The reading room is available to all visitors for undisturbed reading and working. In addition, numerous textbooks and reference works are available there. The reading room also houses literature published before 1900 and all other items in the library that cannot be borrowed.

The research library is an open-access collection of almost 9,000 volumes within the city library. It includes literature on the following areas: manuscripts, old books, special collections, book science, library history, and the cultural and scientific history of the Middle Ages and early modern period. Most of this research library can be borrowed. The collection is constantly being expanded.