The Bavarian State Library in Munich – established by duke Herzog Albrecht V – is the central regional library of the Free State of Bavaria, national agency for all concerns of the Bavarian librarianship and after the Berlin State Library the second largest Universal Library in the German-speaking part. Its inventory consists approximately of nine million volumes, disposes of an outstanding old stock of exquisite valuables of the early days of the book print, numerous special stocks (maps, abatement, autography, exlibris, portraits, picture library, picture books ) and one of the most outstanding collection of handwritings in the world and the widest collection of incunables in Germany.

Publications of all countries and all fields of study are collected, apart from technology and applied agronomics/agricultural sciences. Major concerns are archaeology, history, music, east-, east central-, and southeast Europe as well as the orient and Eastasia.

The Bavarian State Library is the second largest journal library in Europe after the British Library, with more than 40.000 open journals and news papers. Approximately half of the inventory is stored in an outer depot due to the shortage of space today. The depositary copy law that is valid since 1663 indicates, that two copies of every published print work in Bavaria have to be delivered to the Bavarian State Library. This continues to be valid also today.

The Bavarian State Library is publisher of the journal “Bibliotheksforum Bayern” and since 2007 - together with the Berlin State Library – of the “Bibliotheksmagazin”.

The strong-out building in the Ludwigsstraße is the biggest uncoated brick building in Germany with a length of 152 meter, a depth of 78 meter (with two atriums/courtyards) and a height of 24 meter. During its construction it was considered to be the best German Library building relating to its technical aspects.

The stone figures of the so called “Vier Heiligen Drei Könige” – Homer, Aristoteles, Thukydides and Hippokrates – which were designed by Schwanthaler ornament the perron off the building and lay a distinctive accent.