Students of the University of Cologne (first listener) must activate their library card via the UCCard.

We offer:

• Borrowing of print media - (from the main department, Department of Human Sciences and the Joint Specialized Libraries)
• Access to our e-media from home. All you need is your student account and free additional software (VPN client).
• Online guided tours and training (German)

This is not possible:

• Use of workplaces in the reading rooms
• Use/order of institute holdings
• Personal information & advice on site
• Personal guided tours through the library

We offer:

• Borrowing of print media - (from the main department, Department of Human Sciences and the Joint Specialized Libraries)
• Access to our e-media from home. All you need is your student account or employee account and free additional software (VPN client).
• Online guided tours and training (German)

This is not possible:

• Use of workplaces in the reading rooms
• Use/order of institute holdings
• Personal information & advice on site
• Personal guided tours through the library

How to get a library card:

1. Please fill in our online registration form. You will then receive a preliminary user number.
   With the preliminary user number you book an appointment for the card issue at the registration, 1st floor (Mon - Fri 10-14). You will receive a reservation confirmation by e-mail.
   Important: The entrance system can only be passed with a valid library card. Please show your reservation confirmation at the control desk.
   
   With the preliminary user number you will be able
   - to order or reserve books from our inventory
   - to book a workplace in our Internet room
2. Please bring the following documents with you:
   - Identity card or passport with registration certificate or residence permit
   - if applicable, proof of employment (as pdf-document)
   - if necessary student card

You cannot come to us during these opening hours? Please send us an e-mail.

Renew your existing cards by sending an e-mail to the lending services (Ortsleihe).

Before you apply for a library card, check whether it is worthwhile for you. Due to Corona our offer is currently limited for you. Therefore:

• Please check in advance on our homepage (as a link) whether we have literature on your topic.
• If necessary, ask for advice in advance: Mon - Fri 10-14  (0221 470-2374) or by e-mail.
• An annual fee of 20,- € may apply. (Fees and prices)

We currently do not issue library cards for pupils. (Info for pupils)

We offer:

• Borrowing of print media - (from the main department, Department of Human Sciences and the Joint Specialized Libraries)
• Access to electronic media in the Internet room (1st floor) of the UCL ( place booking required). Please bring a USB stick with you to download.

This is not possible:

• Use of workplaces in the reading rooms
• Use of electronic media from home
• Use/order of institute holdings
• Personal information & advice on site
• Personal guided tours through the library

How to get a library card:

1. Please fill in our online registration form. You will then receive a preliminary user number.
   With the preliminary user number you book an appointment for the card issue at the registration, 1st floor (Mon - Fri 10-14). You will receive a reservation confirmation by e-mail.
   Important: The entrance system can only be passed with a valid library card. Please show your reservation confirmation at the control desk.
   
   With the preliminary user number you will be able
   - to order or reserve books from our inventory
   - to book a workstation in our Internet room
2. Please bring the following documents with you:
   - Identity card or passport with registration certificate or residence permit
   - if applicable, documents for exemption from the annual fee
   - if necessary student card

You cannot come to us during these opening hours? Please send us an e-mail.

Renew your existing cards by sending an e-mail to the lending services (Ortsleihe).

Book lending (textbook collection, direct loan area, pick-up shelves) as well as return is possible during opening hours Mon-Fri 9-20.

Please follow AHA rules (Distance/Hygiene/Everyday Mask) and only stay in the building for 15 minutes.

You can renew your media 5x. After the 5th renewal, media can be borrowed again directly at the reading room and interlibrary loan desk if no reservation has been made.

If you have ordered media to the reading room counter or to the Reading Room Historical Collections, please make an appointment by telephone for viewing.
In advance you can check the free time slots via our reservation system (German). You can check at any time via "My Account" whether reading room literature is available for you.

Reading room I

• Reservable time slots: 1-2 hours
• Telephone: +49 221 470-3314
• free time slots in Reading room I (German)

The Reading Room Historical Collections continues to be closed.

Further information

• The reservation data are kept for 4 weeks (Corona Protection Ordinance NRW (German) of 07.01.2021 (§ 6 in conjunction with § 4a, Para.1)). According to the Corona Protection Ordinance, a telephone number is required for easy tracing. You can enter this either via our reservation system or via "My account".

Interlibrary loans can be picked up and returned at the reading room and interlibrary loan desk (Reading Room I, 1st floor, Mon-Fri 9 - 20).
You can also order essays via interlibrary loan and pick up a copy there.

There are 4 workstations available in the Internet room. These workstations are primarily intended for external users, who can access our e-media in full text here.
A reservation is mandatory. Your booking will be confirmed by e-mail.

Important: Please always have your e-mail with the booking confirmation ready. Seats that are not occupied after 30 minutes will be automatically cancelled in the booking system.

Link to the reservation system (German) (login data = library card data)  >>

Usage and reservation rules

• You can book a time slot of 1-2 hours per day.
• Please have the e-mail with the booking confirmation ready - the seat tickets are not required. The seats are numbered. Please use only your reserved workstation.
• Seats that are not occupied after 30 minutes will be released automatically.
• You can make reservations up to one week in advance.
• Access to all workstations is through reading room I.
• You need a valid library card to make a reservation.

