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FAQ

FAQ - Häufig gestellte Fragen - Frequently asked questions - Najczęściej zadawane pytania - Les questions fréquemment posées

First questions

Loans

Library card / password

Interlibrary loans

Charges/library fines

Searches

Computer workstations / databases

Photocopying

Further information

An A to Z of the Library

First questions

When is the library open and when can I borrow and return books?

We are open Monday to Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 9 p.m., from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and from 11.00 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.Over the opening hours books can be returned. Items can be borrowed Monday to Friday until 9 p.m. and until 12.45 p.m. on Saturdays. Students can take out books with a yellow sticker and those in the semester reserves between 11 a.m. and 12.45 on Saturdays. These books must be returned by 11 a.m. on the next day of opening. Any temporary changes will be displayed in the library and posted on our internet site under News.

Am I allowed to take my rucksack, bag, coat and so on into the library?

No. You can place your belongings in one of the lockers that are available free of charge during library opening hours. You will need a padlock for the locker.

Am I allowed to take food and drinks into the library?

You may take water in plastic bottles into the library. You are not allowed to take other drinks or food into the library. The purpose of this rule is to protect the library stock.

I have not registered as a library user. Am I still allowed to use the computers?

Yes, but please note that the computers are provided primarily for our students to enable them to carry out searches.

I have moved. Do I also have to notify the library of my new address?

Yes. You must notify the library of any change of address. It is not enough to inform the Student Registration Office (“Immatrikulationsamt”) through a computer terminal outside the library.

Loans

Which books can I borrow as a student and how many am I allowed to borrow?

You can borrow up to 20 books from the general stocks in the Reading Room as well as an additional 20 books from the textbook collection and 30 from the stacks. It is also possible to borrow five books with a yellow sticker and 5 from the semester reserves at weekends. It is not possible to borrow books with a red sticker, newspapers, periodicals, encyclopaedias or loose-leaf publications.

Click on this link for further details

I am not studying at this university. Am I still allowed to borrow books from the university library?

If you are resident in Brandenburg or Berlin you may register as an external user. You will then be allowed to borrow 20 books (without a red or yellow sticker) from the general stocks in the Reading Room and 30 books from the stacks. However, external users cannot borrow books from the Textbook Collection. If you are enrolled at the University of Poznan, the University of Hagen or the Academy of Public Management in Frankfurt (Oder) the conditions for students apply.

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How long can I borrow books for?

Students can borrow books from the general stocks in the Reading Room for two weeks, books from the Textbook Collection and the stacks for four weeks and books with a yellow sticker and from semester reserves at weekends. External users may borrow books from the general stocks in the Reading Room for one week and books from the stacks for four weeks. Students can renew books (except those with a yellow sticker) up to four times unless they have been reserved by another user.

Click on this link for further details

When can I borrow and return books?

You can borrow books Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 12.45 p.m. on Saturdays (even though the library is open longer).Over the opening hours items can be returned Books with a yellow sticker and from the semester reserves can be taken out from 11 a.m. on Saturdays and must be returned by 11.00 a.m. on the following day of opening. Any temporary changes will be displayed in the library and posted on our internet site under News.

Where can I see which books I have borrowed and when they have to be returned?

The titles and the loan periods for the books you have borrowed are printed on the receipt issued when you borrow the books. If you no longer have the receipt, you can check your loans without having to visit the library by accessing your user account (via “Account” or “Sign in”/”Account” in the Library Catalogue (OPAC). To do so, you will need your user number and your password. You will then not only be able to see which books you have borrowed but also view your requests, reservations and charges.
You can also ask for a printout of your user account at the Issue Desk.

How do I renew books?

You can renew books in the Library Catalogue (OPAC) by accessing your user account via “Account” or “Sign in”/”Account” up to five days before the loan period expires. To do so, you will need your user number and password. You can either renew individual books or extend your account. The details of the status of each title will show you whether it is possible to renew a book or not. Books can also be renewed by telephone (0335/5534-3366) or at the Issue Desk. Students can renew books (except those with a yellow sticker) up to four times unless they have been reserved by another user.

Click on this link for further details

How do I reserve books?

