AWI Sylt
Extension of the Library at AWI Sylt
Opening of the Rosenthal Reading Room
[03. July 2020]
“A library means thinking, learning, fantasising, being safe - and above all, being surrounded by knowledge,” explains Prof. Dr Karen Wiltshire, Deputy Director of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), in her speech at the opening of the Rosenthal Reading Room at the AWI Wadden Sea Station Sylt. She thanked Prof. Dr Harald Rosenthal from the bottom of her heart, who has now handed over almost a third of his private library to the research station: 55 linear metres of specialist literature.
Harald Rosenthal, born in Berlin in 1937, worked at the Biological Institute Helgoland since his doctorate. At the end of 1989, he accepted a call to the University of Kiel and taught at the Institute of Oceanography until 2002. Rosenthal's main research interests include, in addition to all fisheries-related aspects, the biology of fish larvae and the immigration of non-native species (neo-biota) through ballast water, ship growth and aquarium trade. This is also reflected in the selection of literature for the AWI site on Sylt. Selected and historically valuable documents from his work at the Biological Institute Helgoland are also a special treasure: many of the publications are no longer available worldwide or are only available in very limited distribution, which underlines the high quality of the collection.
“I am a very visual person,” explains Professor Rosenthal and refers with a wink to the colourfully illustrated book spines. On the basis of the motifs, those interested can immediately recognise which thematic collection is involved. The new shelves fit very harmoniously into the site’s library. Armchairs and sofas invite you to linger. “How beautiful this has become,” says Rosenthal during the subsequent tour.
The Rosenthal Reading Room and its collection of offprints and specialist literature is available to national and international guests for research work by prior appointment.
Contact
Science
Katja Stefanie Fiegener
katja.fiegener@awi.de
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Markus Brand
+49(4725)819-3131
Markus.Brand@awi.de