Contact

BIS - Library and Information System
Central Information Service

Phone 0441 - 798 4444

Information for First-Semester Students

Information for First-Semester Students

Welcome to the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg! The university library as a learning space supports you in your studies by providing scientific and scholarly literature and by offering help with your studies as well as with technical questions. General data on the unviersity library are vailable on the library profile page .

Take a virtual tour (contains some explanatory texts in German) to familiarise yourself with the library and our services even before you visit in person. Or have a look at the brochure "Getting started
in BIS
."

Central Library and Departmental Library

The central library on Haarentor campus holds literature on the humanities, social sciences, economics, language studies as well as computer sciences.

The departmental library on Wechloy Campus holds literature on mathematics, naturals sciences and medicine.

Are special hygiene regulations in effect?

Yes, they are – see Information on Using the Library during Special Operations Mode.

Where can I find lockers for jackets and bags?

Lockers are available in the library auditorium. Use your CampusCard to lock and unlock the doors. Should you wish to take a laptop, books etc. into the library, you are required to use one of the green baskets.

Am I allowed to bring food or drink to the library?

You are allowed to bring liquids in closed bottles or cups with a lid into the library and to drink at your work place. It is not allowed to eat in the library. 

Other libraries in Oldenburg

Other libraries in Oldenburg offering research literature:

State Library Oldenburg (your CampusCard will be accepted as library card in the state library, but must be activated once in the state library)
Library of the Jade University of Applied Sciences (Oldenburg)
Library of the Federal Institute for Culture and History of the Germans in Eastern Europe (BKGE)
Library of the Evang.-Luth. Oberkirchenrats

Opening Hours

Please see our homepage for the current opening hours: Library Opening Hours.

Services

Where do I get my library card?

CampusCard
The CampusCard can be activated as a library card at the registration/user services counter. An online registration is necessary.

Library Card
Do you already have a library card? You can return this at the registration/user services counter and have any credits on it transfered to your CampusCard. The CampusCard covers all library-card functions.

What library functions does the CampusCard cover?

1. Use of lockers,
2. borrowing books (online registration required),
3. copying and printing at the multi-functional copiers,
4. paying fees and fines at the pay terminal.

Where do I find the library number?

The six-digit library number is located on the back of your CampusCard next to the barcode.

How do I borrow books?

Books are checked out and returned at the circulation desk. The borrowing period is either 30 or 14 days. When borrowing a book an email will be sent to you with the due date. Unless books are reserved by other users, borrowing periods may be extended up to five times.

How can I put credit on my CampusCard?

Use one of the Studentenwerk's terminals in the Mensa Foyer and in the library. Credit can be put on the CampusCard using cash or ec-card. For additonal info on the CampusCard see on the university's website.

How can I pay fees?

To pay fees use the pay terminal in the library.

Can I copy, print or scan in the library?

A large number of multi-functional copiers are available in the library to copy, print or scan using your CampusCard. Dedicated book scanners are available to scan books. For additional info see the website Printing, scanning, photocopying.

How can I access the internet?

With your university account you can log on the the wifi service eduroam not only at the University of Oldenburg but at other eduroam participants worldwide as well. For more info see the IT services' website (in German) or ask IT Support on-site.

Use your university account also to log on the the computers available in the library. Numerous applications are preinstalled for you to use.

Who will help me in the library?

Librarians will answer your questions at the central information desk, where IT Support is also available.

How will I find my way through the library?

Descriptions on what to find where are placed at the library entrance and on every floor. Additionally, a detailed map for each floor is posted on each floor.

Finding Literature

Where do I search for literature?

ORBISplus is the search portal for the regional libraries, including the university library. It allows for a simple and centralized search for books, journals and electronic resources in Oldenburg's three scientific libraries: the university library, the state library and the libraries of the Jade University of Applied Sciences.

How will I find books on the shelves?

Location and shelf mark
The shelf mark (e.g. pae 794 DH 1802) localizes every book's place on a shelf. It consists of a systematic part (classification number) usually made up of a three-letter abbreviation of the subject, of a number between 001 and 999 as well as of a current number (two letters and a four-digit number). To help you find a book, the shelves are marked with corresponding signs.

Categories
In some cases the book numbers begin with a letter denoting the book's category: H (handbook), W (dictionary), B (bibliography). These books cannot be borrowed. The same is true for books marked with the letter N.

How will I find journals on the shelves?

The journals' shelves are in close proximity to the book shelves of the resp. subject. The current year's issues are placed in boxes displaying the current issues cover. Older issues of earlier years are bound and placed on shelves. Journals cannot be borrowed.

How can I use online rescources?

On campus, online resources are accessible from all work places after log-in. Off campus you need to identify yourself using your university account after clicking on "Full Text" in ORBISplus.

Where will I find other than printed media?

Audiovisual media (DVDs, CDs, CD ROMs etc.) can be found in the media library (Mediathek, level ZW 4 in the central library) and can be borrowed for up to 14 days.
The reading room for non-borrowable materials is also located in the media library.

Where will I find introductory literature for my studies?

Textbooks and much used study literature for all subjects are placed in the Textbook Collection (Lehrbuchsammlung, level 1 of the central library). They are marked with an S before the book number and can be borrowed for up to 14 days.

Where will I find literature for my seminar?

Collections of literature and other materials specifally for one seminar are called course reserves (Seminarapparat). They are placed on dedicated shelves and sorted following a course reserve code. Books and materials in a course reserve cannot be borrowed.

Study and Work in the Library

Where can I study and work?

The university library is a learning space. There are individual workplaces with and without computer, as well as study cubicles  and group working spaces available.

Are there barrier-free workplaces?

There are height-adjustable desks on every level of the library.

Are we allowed to study and work in groups?

For group work, freely available group work areas and bookable group workrooms are available.

How can I reserve a study cubicle?

For information on how to reserve a study cubicle see our website Study cubicles.

How can I reserve a book trolley?

For information on how to reserve a book trolley see our website Book trolleys.

[BIS intern]   (Changed: 19 Jan 2024)  | 
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