For 20 years, the quality mark has recognised libraries that collaborate with schools in a particularly intensive and exemplary manner. The award recognises the outstanding commitment of public and academic libraries to cooperating with schools in the areas of promoting reading, teaching information literacy and providing specialist library services for school libraries.
The initiators and organisers of the quality mark are the State Centre for Public Librarianship at the Bavarian State Library and the State Institute for School Quality and Educational Research. Following an application process, a panel of experts decides on the award of the seal of quality. The award was presented on 22 October 2026 at a ceremony at the Bavarian State Library in Munich.
The OTH Library and the University Library provide training in media, information and library literacy through modular training programmes. In 2024 and 2025 alone, 264 training sessions for school pupils were held at the OTH Library and the University Library. In these sessions, they learn to critically evaluate information and use trustworthy sources. Particularly in times of fake news, disinformation and AI-generated content, these skills are more important than ever.
In consultation with teachers, the content is individually tailored to each class and perfectly complements the lessons. Pupils in the upper secondary school and at FOS/BOS are usually about to start their W-seminar project – an independent academic essay – and are faced with entirely new questions: Why isn’t a Google search enough for my first academic paper? What are the pitfalls of conducting research using AI? How do I find academic literature in library catalogues, databases and search engines? How can I make use of the library’s resources?
Pupils receive answers to these questions during library visits, in online training sessions and via online tutorials. In this way, the OTH Regensburg University Library and the Regensburg University Library make an important contribution to young people’s information and media literacy.
