Birgit Riedel studied Slavic, English and Romance languages and literatures in Kiel (M.A. in 1986, graduation in 1990). From 1989–1991 she worked as librarian on probation at the university library of Heidelberg. In 1991 she passed the state examination of higher library service at the library school in Frankfurt a.M. 1993–2011 she was chief librarian at the Institute for East European Studies. Since 2012 she works as research associate in the department of library services and electronic infrastructure at IOS.
She published studies about A.P. Čechov and comparative history of literature.