Corona rules in the reading rooms

• Please observe the usual hygiene rules (distance, sneezing etiquette, hand hygiene).
• It is compulsory to wear a mouth-nose cover during your entire stay in the library.
• If you want to clean the workplace before use, disinfectants are available for this purpose.
• Please note that we cannot provide areas for breaks or short conversations due to the prescribed routing and distance regulations. Corridors, foyer and staircases are not places to stay.

Further information

• The reservation data are kept for 4 weeks (Corona Protection Ordinance NRW (German) of 07.01.2021 (§ 6 in conjunction with § 4a, Para.1)). According to the Corona Protection Ordinance, a telephone number is required for easy tracing. You can enter this either via our reservation system or via "My account".

Scanner:

Use of the scanners is free. Only a USB-stick is required.
Scanner locations:

• 1 scanner in the text book collection (ground floor)
• 3 scanners in the copy room (1st floor)
• 1 scanner next to the pick up area (pick-up shelves, 1st floor)
• 1 scanner in the no-delay lending area (1st floor)
• 1 scanner in feading room VII (2nd floor)
• 1 scanner for microfilms and microfiches in the reading room (2nd floor, cabin 4)
  You can obtain the key for the cabin in reading room I at the reading room and interlibrary loan counter (1st floor).

If you spend more than 10 minutes in the copy and scan room, please fill in a contact tracing form and hand it in at the reading room counter in LS I (1st floor) or at the control desk (ground floor).

Copy machines:

The costs incurred will be settled via the payment service provider KUARIO.
You can either download the Kuario-App to your smartphone. Or if you do not want to use an app, register on the Kuario webseite to get an account.

At the moment, it is only possible to hand in dissertations and gifts by mail. Please get in touch with our contact persons if necessary.

• The "Information & Advice" counter remains closed. Please ask us your consulting questions by e-mail or by phone at +49 221 470-2374 Monday to Friday from 10 to 14.
• We currently do not offer training and guided tours on site. We offer you online meetings (in German) via zoom. To the new digital course offer >>
• There is currently no cultural program (lectures and discussions) with a live audience.

• Due to the lockdown, we have to reduce the number of workplaces to reading room I,  reading room Historical Collections and the Internet room.
• The 2nd floor remains closed. The holdings of reading rooms V and VI, the EDC and the current issues of periodicals in the journal display in reading room VII cannot be viewed.

For questions about your library card and your account (loan periods, renewals, etc.) please contact the lending service telephone (+49 221 470-3316), for questions about fees please contact the fee office (+49 221 470-3352). Both telephones can be reached Monday to Thursday, 9.00 - 16.00 and Friday 9.00 - 13.00.
As usual, you can address general questions about UCL to the UCL information desk (+49 221 470-2374) Monday to Friday from 10.00 - 14.00.
You are also welcome to mail us!

Questions about lending - e-mail

Questions about fees - e-mail
General questions - e-mail

• Ordering and borrowing
  Ordering via the UCL-Portal is possible. This also applies to textbooks. Textbooks and magazine books are available for you to borrow for 2 weeks on the next opening day from 14.00 at the issue counter in the magazine.
  Journals and books from the reading room (for a short loan of one hour) can be ordered by e-mail and picked up from 14.00 on the next opening day at the issue counter. 5 opening days these journals and books will be reserved for you. You will not receive a confirmation email.
   

  This information must be included in your e-mail:

  • your name and your librarycard number,

  • title and shelf mark,

  • for journals additionally the required volume.
    
    Opening hours for the HWA: Mon-Wed 11-15, Thu 11-18, Fri 11-15

• Loan periods
• Due to cyber attack restrictions, we have raised all loan periods from 03.06. to 07.07. and 14.07. Unfortunately, we cannot send out mail reminders for the loan periods 07.07. + 14.07. which we have raised. To avoid new fees, please check your loan periods in "My account".
• Renewing library items
  You can extend your media 5 times. After the 5th extension, no re-borrowing is possible at the counter. Please return your media and reorder them if necessary.
• Return
  Return is via the book slot at the issue counter Monday to Friday, 9.00 to 18.00.
  Please note that the media will be taken back, but for technical reasons will not be booked back. They will therefore continue to appear in your account including any fees. We will credit your account as soon as our borrowing system is fully operational again.
• Testothek
  Tests can be ordered by e-mail as usual.
  Opening hours for Testothek:  Mon-Thu 11-14, Fri 11-13

Journals and books from the reading room (for a short loan of one hour) can be ordered by e-mail and picked up from 14.00 on the next opening day at the issue counter. 5 opening days these journals and books will be reserved for you. You will not receive a confirmation email.

This information must be included in your e-mail:

• your name and your librarycard number

• title and shelf mark

• for journals additionally the required volume
  
  Opening hours athe the HWA: Mon-Wed 11-15, Thu 11-18, Fri 11-15

• The textbook collection remains closed.
• However, you can order textbooks via the USB portal. They will be available for you to borrow for 2 weeks on the next opening day from 2 pm at the lending desk in the magazine. Opening hours for borrowing: Mon - Wed 11-15, Thu 11-18, Fri 11-15.
• There are no PC workstations available.  Therefore you cannot access electronic media there at the moment.

• The reference desk remains closed. Ask for advice by telephone or e-mail.
• Until further notice we do not offer research courses and guided tours.