Information for Newbies
Everything you need to know about your first visit to the library at a glance.
How to find us
The University Library is located on the campus of Bielefeld University (campus maps). You can reach the university from the main train station by taking tram line 4 (direction Universität / Lohmannshof). Travel time: approx. 10 minutes. Bus line 31 also stops at the university (direction Universität / Fachhochschule).
General Information about the Library
The library is divided into four subject libraries. In the main university building (UHG) you will find the subject library UHG-I (including the health sciences, biology, chemistry, medicine and physics) and UHG-II (including educational science, psychology, law, mathematics and economics). In Building X you will find the history, philosophy and sociology collections. The Linguistics and Literature collections are located in the IUB - the interim building between the UHG and Building X.
You will also find the Library Service Center (BDZ) in the main building. The staff at the service desk will help you with any questions you may have about using the library, searching for literature, borrowing, interlibrary loan requests, accessing e-media, ID cards or fees.
Jackets, bags and rucksacks may be taken into the library, or left in lockers outside. Library baskets are available in the foyer of each subject library for convenient transport of work materials, your laptop or books in the library.
All beverages (except alcohol) in resealable bottles or other closed and resealable containers may be taken into and consumed in the library. Drinks in open or non-reclosable containers, such as coffee cups or drinks cans, are not permitted. It is generally not permitted to eat or take food into the library.
All other rules can be found in the Rules and Regulations website.
Opening Hours
Library Card / UniCard
You need a library card (UniCard) to borrow items from the University Library and to make interlibrary loan requests.
For students, the UniCard is also a library card. External users, students from other universities and schoolchildren also need a library card. External users can apply for a UniCard online from home and then collect it from the Service Desk in the Library Service Center (BDZ).
Please always bring your library card with you when you visit the library. More information about the UniCard.
If you are under 18, you will need a letter of consent (PDF, in German only) from your parents or guardian. Please bring this declaration of consent with you when you collect your library card.
Studying and Working
Wi-Fi
Students and staff of Bielefeld University and Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (HSBI) can access the university's and HSBI's IT services and the Internet via "eduroam". The Wi-Fi is available in all areas of the University. Eduroam can also be used in some parts outside Bielefeld University ("eduroam off campus").
People who are not members of the university can also use the Wi-Fi: In the university - and thus in the library rooms - the free Wi-Fi BI-free of the city of Bielefeld is also available. In cooperation with BITel, it is distributed via the university's access points. Connections to BI-free are automatically disconnected after one hour, but you can reconnect afterwards.
Free Wi-Fi in Bielefeld (in German only)
Workstations
For undisturbed and concentrated studying choose the individual study zone or the PC workstations of the departmental libraries.
Our study environments are a combination of relaxing and studying. Cosy furniture create a pleasing ambience for reading, studying and chilling.The study environments offer zones for group work as well.
Discussion Rooms
Discussion rooms are available in the departmental libraries for concentrated work in teams. From Mon – Fri, 8.00 – 18.00 only for students of Bielefeld University after reservation. Reservation is not necessary / possible after 18.00 and on weekends
Some discussion rooms are equipped with SMART Boards, Whiteboards or LCD television for presentations etc.
Scanning
The book scanners can be found in various departmental libraries in the main university building in D1, T1, U0, and V1, as well as in the Interim Building (IUB) and the library in Building X (see Site Maps of the Departmental Libraries for the exact locations). No UniCard or login is required for use. You can save the scanned documents on USB flash drive or transfer them directly to your smartphone or tablet using a QR code, which is displayed after you have scanned the documents.
Students at Bielefeld University can use the library's public PC workstations to create print jobs and can print them at three printers in the library in black and white on A4 paper free of charge. This is how it works.
Bielefeld University students can also print free of charge in the BITS Space (main university building, B01).
Copy machines are not available in the university.
Borrowing and Renewal of Items
In our library, the printed books that belong to a subject are usually grouped together in one place within the subject collections. This is called "systematic" cataloguing.
Each book has a shelfmark that indicates the subject area / topic to which the book belongs.
The colour of the shelfmark indicates whether the book can be borrowed (white) or not (yellow).
You can find out where each subject collection is located using the location plans in the subject libraries on site or on the website Site Maps of the Departmental Libraries.
You can find the exact location of a book in Catalogue.plus. You will also find many titles that are available online (e.g. e-books).
You can take books off the shelves yourself. To borrow and return items, please use the self-service units; in addition, the circulation desks are staffed by library personnel from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm.
When you borrow/return a book from a self-service unit, you will receive a receipt which you should carefully check and keep in case of any complaints.
If a book is on loan, you can usually reserve it in the library catalogue. You can collect and borrow reserved items from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm at the circulation desks.
If you need the items for longer than the specified period, you can extend the loan period via your loan account, provided there are no reservations. For items with a 30-day loan period, the maximum total loan period is 180 days. For items with a 15-day loan period, the maximum total loan period is 85 days. Once the total loan period has been reached, you must return the items to a circulation desk. If there are no reservations, you can immediately borrow the books again.
Please check the loan periods regularly and return your books on time, otherwise you will be charged a fee.
If you have any questions about borrowing, returning or fees, please see our FAQ or come and see us in person at the Service Desk in the Library Service Center (BDZ).
Searching for Literature
Catalogue.plus is the most important tool for finding literature in the library. It consists of three sections. Use the tabs above the search mask to select the area you wish to search:
- Library catalogue: More than 2 million printed books and journals, audiobooks, DVDs, etc. from the library's collection and more than 1 million e-books and e-journals, which you can use at the PC workstations or online from home if you are a member of the University.
- Articles and more: Over 500 million articles from journals, chapters from books, etc. from over 40 specialist databases (EBSCO Discovery Service), which you can usually access directly from the PC workstations or online from home if you are a member of the university, or (if online access is not possible) order via inter-library loan.
- BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine): Over 400 million references to academic documents (journal articles, but also numerous other types of literature) from all subject areas, approx. 60% of which are freely accessible worldwide in Open Access.
You can also search for books and journals in the library catalogue from home. You can also search and use BASE from home.
You have full access to the "Articles and more" section and to e-books, e-journals and subject databases licensed (purchased) by us on the PCs in the library. University students and staff also have access via the Eduroam WiFi or via VPN / Shibboleth.
Assistance and Tuitions
Our library personnel at the Service Desk of the Library Service Center (BDZ) (area U0 - entrance via U1) will be pleased to answer any questions on library matters. You can also ask questions via live chat or e-mail support ("mailbox"). You are welcome to arrange a consultation as a video conference with us by e-mail.
Reference Management
The library provides all members of the university with the reference management programme Citavi. You can also use the reference management programme Zotero free of charge. This allows you to easily import bibliographic information, location details and links to full texts from databases.
Training courses on Citavi and Zotero (in German only)
Onboarding for academic employees
Information for new employees at the university – central services and contacts: Bielefeld University Library - A good start to research and teaching (PDF).