53
52
mühsame Ringen um Kompromisse – allen klar vor Augen
zu stehen.
„Ad multos fabulas“, liebe Frau Niggemann! Gern würde ich
gemeinsam mit Ihnen noch viele vergnügliche Geschichten
und aufmunternde Bilder in die Arbeit streuen und uns zu-
sammen an ihnen freuen. Der Mensch braucht Geschichten,
die Arbeit braucht Symbole – das haben Sie gezeigt!
DR. STEPHANIE JACOBS ist die Leiterin des Deutschen Buch-
und Schriftmuseums der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek.
COMMON HOPES AND CONCERNS
Among the memories associated to my various encounters
with Elisabeth Niggemann, I would undoubtedly choose the
day when she asked me whether I would consider succeeding
her as Chair of both the CENL and the Foundation Europea-
na. Having held both ofces with mastery, I felt honored by
her trust.
Allow me to briefy refer to her achievements at the head of
those bodies. Elisabeth Niggemann has played a crucial role in
the building up of The European Library which has become
since a pan-European aggregator for Europeana. Her action in
favor of Europeana at its early stages has been as vital. Elisa-
beth Niggemann has played a key role in what stands to date
as the most ambitious European cultural venture and a major
digital platform viewed worldwide as an example.
Elisabeth Niggemann has ever since been a valued advisor and
a most respected voice among national and research libraries
and I would like to grasp this occasion to thank her for her
recent pledge regarding the future of The European Library.
I would also like to thank her for our close collaboration
within the framework of the French-German working group
on copyrighted works in digital libraries which in its own
right has also been a space for refection encompassing a
much broader European context. I am pleased to notice
that the title of the conference held in Frankfurt: Crossing
Borders – The Future of Access on the occasion of this an-
niversary refects and summarizes rightfully the common
hopes and concerns.
I wish Elisabeth Niggemann happy birthday and every success
at the Head of the German National Library.
BRUNO RACINE is President of the National Library of France
since 2007. He is also a novelist and an essayist.
STYLE AND ENERGY
It is a pleasure to send my best wishes to you on such a spe-
cial occasion. I have been privileged to know you for ffteen
years, eight of which we worked closely together as trustees of
OCLC, the world’s largest library cooperative. As the CEO of
OCLC from 1998–2013, I can state unequivocally that OCLC
would not be as globally connected today were it not for your
leadership and wisdom as an OCLC Trustee. You frequently
reminded us that serving libraries of diferent types in diferent
geographies requires continuous attention to the local condi-
tions, which often are signifcantly diferent than the situation
in the USA. Your diplomatic style was very efective and it was
your consistent message about “acting global″ that won over
all of your American colleagues.
Your energy level astounded us all as we understood how
demanding your position as Director General of the DNB was
yet you were willing to travel to the US or Canada fve times
per year to participate fully in OCLC Board of Trustee mee-
tings. Often your role in OCLC governance extended beyond
being a member of the board because you served as chair-per-
son of several critical committees which required even greater
preparation time. Time zone changes seemed to have no efect
on you. We all were also aware of your many other voluntary
and elected roles beyond the DNB and OCLC.
Elisabeth, you are known throughout the world as an excep-
tionally gracious and singularly efective leader who has im-
proved access to library collections dramatically by providing
both scholars and citizens access to rare primary source mate-
rials which were formerly unavailable to anyone. You continue
to be an extraordinary ambassador for Germany, the EC and
librarians and your positive impact cannot be overemphasized.
In closing, I am most pleased that you and I have become per-
sonal friends. You have been a superb hostess during my visits
to Germany and I look forward to seeing you and Peer many
times in the future. Mary and I send our very warmest wishes
to you for a happy, happy birthday! Carpe diem!
JAY JORDAN served as President and CEO of OCLC, Inc. the
World‘s largest library cooperative from 1998 until his retirement
in 2013.
DER MENSCH BRAUCHT GESCHICHTEN
Manchmal – wenn der Arbeitsalltag mit Besprechungen ge-
pfastert ist, die Last der Aufgaben die Lust an der Arbeit ato-
misiert und Konfikte die gemeinsamen Ziele vernebeln – dann
müssen Geschichten her, die das „große Ganze“ wieder sicht-
bar werden lassen, die Mut und Motivation geben.
Ein schöner Rückblick: Die Planungen für die neue Daueraus-
stellung des Deutschen Buch- und Schriftmuseums und den
Ausbau des Erweiterungsbaus in Leipzig liefen auf Hochtou-
ren, die Beteiligten, die sich zu Fraktionen verdichtet hatten,
trafen sich Mittwoch für Mittwoch im Baucontainer, dessen
mufger Charme in skurrilem Gegensatz zu den Themen der
Planungen – moderne Wohlfühlarchitektur, zeitgemäße Kul-
turvermittlung – stand. Der Baustellenmatsch klebte an den
Schuhen, die Heizung pustete klamme Luft in den übervölker-
ten Raum, die Helme waren feucht und kalt ...
Eine Geschichte, ein Bild mussten her, die dem gemeinsamen
Ziel wieder Zuversicht und Humus gaben. „Aufbruch!“ hieß
das Zauberwort. Gemeinsam luden Sie, liebe Frau Niggemann,
und das Museum alle Beteiligten ein, den Neubau symbolisch
in Besitz zu nehmen, in einer langen Prozession zusammen
aus dem historischen Gebäude in den Neubau – und die
Zukunft – aufzubrechen. Um die rohen Wände und elegan-
ten Gussbetonpfeiler pff ein lauer Herbstwind, das Erdge-
schoss des Bauskeletts wirkte wie ein schlanker, eleganter
Elefant auf Stelzen. Und die so unterschiedlichen Beteilig-
ten sammelten sich zu einem friedlichen Bild im Abendrot.
Sektgläser schlugen Brücken zwischen scheinbar unversöhn-
lichen Positionen, die neuen Themen des Museums regten
zum inhaltlichen Austausch unter den Beteiligten an. Für
eine kurze, schöne Zeit schien das Ziel – ganz ohne das