If you have found the title you require in the Library Catalogue (OPAC) but can see that it is currently on loan, please click on “How do I obtain the item?”, then on “Select” and enter your user number and password. You will be able to see immediately whether your reservation has been accepted. We will notify you as soon as the book is available for collection. If you have given us your email address (forms are available at the Information Desk on the ground floor) you will be notified by email, otherwise by post (in this case, postage will be payable).
If you wish to cancel a reservation, log onto your account in the Library Catalogue (OPAC) via “Account” or “Sign in”/”Account”, select the sub-account “Reservations” and click on “Cancel reservation”. The cancellation will be confirmed and the item will be removed from the reservations list.

How can I tell whether a book is in the stacks and, if it is, how do I request it?

First search for the book in the Library Catalogue (OPAC). If the shelfmark begins with a location number such as “aa5302/” or with “0”, i.e. “01/”, “02/” and so on and the status is “available for loan” the book will be in the stacks and will need to be requested. To do so, please click on “How do I obtain the item?” and enter your user number and password. You will be able to see immediately whether your request has been successful and, if so, when book will be ready for collection.
Periodicals located in the stacks will need to be requested at the Issue Desk. If you request an item before 1 p.m. Monday to Friday , it will be ready for collection at the Issue Desk from 2 p.m. on the same day. Books requested after 1 p.m. can be collected after 2 p.m. the next day (Monday to Friday). The items will be kept ready for collection for seven working days. Please contact the library staff if you have any problems when requesting books.

I have requested/reserved a book. How will I be notified when it is ready for collection?

If you have reserved a book or requested an interlibrary loan we will inform you as soon as it is ready for collection. If you have given us your email address (forms are available at the Information Desk on the ground floor) you will be notified by email, otherwise by post (in this case, postage will be payable). The collection time for books requested from the stacks will be shown straightaway in the Library Catalogue (OPAC).

Library card / password

Where can I apply for a library card?

If you are a student or member of staff of the European University Viadrina, your university chip card also acts as your library card. If you are resident in Brandenburg, Berlin or Słubice, you can apply for a library card at the Information Desk on the ground floor. The library card can be collected around two weeks after you have submitted your application.

What do I do if I lose my library card?

Please call the Information Desk (Tel.: 0335/5534-3366) immediately. We will then cancel the card to prevent its misuse. If you have lost your university chip card, please notify the Student Registration Office (“Immatrikulationsamt”) as well.

I don’t have a password for the library yet. How do I obtain one?

You need a library password to access the various functions in the Library Catalogue (OPAC) (such as renewals and reservations) as well as for interlibrary loans. If you don’t have a password yet, please contact the Information Desk on the ground floor. The passwords for new students comprise their date of birth, without the number “19”. For example, the password for a student born on "1.5.1982" will be "010582". You should change your password without delay.

I have forgotten my password. What do I do now?

Please contact a staff member at one of the Information Desks or at the Issue Desk.

Interlibrary loans

How do I obtain books that are not available in the library?

If you cannot find a book in our Library Catalogue (OPAC) you can request it as an interlibrary loan. Exceptions are books that can be purchased in bookshops for less than 10.00 Euro as well as light fiction and literature on hobbies.

How do I request an interlibrary loan?

If you cannot find a book in our Library Catalogue (OPAC) you can request it as an interlibrary loan.
Please follow the instructions under “Information on how to request items”.

How long does it take for an interlibrary loan to be delivered?

On average, it takes 13 days for interlibrary loans for books and copies of articles to be delivered. Document delivery services are faster but more expensive.

How much does it cost to request an interlibrary loan?

It costs 1.50 Euro to request each interlibrary loan, plus the postage for the letter of notification if you have not informed the library of your email address. Additional fees are generally charged for copies of articles more than 20 pages in length.
Additional charges will have to be paid for international interlibrary loans in particular and vary from library to library.

How long is it possible to keep interlibrary loans and can they be renewed?

Books can generally be borrowed for a month, volumes of periodicals for two weeks. The loan period begins when the items are ready for collection (not when they are collected) and is printed on the loan receipt. However, the library providing the loan may set certain conditions, such as a shorter loan period, permission to use the item in the Reading Room only or it may not be permitted to make photocopies.
If you wish to renew an interlibrary loan, please contact a member of the library staff who is responsible for interlibrary loans in good time.
You can keep copies of articles.

Will I get a refund if the interlibrary loan I have requested cannot be delivered?

