 library venues in Berlin — book clubs, talks, workshops and more. No booking for most, and nobody asks why you came on your own.

Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek — PopUp Saal2 upcoming

Fri23Oct
Free
CultureBerlin
18:30–20:30

Berlin in Books: Nell Zink reads «Sister Europe», Berlin

Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek — PopUp Saal

The reading series «Berlin in Books» puts the city at the centre: authors whose writing is bound up with Berlin present their work and talk about how the city shows up in their lives. This evening the American novelist Nell Zink reads from «Sister Europe», a witty, wild fable set in the Berlin night of late February 2013, moving between Grunewald villas, a faded grand hotel and the Tiergarten. She talks with Elisabeth R. Hager about the role of Berlin in her work. In the PopUp hall of the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek on a Friday evening; listed as free in the Berlin culture data, and the page has a contact address for questions. «Berlin in Books | Nell Zink» Starts 18:30, ends about 20:30. Source: kulturdaten.berlin (Technologiestiftung Berlin), checked on the organiser's own event page.

Sat24Oct
Free
CultureBerlin
17:00–21:00

All You Can Read: literature and dinner, Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek

Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek — PopUp Saal

For the Day of Libraries, the reading series «All You Can Read» serves literature at a public kitchen table in the PopUp hall of Berlin's Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek. The hosts, Josephine Apraku and Ozan Zakariya Keskinkılıç, are joined by the author Sophia Hoffmann, and the conversation turns to archiving, preserving and sharing knowledge, stories and recipes, with food that echoes the theme of preserving. The evening is free but needs a registration ticket, which you are asked to hand back if you cannot come. Bring your own plate, bowl, cutlery and a glass; a voluntary donation of around five euros is welcome. It runs on Saturday from 17:00 to 21:00 and is in German. «All you can read feat. Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek» Starts 17:00, ends about 21:00. Source: kulturdaten.berlin (Technologiestiftung Berlin), checked on the organiser's own event page.

Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek1 upcoming

Fri23Oct
Free
LearningBerlin
15:30–16:30

Behind-the-scenes tour of the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek, Berlin

Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek

New to the Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek, or not been for a long while? The ZLB offers a one-hour tour that shows how to find your way around, whom to ask when you have a question, and corners of the building you may not know. In the second half the guide reveals the story behind the mysterious shelf location that often appears in catalogue searches: the library's stacks. The tour is open to everyone and is given in German; sign up through the link on the organiser's page. A relaxed Friday-afternoon way to see one of Berlin's best-known libraries from the inside, whether you are a new member or just curious. «Der Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek auf den Grund gehen» Starts 15:30, ends about 16:30. Source: kulturdaten.berlin (Technologiestiftung Berlin), checked on the organiser's own event page.

Mittelpunktbibliothek Schöneberg (Theodor-Heuss-Bibliothek)1 upcoming

Thu5Nov
Free
SocialBerlin
17:00–19:00

Discussion Experiment: what must I own to be happy? Schöneberg library

Mittelpunktbibliothek Schöneberg (Theodor-Heuss-Bibliothek)

An evening of conversation in the Schöneberg library on one question: what do we need to own in order to feel safe and happy, and what could we do without? The format is a discussion experiment, which means experimental moderation techniques and a few special ground rules that slow the conversation down and make it more focused and relaxed. You do not need to prepare, hold a strong opinion or be an extrovert, and it is fine to just listen; apart from a short round of names nobody is made to speak, though there may be short small-group phases. Free, registration on the organiser's page. In German. «Das Diskussions-Experiment zu Gast in der Bibliothek Schöneberg» Starts 17:00, ends about 19:00. Source: kulturdaten.berlin (Technologiestiftung Berlin), checked on the organiser's own event page.

New in Berlin?

How to use the library as a newcomer

  1. Get a card — it is usually free. Bring photo ID and a proof of address (rental contract, utility bill). Rules differ per library, so check the branch page first.
  2. Events rarely need a card. Talks, book clubs and language cafés are open to everyone; just walk in a few minutes early.
  3. Use it as your base. Free wifi, a quiet desk, notice boards with local groups, and often newspapers and courses in several languages.
  4. Go back to the same program. The second visit is when people remember your name.

Phrases in the local language for your evening: Phrases for tonight · Book clubs and silent reading

Questions people ask

Are library events in Berlin free?

Almost all of them. The 4 upcoming programs on this page are public library events in Berlin; most need no booking and no library card. Workshops with limited places say so on the official page.

Can I go to a library event in Berlin alone?

Yes. Most people at library book clubs, talks and language cafés come alone, there is a host who starts the conversation, and nobody asks why you are there. Arrive a few minutes early.

How do I get a library card in Berlin?

Usually it is free: bring photo ID and a proof of address (a rental contract or a utility bill) to any branch. Rules differ per library, so check the branch page before you go.

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