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About Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Region: Europe

Area: 2,590 km²

Population: 677,012

Libraries (Service Points): 131

Libraries in Luxembourg

Last update: January 2020

43% of the total population of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (610,000 inhabitants) is not Luxembourgish. The official languages of the Grand Duchy are: the national language, Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch), as well as foreign languages, German and French. Since the Eastern enlargement of the European Union in 2004, English is more and more frequently used. This diversity has of course an impact on the production of the books and periodicals, as well as on library collections and services.

In public libraries, especially parents and their heavy readers, their children, are borrowing books, because it’s too expensive to buy enough books for them in private. Regarding adults, the country’s wealth allows the expansion of private libraries. The percentage of persons (50% in 2006) that confirmed to possess more than 100 books in their family library is one of the highest in the European Union. Only 5% claim that they do not have any books at home at all.

Scientific libraries in general have small collections. Currently only 13 libraries have more than 50,000 volumes. According to the law of August 10, 1912, the establishment of school libraries in elementary education is mandatory. Since the Act of June 25, 2004, this commitment exists for secondary school libraries too.

Since the national elections of 2004, the Association of Luxembourgish Librarians, Archivists and Documentalists (Albad) is regularly very successful by advocating in putting libraries on the governmental agenda. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Culture did not consult with qualified librarians about library legislation.

As a small country, the Grand Duchy was and is influenced by trends in librarianship from the neighbouring countries. They are always implemented with a certain delay. Fully qualified librarians are rare and have to study abroad, especially in Germany and Belgium.

New library buildings, open to the public, are the Public Library of Luxembourg-City (inaugurated the 25.09.2008), the University Library in Esch/Belval (22.09.2018) and the National Library (30.09.2019).

Library data

Libraries (Service Points) 131
Main Libraries
Branch Libraries
External Service Points
Mobile Libraries
Libraries (Administrative Units)
Libraries with Internet Access 130
Full-Time Staff 118
Volunteers 0
Registered Users 30,711
Physical Visits 71,734
Physical Loans 32,573
eBook Loans 44,042
Audio Book Loans 3,837
Downloads 52,859

Contextual data

Population and Geography
677,012

Population

No Data Available

Population Growth

22.9%

Proportion of Population Younger than 15

22.5%

Proportion of Population Older than 64

258.9

Population Density
people per sq km

94.8%

Population Growth

Information and Infrastructure
100.0%

Access to Electricity

98.8%

Internet Users

99.3%

Female Internet Users

No Data Available

Male Internet Users

Poverty and Employment
150,929.4%

GDP per capita

0.1%

Poverty Rate
2011 PPP

33.6%

Inequality
2011 PPP

6.4%

Unemployment

9.5%

Inactive Youth
2011 PPP

Education and Literacy
3.7%

Education Spending
% of GDP

No Data Available

Adult Literacy Rate
% of people age 15+

No Data Available

Female Adult Literacy
% of GDP

No Data Available

Male Adult Literacy
% of people age 15+

No Data Available

Female Youth Literacy
% of GDP

No Data Available

Male Youth Literacy
% of people age 15+

Innovation and Skills
1.0%

Research Spending
% of GDP

1

Researchers
% of GDP

1,171

Research Spending
% of GDP

Library data

Library type

Total

National

Academic

Public

Community

School

Other

Libraries (Service Points)

Library service point is a fixed or mobile facility through which library provides a service to its users. Central libraries, branch libraries, mobile libraries, and external service points located in different geographical locations and managed by one administrative unit are all each individual service points. Number of libraries is the total number of central/main libraries, branch libraries, external service points and mobile libraries.

131

131

2020

1

2020

2

2020

7

2020

13

2020

51

2020

57

2020
Main Libraries

Central/main library is usually part or those parts of an administrative unit where the main administrative functions and the important parts of the library collection and services are located. An administrative unit comprising several branch libraries does not necessarily include a central library.

Branch Libraries

Branch library is a part of a larger administrative unit providing, in separate quarters, a service for a particular user group (e.g. children, faculties) or for a locally defined clientele. Institute, departmental and other affiliated libraries are included. Mobile libraries and external service points are excluded.

External Service Points

External service point is a point away from library premises at which a certain service is regularly offered to users. This includes places within a locality at which library material is deposited for informal circulation to a restricted group of users but without other library services, for example, old people’s homes, community centres, collections for hospital patients. Mobile libraries and their stops are not counted as external service points.

Mobile Libraries

Mobile library is a library, sometimes a division of a public library, using transport means to provide documents and services directly to users as an alternative to access on library premises.

Libraries (Administrative Units)

Administrative unit is any independent library, or group of libraries, under a single directorate or a single administration. The term “independent” does not imply legal or financial independence but only that the library is a recognisably separate unit, typically within a larger organisation. The administrative unit can be a single library or a larger organisation, typically containing a central/main library, branch libraries and administrative functions.

