Free access to knowledge is not a matter of course. That makes the renewed recognition of the University Library (TUB) of Hamburg University of Technology with the Open Library Badge 2025 all the more meaningful to us. The TUB is thus one of the first five libraries in Germany to be recognised for its commitment to openness in science and society. The TUB first received the Open Library Badge in 2020.
What is the Open Library Badge?
The Open Library Badge (OLB) is the quality seal for libraries committed to openness in science and society. The initiative was founded in 2016 and has been established as a working group within the German Library Association (dbv) since 2025. A jury of representatives from the library professional community awards the certificate based on clearly defined criteria. The badge has so far been awarded in the 2016, 2020 and now 2025 editions.
The Seven Focus Areas
Libraries are evaluated in seven focus areas: Open Access, Open Data, Open Source, Participation and Citizen Science, Inclusion and Social Responsibility, Open Educational Resources, and Open Government and Open Research Information.
The TUB scored points in all seven focus areas and, based on the jury’s feedback, is already working to go even further in individual criteria. Because openness is not a state that you achieve once and for all.
Openness in Practice
The award reflects lived practice. Our profile page on the OLB documents the measures the TUB implements across the individual focus areas. Since the first award in 2020, offerings and projects in the area of openness have been continuously developed, including advisory, information and learning services on research data, Open Access, ORCID and TUHH Open Research (TORE) as well as Open Education (tubtorials).
Beate Rajski, Director of the TUB, on the award:
„In a time when free access to knowledge is coming under pressure, an award like the Open Library Badge is more than a quality seal – it is also a stance.“
Further Awarded Libraries
The OLB thrives on exchange and mutual learning. In the 2025 edition, alongside the TUB, the University Library Erlangen-Nürnberg (as the first library of this round), the University Library Chemnitz, the University Library Kassel and the Hamburg State and University Library have so far also been recognised.