Elmar Mittler is one of the world’s leading librarians. He served as head of Göttingen State and University Library from 1990 to 2006. He was Initiator and spokesman of numerous international associations, and undertook international cooperation projects with libraries in France and the U.S. Important projects and publications encompass the creation of virtual libraries and the digitalization of the unique colored Göttingen vellum copy of the Gutenberg Bible (B 42) from 1455, which made possible the inclusion of this work in the index of the world cultural heritage.