Information for new students
Welcome to the University Library!
Welcome to the University Library (UB)!
We have compiled the most important information and offers for you on this page.
Offers
Workshops
Our workshops cover a wide variety of topics, including literature searching, citation management, and publishing.
Self-study portal
The University Library offers a varierty of online courses which might be helpful for your studies. Have a look through our self-study modules such as How to Cite Properly, How to Find Literature in Catalogues, Databases and Academic Search Engines and Regular Expressions.
Guided tours
We offer guided tours through the University Library. Alternatively, you can also watch a short video walk through the University Library on the Wilhelmstraße. This video tour is only available in German at the moment.
Information
Library card
Your student identity card is also your library card. You activate your library account by signing into your library account through the “My account” link on the library homepage using your university login (zxo...) or logging into one of the Windows PCs in the library.
- More information on library card and borrowing.
Catalog plus
You can discover most of the library’s media under Books & more in the Catalog plus. If you find an item in Catalog plus which you would like to borrow, please take a note of the book’s call number and location (in Holdings Info).
Most online articles and essays can be found through the tap Articles&more.
There are also some special collections.
Campus Morgenstelle
The university library´s branches at the Morgenstelle provide literature for the natural sciences.
Campus Morgenstelle has the following libraries:
- Branch Library Natural Sciences (Bereichsbibliothek Naturwissenschaften)
- PCB-Bib (Chemistry, Pharmacology, Biology, Biochemistry)
Book locations in Wilhelmstr.
A short overview of media locations in the University Library:
- Open stacks: On levels 4 to 6 of the Ammerbau. Books are shelved in numerical order according to the book’s shelf mark (call number). Items in this area can be taken from the shelves and checked out using the self-checkout stations in the Lending Center (Ausleihzentrum).
- Closed stacks: Items whose location is listed in the catalog as “stacks” must be ordered, as they are stored in a closed-off area. The items you order can be picked up from self-service collection shelves in the area adjacent to the Lending Center Desk and checked out. Some items may have lending restrictions and may only be used within the Ammerbau or the Manuscript Reading Room (Handschriftenlesesaal).
- Textbook collection (Lehrbuchsammlung):
You can find important textbooks from each field of study at the university in the area adjacent to and in the gallery above the Lending Center Desk. They are shelved according to their subject area and call number and can be taken home. - Non-circulating collections: In the Ammerbau on level 3. Important reference books, specialized bibliographies and text books which are shelved according to subject area. You can only work with these items inside the library.
- Manuscript Reading Room (Handschriftenlesessaal in the Bonatzbau):
These items cannot be borrowed. Copying is usually permitted.
Borrowing and Returning
You can check out books yourself using our self-checkout stations in the Lending Center (Ausleihzentrum) by following the steps on the screen. You just need your library card. For returning the items, you take them to the return station (Rückgabe) in the Lending Center. You don't need your library card for this. Just follow the steps on the screen. Outside the opening hours you can also drop off media in the return box near the main entrance.
If you have any further questions ask a staff member in the Lending Center.
Loan period and fines
You can borrow books for 28 days at a time. Using your online library account, you can extend the lending period: Log in at "My account“ with your university login ID (e.g., zxy...) and then select → ”Display or renew checked out item”
You may renew your items as often as you like. However, the maximum lending period is 4 x 28 (112) days.
If another user has reserved your book you will not be able to renew it.
Access your library account to:
- check the due date of your items
- see any reservations placed by other users
- renew your items
If you fail to return a book on or before the due date you have to pay a fine which can be paid in person at the Issue Desk in the main building or via bank transfer.
Internet
As students of the University of Tübingen you can use the PC workstations marked red within the library after logging on using your university login.
If you bring your own laptop you can connect to the Internet on campus through Eduroam, the university’s wireless network, using your university login ID (e.g. zxo...@uni-tuebingen.de).
If you want to connect to the university network from home, you first have to set up a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection.
Workspaces
There are quiet learing areas and group working spaces within the library.
You can find empty workspaces by using our Seatfinder.
You can leave your valuables in our lockers (daily or long-term use).
Copying, scanning and printing
There are many self-service, multifunctional printers/scanner/photocopiers available throughout the library. In the main building, in Ammerbau and in Waschhalle there are both color- and black/white multifunctional stations.
You can use your student ID card to pay for printing and photocopying.