Who may use the University Library?

The University Library Basel is open to all interested parties free of charge. You may take borrowed items home if your main or secondary residence is in Switzerland or in the Baden or Alsace areas. All other interested persons may consult our media holdings in the reading room. Further information can be found in our library regulations.

swisscovery

Our holdings are accessible via the swisscovery Swiss search portal. By registering, you will also have access to the services provided by the libraries connected to the swisscovery library network.

Library card

Are you a member of the University of Basel?

Register with the SWITCH edu-ID that you linked to the University of Basel, in order to make use of the services of the University Library Basel and the swisscovery library network. Your UNIcard (students and staff) is valid in all the libraries connected to swisscovery. The personal data in your user account are automatically loaded when your SWITCH edu-ID is linked to your university account.

Are you already a user of another swisscovery library?

The library cards of libraries connected to swisscovery are also valid in the University Library Basel.

You do not yet have a library card?

Create a SWITCH edu-ID online and register for swisscovery using the swisscovery registration link. If you do not yet have a SWITCH edu-ID, then create an account.  Otherwise, log in with your existing SWITCH edu-ID. Then come to one of the lending desks of the University Library with an official ID and you will receive a library card. You can find the individual locations here

Searching and finding

To find media in our libraries, start your search online in swisscovery Basel.

Borrowing

You can locate the holdings in the open stacks (or freely accessible areas) by means of their call number and you can borrow these items at the self-checkout stations.

Ordering

You can order media from the closed stacks directly online in swisscovery Basel.

If you have ordered items that may be borrowed, these can be collected from the self collection room (University Main Library) or the circulation desks. For media that may only be used on site, please consult the location-specific information.

• University Main Library
• University Medical Library
• University Religion Library
• University Library Rosental
• University Business and Economics Library / Swiss Economic Archives

Reading room

You may use the media in the reading rooms on site.

Items that are not available on site or that cannot be ordered via courier, can be ordered as an interlibrary loan. We will obtain the item from an external library and will make the item available for you to borrow or to consult in the Special Reading Room.

Conditions:

• The costs apply to each individual item. In case of higher costs, the actual costs will be calculated (in accordance with a quotation).
• Delivery times may exceed the indicated delivery periods, for example in the case of orders from abroad.
• Newspapers, large formats, and special formats (loose-leaf issues, videos, DVDs, CDs, cassettes, etc.) cannot be obtained from non-Swiss libraries.
• Lending conditions and loan periods of the lending libraries apply (sometimes books from non-Swiss libraries may not be taken home).
• You may select the University Main Library or the University Business and Economics Library as the library from which to collect items. Items cannot be sent by post to your home.
• Works with a publication date before 1830 may not be ordered in their original format via interlibrary loan.
• Works with a publication date before 1900 may not be taken home and will only be made available for consultation in our Special Reading Room; copies from these works may be requested.
• For the provision of copies see copy orders

For a fee, we will provide copies of articles or texts from journals or books (electronically or by post). We will either make copies from our own holdings or we will obtain copies for you from other libraries. Please take note of the Reproduction Guidelines for the University Library Basel  (in German) and the relevant copyright regulations (see box).

Ordering options

• Blank order form for copies
• Direct order via "Get full text" button during adatabase search
• Searching and ordering via swisscovery Basel
• Reproduction from historical holdings | EoD (eBooks on Demand)
• Digitisation for course reserves

Fees and delivery periods

Ordering directly via swisscovery

Ordering via copy order form

• We will attempt to make use of the most client-friendly supplier and ordering method.
• Delivery times may exceed the indicated delivery periods, for example in the case of orders from abroad.
• For higher costs you will receive a quotation.

Courier service

Postal delivery

Interlibrary loans

Ordering of items from other libraries by staff of the University Library Basel

^{For higher costs the actual costs will be invoiced (in accordance with a quotation).}

Sending of copies

• Members of the university, private persons, Swiss public institutions

*plus CHF 5.– for every additional 20 resp. 50 pages

^{For higher costs the actual costs will be invoiced (in accordance with a quotation).}

• Companies/commercial use - Switzerland

International interlibrary loans for libraries

Reminder fees

^{After an unsuccessful 3rd reminder, the library reserves the right to purchase a replacement copy of the item after 10 days, at the user’s expense. The actual book price (determined by the University Library) and a processing fee of CHF 50.- will be charged.}

Replacement if a library copy is lost

If a user loses a library copy, the library will purchase a replacement copy. The book price (the library will determine the price of the book (hardcover) according to the current price in bookstores or second-hand bookshops) and an administration fee of CHF 50.- will be charged.

Commissioned information searches

Member of the university, private persons, Swiss public sector institutions

Companies/commercial use

Plus material costs (e.g. copies), any fees (telephone, fax, postage fees) and the costs charged by database providers.

The data supplied are intended for personal use and may not be passed on to third parties in any way.

Systematic Reviews

Basic orders (no billing of the end user)

Extended orders (charged to the end client)

* 50% discount for students (BA, MA) of the University of Basel
*exkl. VAT for non-members and students; excl. 20% overhead for non-members

The Kooperative Speicherbibliothek Schweiz in Büron (Lucerne) is an institution jointly supported by large Swiss libraries for the purposes of storing and conserving holdings under ideal conditions.  

The University Library Basel has stored approximately 9000 linear metres of journal volumes in the Kooperative Speicherbibliothek. These items may not be borrowed. You may order scans (sent by email) or paper copies (sent by post) of articles via swisscovery Basel. As a rule, the documents will be delivered within 1-2 working days.

Should you wish to look at a large number of volumes from the collective holdings at the same time, you may consult these on site in the reading room of the Speicherbibliothek. Information in this regard may be found at the Information Desk of the University Main Library.  

Kooperative Speicherbibliothek Schweiz, Büron (visualisation)