Information about lending
There are different loan periods depending on the kind of collection and user status.
Important loan periods for students:
- Books: generally 4 weeks (extendable up to a maximum of 3 months)
- Other borrowable media: generally 2 weeks
Journals, course reserves and other special collections may not be borrowed. Journal volumes from the University Library in Kaiserslautern are also not available for loan - other media that cannot be borrowed are marked accordingly.
Students can borrow a maximum of 60 media, guests a maximum of 40 media and employees a maximum of 100 media at the same time.
Visit your Library Account to renew your borrowed books. Renewals can also be done by writing an email or visiting a library desk.
Renewals are possible as long as no other reader has placed a hold and the maximal loan period is not reached.
In Kaiserslautern:
Media can be returned to the department library where they were borrowed during service hours.
In Landau:
Media can be returned at the service counter, via the book return trolley or the book return box in front of the library. The return box is also available outside opening hours.
Returning books by post:
It is generally possible to return borrowed media by post.
The return shipment is at your own risk. If the items do not arrive at the library or arrive damaged, you may have to replace them. Please pack the media carefully.
Your account will be charged back on the day the items arrive at the library. If items arrive late at the library, late fees may apply.
Regardless of the location where the items were borrowed, they will be returned to the following address:
Universitätsbibliothek of the RPTU
Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 32
67663 Kaiserslautern
Use of the library is free of charge, but there are special fees and reimbursement of expenses because of legal regulations and charges for special services. For detailed information see schedule of fees.
Library materials currently on loan may be reserved for personal use through the online catalogue. Use the reserve button to place your request or ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk of any Department Library.
You will be notified by e-mail when prebooked materials are returned and available for pick-up.
You can usually order unavailable books and journal articles by interlibrary loan. Alternatively you can also make an acquisition suggestion for literature that is not yet available on site.
More information can be found here.
Media can be proposed for purchase. The UB checks wether proposals are in compliance with the acquistion profile and takes them into account, when there is sufficient budget available.
More details can be found here.
If you have any questions, please contact Central Information.
The RPTU Library System includes seven Department Libraries, a Central Library in Kaiserslautern and a University Library in Landau, all with predominately open stacks. The collections are classified according to subject fields with the exception of the Library of Mathematics and Physics where the mathematic collection is shelved alphabetically by author and title. The call number, found on the book spine and listed in our catalogue, designates the location of the book. It begins with an abbreviation of the department or subject field (usually the first three letters of the term, as in MAT=mathematics) or a number, which refers to the subject field (45=Political Science, Law), and is followed by a number referring to the subject area within that field and a current number. The Textbook Collection has a special call number beginning with an “L”. The call number of dissertations begins with a “U”, journals and periodicals in Kaiserslautern with a “Z” and newspapers with a “Ztg”. Older and rarely requested literature is located in the closed stacks of the Central Library Kaiserslautern and the University Library Landau.
A general overview of the classifications of any subject can be found here.
Eine Online-Übersicht zu den Systematiken einzelner Fachgebiete in Kaiserslautern finden Sie auf dieser Seite.
Special inventory
Closed stacks, located on the lower level of the Central Library Kaiserslautern and University Library Landau, hold back issues of many journals, periodicals and newspapers subscribed by the University department libraries as well as dissertations and older literature.
Requests for items in closed stacks may be made at the Circulation Desk in the Central Library (Bldg. 32) (Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm) or the Service Desk in the UB Landau (Bldg. D) (Monday thru Friday, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm). Items from closed stacks can be reserved through the online catalogue and can be borrowed for a 4-week period. Journals and newspapers are not available for loan.
Reserve items are high demand materials that have been selected as unit reading requirements. They have loan restriction on them to ensure reasonable access to all students. The compiled literature is located in special shelves in a library units and can be searched in the catalog of the UB.
- Access to the full texts is only possible from computer workstations connected to the campus network of the RPTU.
- Full texts of the articles may only be printed out and stored for personal use and for teaching and research purposes.
- Systematic download of articles or search results, especially by robots, is prohibited.
- Articles may not be disclosed electronically or in printed form to third parties.
More information:
E-Books
E-Journals
Databases
Access to electronic media
The textbook collection is located in the central library (building 32) and contains borrowable study literature for all subject areas except of the A/RU/BI textbooks which are provided in building 2. The loan period is four weeks and can be extended.
The books are arranged according to their subject areas and also contain this subject area affiliation in their shelfmark, which you can see in Katalog+ and is affixed to the spine of the book.
The books are listed in Katalog+.
The Children’s Reading Area is located in the Central Library (Bldg. 32). It offers books and magazines on a variety of subjects as well as educational software, educational games and information from the internet. Items from the Children’s Reading Area are marked with a “K”. The collection is a supplement of “Children’s University”, a series of lectures for children at the age of 8 years and above. The lectures are held in the spring semester at the University. All library patrons may borrow items from the children’s collection. Children who wish to borrow items from the children’s collection must have a library card which can be obtained in the Central Library. The application form must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.
New accessions are displayed in the Reading Room of the Central Library and in the Department Libraries on designated shelves.
Administration of the library account
Registration for the library is possible for members of the RPTU as well as external people. The corresponding online forms can be found here.
Report changes of address promptly. Update your address by visiting any Department Library or give us notice by e-mail.
For students in Kaiserslautern
Chip card
If you lose your chip card, please report the loss immediately to the Chip Card Service Point or the Central Library to have the card blocked.
If you find your chip card again, you can have it unblocked at the chip card service point or in the Central Library.
If you lose your card, you as a student can apply for a new chip card at the SSC Chip Card Service Point in Building 47. Employees should contact the Central Library. Further information about the chip card can be found here.
Paper library card
Please report the loss of your paper library card to the University Library.
If you find your paper library card again, please also contact the University Library. Upon presentation of your identity card, your library account will be unblocked.
External users will receive a replacement card at the University Library for a fee upon presentation of their ID card.
For students in Landau
If you lose your library card, you should have it blocked immediately at the circulation desk so that your user account can be blocked immediately and protected against unauthorized access. You can also call us on 06341 / 280 31650 or send us an e-mail.
The issue of a replacement library card costs € 12.00 at Landau University Library.
You can apply for a replacement card using the registration form.
Please return all media to the University Library before exmatriculating and pay any outstanding fees. It is still possible to use the University Library, you can register as an external user.
Your library account may be blocked for borrowing for various reasons, e.g because of outstanding fees. Blocking reasons are displayed in your library account. If you have any questions, please contact the UB staff.