Libraries with Internet Access

Libraries (Service Points) that provides internet access from at least one workstation available to the public regardless of whether access is free, and/or provides a wireless network allowing users to connect to the Internet.

130

130

2020

1

2020

2

2020

6

2020

13

2020

51

2020

57

2020
Full-Time Staff

Full-time equivalent (FTE) staff are all library employees who work for the library in return for payment. It includes professional staff, qualified staff, project staff and assistants. Other staff (library employees who work in security and on domestic duties, for example, cleaners, porters, caretakers and catering staff) and volunteers are excluded.

118

118

2020

118

2020

Volunteers

Volunteer is a person working on library tasks without payment. In counting volunteers, the concept of headcount is used.

0

0

2017

0

2017

0

2014

Registered Users

Registered user is a person or organisation registered with a library in order to use its collection and/or services within or away from the library. Users may be registered upon their request or automatically when enrolling in the institutions.

30,711

30,711

2020

30,711

2020

Physical Visits

Physical visit is a person (individual) entering the library premises.

71,734

71,734

2020

55,782

2020

15,952

2014

Physical Loans

Physical loan is a direct lending or delivery transaction of an item in physical form. Physical loans include loans of items in non-electronic form (e.g. books) and loans electronic documents on a physical carrier (e.g. CD-ROM).

32,573

32,573

2020

32,573

2020

eBook Loans

eBook is a non-serial digital document, licenced or not, where searchable text is prevalent, and similar to a print book (monograph). eBooks can be lent to users either on portable devices (eBook readers) or by transmitting the contents to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period.

44,042

44,042

2020

44,042

2020

Audio Book Loans

Audio book (or talking book) is a sound recording of readings of a book, magazine, or newspaper, usually designed for use by visually impaired people. Audio books can be lent to users either on a physical carrier or other device, or by transmitting the content to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period.

3,837

3,837

2020

3,837

2020

Downloads

Download is a content unit that is successfully requested from a library-provided online service or other internet service (e.g. database, electronic serial or digital document).

52,859

52,859

2014

52,859

2014

Population

Luxembourg

Region

World

Population

Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.

total

677,012

2024

928,263,208

2024

8,141,808,945

2024

Proportion of Population Younger than 15

Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.

percentage of working-age population

22.9%

2024

27.0%

2024

38.0%

2024

Proportion of Population Older than 64

Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.

precentage of working-age population

22.5%

2024

28.1%

2024

15.7%

2024

Population Growth

Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

annual percentage

1.6%

2024

0

2024

1.0%

2024

Population Density

Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.

people persq. km of land area

258.9%

2023

33.7%

2022

61.6%

2022

Urban Population

Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.

percentage of total population

94.8%

2024

74.0%

2024

57.6%

2024

Information Infrastructure

Luxembourg

Region

World

Internet Users

Internet users are individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months. The Internet can be used via a computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, games machine, digital TV etc.

percentage of population

98.8%

2024

90.9%

2024

71.2%

2024

Female Internet Users

This indicator refers to female individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months. The Internet can be used via a computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, games machine, digital TV etc.

percentage of female population

99.3%

2023

90.0%

2024

68.2%

2024

Male Internet Users

This indicator refers to male individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months. The Internet can be used via a computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, games machine, digital TV etc.

percentage of male population

-

90.0%

-

Access to Electricity

Access to electricity is the percentage of population with access to electricity. Electrification data are collected from industry, national surveys and international sources.

percentage of population

100.0%

2023

100.0%

2023

91.6%

2023

Economy, Poverty, and Employment

Luxembourg

Region

World

GDP per Capita

This indicator provides values for gross domestic product (GDP) expressed in current international dollars, converted by purchasing power parities (PPPs). PPPs account for the different price levels across countries and thus PPP-based comparisons of economic output are more appropriate for comparing the output of economies and the average material well-being of their inhabitants than exchange-rate based comparisons. Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. This series has been linked to produce a consistent time series to counteract breaks in series over time due to changes in base years, source data and methodologies. Thus, it may not be comparable with other national accounts series in the database for historical years. The core indicator has been divided by the general population to achieve a per capita estimate. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. The PPP conversion factor is a currency conversion factor and a spatial price deflator. PPPs convert different currencies to a common currency and, in the process of conversion, equalize their purchasing power by eliminating the differences in price levels between countries, thereby allowing volume or output comparisons of GDP and its expenditure components.

current international $

150,929

2024

51,720.6

2024

24,405

2024

Poverty Rate

Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $3.00 a day at 2021 purchasing power adjusted prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

percentage of population

0.1%

2023

0.5%

2024

10.3%

2024

Inequality

Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.