No, unfortunately not, as costs are already incurred when the loan is requested.

Charges/library fines

Are any charges/library fines levied?

The following fines are payable per item (books, CD-ROMs...), including interlibrary loans, if the loan period is exceeded by
- up to one week (7 days): 1.00 Euro,
- up to two weeks: 2.00 Euro,
- up to three weeks: 5.00 Euro and
- 5.00 Euro for each additional week.

The maximum fine is 20.00 Euro. The fine for not returning items on loan over the weekend on time is 1.00 Euro per item and day. You will also have to pay for the postage for the reminder.
If you lose a book, you will have to pay for a replacement, plus an administration charge of 15.00 Euro.
There is a minimum charge of 1.50 Euro for requests for interlibrary loans. Replacement cards for external users cost 5.00 Euro.

Rules pertaining to library charges and fines

Where and when can I pay the charges/fines?

Charges and library fines can be paid in cash (not by EC card or university chip card) at the Information Desk on the ground floor of the library Monday to Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 4.45 p.m.

What happens if the charges/fines owed reach a certain limit?

You will be sent a reminder after thirty days if charges or fines totalling 10.00 Euro have been incurred. Failure to pay the charges or fines within three weeks will result in your library card being cancelled.

Searches

How do I search for books?

You can search for books in the Library Catalogue (OPAC) by author, title, keywords (single words included in the title and with the same spelling), by terms relating to the content or the name of the publisher. Terms and names can be abbreviated (truncated) with “*”. The search is not case-sensitive and umlauts and diacritical marks can also be used. For further information please refer to the “Help” on each page. If your search is unsuccessful a member of the library staff at the Information Desk may be able to help you. When you have found the title of the book you are looking for, please make a note of the shelfmark as it will tell you where the book is located.
We would also like to recommend our library workshops.

How do I locate articles in periodicals or collections of articles?

You will not generally find articles directly in our OPAC but under the title of the volume in which the article was published instead ("... published in: ...", "... In: ..." etc.). You can search for articles on the websites of article databases (such as ingenta or JADE) and specialised databases (such as BECK-online, wiso-net). Please note the symbols indicating whether a database can be accessed.
Some articles can be found by searching in virtual catalogues (see KVK).
If you know the title of the periodical, you can also search for the article in the Electronic Journals Library (EZB). Please also note the symbols indicating accessibility in this case.
If you cannot find the article you are looking for, it is possible to request it through the interlibrary loans service.

How do I locate newspapers and periodicals?

Search by entering the title, the abbreviated title or keywords in the title of the periodical/newspaper in the OPAC, selecting “Periodical, newspaper...” under the heading "Type of publication". The hit list in the OPAC will then be limited to these terms. You can also search directly in the German Journals Database (ZDB), taking note of which library holds the publication.
Electronic periodicals can be found in the Electronic Journals Library (EZB) for example.

Where are newspapers and periodicals located?

Daily and weekly newspapers of the current week can be found in the newspaper stands on the top floor while older issues of the current month are located on the lower ground floor of the library. Newspapers are stored in the stacks for up to six months and must be requested at the Information Desk on the ground floor.
Current periodicals can be found on the periodicals shelves of each subject area section: topics of general interest, cultural studies, law, economics including mathematics and computer science are located on the top floor.
Periodicals published in previous years are generally bound and are located on the shelves at the start of each subject area section (except for Law). The shelfmarks can be found by searching in the OPAC (How do I find newspapers and periodicals?) but are also on the copies of the title pages on the shelves.
Some volumes of periodicals and individual periodicals are stored in the stacks and have to be requested through the Library Catalogue. If this is not possible please contact the Information Desk on the ground floor.
Electronic journals and newspapers
Electronic Journals Library (EZB)
Articles in journals, articles databases (all subjects) or specialised databases

How do I find out where a book is supposed to be located?

The shelfmark will show you where a book is supposed to be located. The location is indicated amongst other things by the location number which precedes the slash in the shelfmark (at the top of the spine of the book) given in the Library Catalogue.
A double-digit location number means that the book is freely available in the Reading Room. Please look for the library guides.
Books with three-digit location numbers are in the course reserves of a member of the teaching staff and can be borrowed at the relevant secretariat or at the Information Desk. Books with location numbers such as "aa5302" are in closed stacks and have to be requested. Shelfmarks beginning with "ua" refer to CD-ROMs which are kept on the ground floor and managed by the staff at the Information Desk.
The remaining part of the shelfmark indicates the precise location on the shelves.

