From 1886 to 1914 he was general director of the Königliche Bibliothek (Royal Library) in Berlin, where he was successor to Karl Richard Lepsius. During his tenure at Berlin, he was credited with conducting a comprehensive reorganization of the library. In 1895 he established a Gesamtkatalog (centralized catalog), initially for Prussia, later being extended to include research libraries in all German-speaking countries.[2]
Selected published works
"De M. Terentii Varronis libris delingua latina", 1863 (dissertation thesis).
"De M. Terenti Varronis libris grammaticis", 1864.
Placidus, Papias und andere lateinische Glossare, 1869 (with Hermann Usener).
Verzeichniss der von der Königlichen Bibliothek zu Berlin erworbenen Meermann-Handschriften des Sir Thomas Phillipps, 1892 – Directory of the Royal Library in Berlin in regards to the acquired Meerman manuscripts of Sir Thomas Phillipps.