percentage

33.6%

2023

0.0%

-

Unemployment

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.

percentage of total labor force

6.4%

2024

5.3%

2024

6.2%

2021

Inactive Youth

The share of youth not in education, employment or training (also known as “the NEET rate”) conveys the number of young persons not in education, employment or training as a percentage of the total youth population. Youth not in education are those who were neither enrolled in school nor in a formal training program (e.g. vocational training). For the purposes of this indicator, youth is defined as all persons between the ages of 15 and 24 (inclusive).


percentage of youth population

9.5%

2024

11.7%

2024

-

Education and Literacy

Luxembourg

Region

World

Education Spending

General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.


percentage of GDP

3.7%

2022

4.6%

2022

3.5%

2023

Adult Literacy Rate

Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.


percentage of people ages 15 and above

-

4.6%

2022

87.7%

2024

Female Adult Literacy

Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.


percentage of females ages 15 and above

-

98.5%

2024

84.6%

2024

Male Adult Literacy

Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.


percentage of males ages 15 and above

-

99.1%

2023

90.9%

2024

Female Youth Literacy

Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.


percentage of females ages 15-24

-

99.8%

2023

92.0%

2024

Male Youth Literacy

Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.


percentage of males ages 15-24

-

99.8%

2023

94.1%

2024

Research and Innovation

Luxembourg

Region

World

Research Spending

Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D), expressed as a percent of GDP. They include both capital and current expenditures in the four main sectors: Business enterprise, Government, Higher education and Private non-profit. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.


percentage of GDP

1.0%

2022

2.0%

2022

2.7%

2022

Researchers

The number of researchers engaged in Research &Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Researchers are professionals who conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models techniques instrumentation, software of operational methods. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.


per million people

4,879

2022

3,466.1

2022

1,516

2018

Scientific Articles

Article counts refer to publications from a selection of conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journals from Scopus in science and engineering fields, according to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics Taxonomy of Disciplines.


fractional count

1,171

2022

913,901.4

2022

3,338,192

2022

National Library Associations

Luxembourgish Librarians’, Archivists’ and Documentalists’ Association (ALBAD) / Associatioun vun de Lëtzebuerger Bibliothekären, Archivisten an Dokumentalisten (ALBAD)

ALBAD is a professional association, mainly acting for individuals, with about 150 members. Main objectives are advocacy, training and social events.

Luxembourgish Public Libraries’ Union (ULBP) / Union Luxembourgeoise des Bibliothèques Publiques (ULBP)

ULBP is composed by institutions and associations. The majority of public libraries (16) and 2 associations (ALBAD & FëBLux) are members. The ULBP president is always a politician, a member of Parliament. Their main goal is advocacy.

National Library of Luxembourg / Bibliothèque nationale du Luxembourg (BNL)

The BNL collects all edited and printed publications at national level (legal deposit) as well as acts as university library with a larger collection of not Luxembourgish media. Furthermore the BNL is the center of the national union catalogue Bibnet.lu, run by the State.

Ministry of Culture / Ministère de la Culture

Finance the national library and distribute subsidies to public libraries.

For public libraries, Luxembourg / Fir ëffentlech Bibliothéiken, Lëtzebuerg (FëBLux)

Non-governmental non-profit national fundraising organization for the creation, development and perpetuation of public libraries.

National Policy for Libraries

There is no information available.

Law of the 24th of June 2010 regarding public libraries / Loi du 24 juin 2010 relative aux bibliothèques publiques

The law is aimed at maintaining existing strong public libraries (not creating new ones and not support weak ones).

Law of 6 February 2009 on the organization of basic education / Loi du 6 février 2009 portant organisation de l'enseignement fondamental

Since 1912 (the law of the 10.08.1912 was abolished by the one of the 06.02.2009) libraries in primary schools are compulsory.

Law of 25 June 2004 on the organization of high schools and technical schools / Loi du 25 juin 2004 portant organisation des lycées et lycées techniques

The current state before the law of the 25.06.2004 was that almost every secondary school already owned a library. Since 2004, for every old and new establishment, a library is compulsory.

Grand-Ducal Regulation of 3 December 1970 concerning the administration and the internal regime of penitentiary establishments / Règlement grand-ducal du 3 décembre 1970 concernant l'administration et le régime interne des établissements pénitentiaires

Since 1970 a library in every penitentiary establishment is compulsory and access to the collections is guaranteed.

Professional Qualification Requirements

Professional Qualification Requirements

A minimum Bachelor degree in librarianship is only required for state civil servants (not: employees) in the cultural and education sector.

There is no information available.

There is no information available.

National book days

This national regular event organised by all public and privte book sector actors together takes place on 3-4 days around the UNESCO book day (23rd of April). All interested libraries can join it.

Library Location Resources

No information available