Welcome to Erfurt University Library!

How to use the library

UB Erfurt, Außenansicht

During the Student Orientation Days at the beginning of the winter semester there are guided tours at the library to introduce you to our main services. Tours for Bachelor students are organised by your tutors. Master students are welcome to register on Moodle for one of our tours in English or German.
 

Online course on using the library (in Moodle): 
Library basics (German)

Self-study course library research (English)

Virtual library tour: the Erfurt University Library as a 3D model

Where is the library?

The University Library is located on the campus of the University of Erfurt.

Campus map for download (jpg)

Opening hours

 

 

Important information to start with

Sitzplätze der Cafeteria in der UB Erfurt
  • Please lock rucksacks and bags in a cloakroom locker (deposit: € 1 or 2 coin). 
    There are also some open lockers for jackets and bags in the entrance area.
     
  • You are welcome to use one of our library baskets for carrying working materials, laptops or books. Transparent library bags are available at the service desk in the entrance hall.
     
  • Coffee and snacks are available in the cafeteria. Drinks can be taken into the reading room in closed bottles or mugs (hot or cold, excluding alcohol).
     
  • Please behave in the library in such a way that others are not disturbed.

All other regulations can be found in the user regulations.

How do I get a library card?

Studierende mit thoska

Your student identity card (thoska) is also your library card. Please have it activated at the service desk on the ground floor.

With the student identity card (thoska) you can borrow items and place orders or reservations. You also get access to your personal user account on the online catalogue or the Discovery search portal. Here you can find all information about your loans, reservations or outstanding fees. You can also renew the lending periods of borrowed media.

To log in to your user account you need the number on the back of the thoska. The default password is your date of birth in the form DDMMYYY. You should change the password to protect against misuse.

Further information:

Registration (pdf tutorial)

Library account (pdf tutorial)

Log-In

 

How to find your way around

UB Erfurt, Treppenhaus

The reading room extends across all floors. Books, journals and other media are on open shelves by subject area and topic.

The textbook collection is located on the ground floor. Important literature on current courses is compiled in "course reserve collections" on the second floor.

On all floors there are terminals and PCs for working and researching as well as devices for copying, printing and scanning.

WLAN (eduroam) is available throughout the building.

For working in groups, we recommend the group study rooms on the 2nd floor; prior reservation in the UB-Raum booking system is advisable.

 

 

Further information:

Course reserve collections

Study rooms in the library

Working with devices

 

How can I find books and other literature?

Startseite des Suchportals Discovery der UB Erfurt

Search for literature on a topic or a specific book in the Discovery search portal or in the library's online catalogue.

You will receive information on where to find the media requested in the library and whether they are available for loan or order.

E-books, electronic journals, databases and other electronic documents can be accessed directly from the catalogue, many of them also from off campus.

 

Further information:

Finding literature in the University Library (pdf tutorial)

Research guide

Electronic resources

Shibboleth (access from off campus)

Things to know about about borrowing

The lending period for books and other media is 4 weeks.

Reference books, journals and newspapers as well as literature from the course reserve collections are not for loan.

A reminder fee is charged on the 1st day after the lending periods are exceeded :

  • 1st reminder: € 1.50 per volume
  • 2nd reminder after 10 days: additional € 2.50 per volume
  • 3rd reminder after a further 10 days: an additional € 4.00 per volume

Please pay outstanding fees by student identity card (thoska) at the payment machine in the entrance area opposite the counter or in cash at the cash desk.

The lending periods can be renewed twice in your personal user account, unless the literature has been reserved by another person.
You will receive an email two days before the end of the lending periods reminding you to return or renew borrowed media.

Items can be returned during all the library's opening hours.

Not everything is freely accessible in the library; some of the stock is located in closed stacks. These media must be ordered via the online catalogue or the Discovery search portal and can be collected from the library service desks after a certain period of time.

Further information on borrowing

 

How can I borrow books?

Selbstverbuchungsgerät im Foyer

Media can be borrowed in self-service during all the library's opening hours. The self-service machines are located on the ground floor and on the 2nd floor.

Further information:

Self-service check-out (pdf tutorial)

Who can help me if I have any questions?

Information, Auskunftspersonal

You can contact us during service hours in person at the service desks in the library or by telephone. You can also contact us any time by e-mail or electronic form.

Contact information
+49 361 737-5800 information.ub@uni-erfurt.de

Contact lending
+49 361 737-5830 ausleihe.ub@uni-erfurt.de

Further information:

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Subject librarians and expert information

 

UB Erfurt, Blick von außen

We wish you a good start to your studies!

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