The Vorarlberg State Library, Bregenz

The Vorarlberg State Library was founded in 1904 as part of the Vorarlberg State Archives. In September 1977, it became an independent institution. Since that same year, it has held the legal right to receive a deposit copy of every publication printed in the province. This ensures that books, brochures, newspapers, and other printed works connected to Vorarlberg are preserved. Today, the library functions as the region’s central research and documentation centre.

It is housed in the Gallusstift, a former Benedictine convent at the foot of the Gebhardsberg. Over time, the building also served as a barracks and later as a school before becoming a library. One of its most distinctive spaces is the Kuppelsaal, a domed hall created from a redesigned Baroque church. The physical collection includes more than 500,000 volumes, along with photographs, maps, postcards, and audiovisual recordings. Among its notable works is the Emser Chronik from 1616, the first book printed in Vorarlberg.

In addition to its printed holdings, the library operates volare, one of Austria’s most advanced regional digital repositories. Since 2015, it has provided access to over 300,000 digital items, including photographs and other cultural heritage materials. Visitors will find quiet reading rooms for study and small exhibitions that highlight selected items from the archives, linking the region’s past with modern research tools.