Peatland and Nature Conservation International Library (PeNCIL)

In 2013 Greifswald University and the Michael Succow Foundation, both partners in the Greifswald Mire Centre, and private collectors launched the Peatland and Nature Conservation International Library (PeNCIL) in public private partnership. Its foundation was rendered possible by the sponsorship of the Library fund of the Bernhard and Ursula Plettner Foundation, a member in the Stifterverband für die deutsche Wissenschaft).

The globally unique collection currently comprises 25,000 publications related to peatlands and nature conservation, of which over 5,000 books have meanwhile been catalogued and made accessible via the Greifswald University OPAC system. The library is located in a historic villa at Ellernholzstraße 1/3 close to Greifswald Central Station and institutions of the Greifswald Mire Centre.

Most books can - after ordering in OPAC (link) - be consulted in the reading room of the central university library for max. 14 days. Opportunities for studying old and rare books and for longer-term research studies in the peatland library can be inquired under bibliothek@greifswaldmoor.de. In addition, the library stock is gradually being digitalised and made accessible online in the Digital Library of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Knowledge and fascination on peatlands is worth sharing and spreading – also in unconventional format. That’s why peatland expert Hans Joosten offers every autumn and winter a series of readings – the “Peatland evenings” – on the role of peatlands in history and today. Here the programme for 2020-21.

For questions or more information concerning PeNCIL please write to bibliothek@greifswaldmoor.de