How can I tell whether a book is on loan?

You can see whether a book is on loan by looking at the full view of the title in the OPAC. Consult “How do I obtain the item?” to find out how long a book is on loan for or whether it is located in the semester reserves, for example, and whether there are other copies in the library.

If I can’t locate a book that is supposed to be in the Reading Room according to the OPAC where could it be?

There are several possibilities:
- another student is using the book, in which case please look again later,
- the book has been put back in the wrong place, in which case please look for it near to where it is supposed to be located,
- the book is in a semester reserve - see the information on the location of the book in the Library Catalogue.
The staff at the Information Desk will be pleased to assist you.

Does the library also hold degree dissertations? If so, is it possible to borrow them?

Our library holds a limited number of dissertations (selected by the teaching staff) and it is possible to borrow them.

How can I obtain books that are not available at the library?

Computer workstations / Databases

What kind of workstations are available in the library?

Workstations for searching in the Library Catalogue (OPAC), on the Internet and in various databases are located in the Reading Room. You can also use them to print, save information on USB sticks (2.0 version) and read and answer emails. The sticker at the top of the computer monitor will tell you the functions available at the workstation. A specialised workstation for the visually impaired is also available.

Layout of Reading Room

Where can I work on my own texts?

Several computers with word processing facilities are available in the Reading Room (identifiable by a sticker) and some in the carrels which can be used on a daily basis. It is also possible to send print jobs to the central printers in the Law Section (with the exception of workstations only able to access the OPAC). In addition, you can use your laptop for word processing at any workplace although it will not be possible to print documents at the central printers.

How and where can I print documents?

Two of the photocopiers in the Law Section are also used as central printers and jobs can be sent to them from every computer in the Reading Room (Instructions on how to print at a central printer). There is a charge of 5 cents for each printed page.

Is WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) available in the library?

Yes, wireless Internet access is available for notebooks (Eduroam).

Can I only use the databases on campus or are they also available off-campus?

Several of the databases are openly accessible while others are only accessible on the campus and from the outside via VPN and some can only be accessed at certain workstations. Please see the overview of specialised databases on our website.

I have not registered as a library user. Am I still allowed to use the computers?

Yes, but please note that the computers are provided primarily for our students to enable them to carry out searches.
Children and young people can use the computers on the ground floor, but please note the above restrictions.

Is it possible to have a separate place to work in the library?

Yes, there are carrels available in the Reading Rooms. These are cubicles with or without a computer which can be used on a daily basis on a “first come, first served” basis and can be locked. You can also use your laptop here, but without access to the databases. The staff at the Information Desk on the ground floor will be able to tell you whether carrels are still available.

I am visually impaired. Where can I work in the library?

A specialised workstation is available for the visually impaired. Further information on registering and using this computer is available at the Information Desk on the ground floor.

Photocopying

Where can I make photocopies in the library and what does it cost? Can I also use coins in the machines?

There are five photocopiers on the top floor. Three of them are located in the Law Section, one in the corridor between the History Section and Economics Section (near the group study area) and one is located in the Languages Section. The photocopiers in the Law Section and Language Section are also used as central printers. Black-and-white copies of DIN A4 pages cost 5 cents each (there is no reduction for large volumes of copies). Colour photocopies can be made at the FF07 photocopier (for 25 cents a page) and pages can be scanned onto USB sticks on the FF08 photocopier. You can use your university chip card at all photocopiers provided there is enough credit on the card. (Cards can be topped up at the terminal in the Gräfin-Dönhoff Building). Some of the photocopiers at two of the three locations are also coin-operated. The machines accept coins from 5 cents upwards and do not give change.

Layout of Reading Room: top floor

Can books that are not available for loan also be copied in the Copy Shop?

No, that is not possible. There are enough photocopiers available in the Reading Room.

How and where can I print documents?

The photocopiers in the Law Section also operate as central printers and jobs can be sent to them from every computer in the Reading Room (instructions).
There is a charge of 5 cents for each printed page.

Further information

An A to Z of the Library