Rostock University, founded in 1419, has always suffered from a lack of library space. With increasing stocks, the technical equipment was no longer up-to-date either. A competition was held in 2000 with a brief to unite the books of eight faculties beneath a single roof. A structure clad in glass and light-coloured bricks now marks the entrance to the university campus. The L-shaped layout of?this new building is meant to suggest an opened book. Within the library, the reading galleries – separated from the stocks by an open space – resemble a stack of shelves and offer an unimpeded view out to the courtyard. Here, textile blinds permit individual control of the sunshading. In contrast, the facade to the book spaces is lined with fixed brick “louvres”, which allow natural light to enter, but screen off direct insolation. After passing through the entrance foyer and proceeding along a curved balustrade (with a view into the basement book store), visitors gain access to the user areas. The reading and book galleries are visible from the entrance level, thanks to the four-storey atrium space. On the ground floor is a media area with computer places; on the first to third floors are reading areas and openly accessible stocks of books.