Staatsbibliothek

Staatsbibliothek is the German word for State (in the context of "government") Library with legal deposit responsibilities. It is typically a term applied to the historic National Libraries of the former Kingdoms, now States of Germany (Länder). A similar term is Landesbibliothek, however that more accurately translates "Regional Library" or "State (in the context of provincial) Library".

For a list of the official library of each State of Germany, see State libraries of Germany.

Among the libraries named Staatsbibliothek areBibliotheken mit Pflichtexemplar in Deutschland. DBI, Berlin 1995 (Aufstellung über alle Pflichtexemplarbibliotheken und die historische Aufteilung der Pflichtexemplare in Deutschland):
 * the Bavarian State Library (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek or BSB) in Munich, one of the world's largest libraries and the former library of the Kingdom of Bavaria
 * the Bamberg State Library (Staatsbibliothek Bamberg), a library in Bamberg, Bavaria
 * the Berlin State Library (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin), the largest academic library in the German language and former library of the Kingdom of Prussia
 * the Göttingen State and University Library (Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen) is among other things the Staatsbibliothek of Lower Saxony
 * the Saxon State Library (Sächsische Landesbibliothek − Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Dresden) is among other things the Staatsbibliothek of Saxony and the former Royal Library of the Dukes of Saxony

Stadtbibliothek means "City Library" and is not accurate in the above context. All major cities in German-speaking countries have these and some have legal deposit requirements also, for the cities in which they are located. Large examples of include:
 * Berlin City Library (Stadtbibliothek Berlin), with legal deposit for the city of Berlin.
 * Cologne Public Library (Stadtbibliothek Koln), is among the biggest and most important public libraries in Germany.
 * Stadtbibliothek Braunschweig, in Braunschweig
 * Stadtbibliothek Bremen, in Bremen
 * Stadtbibliothek Mainz, in Mainz
 * Stadtbibliothek Hannover, in Hannover
 * Wiener Stadtbibliothek, the library in Vienna