RWTH Aachen University has a Central Library with several branch libraries in remote areas and about 150 departmental libraries. The Central Library is the main lending library. Its role is to provide access to the information resources required by members of the University for research learning and teaching. There is a variety of material to support learning and research at the University; over 1,200,000 printed volumes, about 4000 journals, and an extensive range of high quality digital resources. Many resources are accessible from off-campus via the Internet. The use of the Library is regulated in the Library Regulations for the University Library at RWTH Aachen and in the Fee Policy for the University Library at RWTH Aachen University.

Address

Staff

Librarian

Deputy Librarian

Opening hours

Loan Department / Interlibrary Loan Department
(ground floor)
Tel.: 80-94456
E-Mail: ausleihe@bth.rwth-aachen.de  /  fernleihe@bth.rwth-aachen.de
Last orders: 30 minutes before closure
Mon - Fri:   8.30 - 19.00
Sat:   9.00 - 13.00
Mon - Fri: Books ordered until 16:00 can be borrowed at the same day.

University Publications (Thesis)
(gallery of the ground floor)

Printed Publications:
Tel.: 80-94464
E-Mail: hss@bth.rwth-aachen.de
Room 16E
Mo-Fri 9.00 - 12.00

Digital Publications:
Tel.: 80-94494
E-Mail: opus@bth.rwth-aachen.de
Room 15E
Mo-Thu 8.30 - 16.30
Fri 8.30 - 15.00
An appointment is required.

Reading Rooms:

Lernen und Arbeiten I + II
(1st floor)
Mon - Fri: 8.00 - 24.00
Sat:          9.00 - 24.00
Sun:        11.00 - 24.00

Informationszentrum - IZ
(2nd floor)
Tel.: 80-94459
E-Mail: iz@bth.rwth-aachen.de
Mon - Fri: 8.00 - 24.00
Sat:          9.00 - 24.00
Sun:        11.00 - 24.00

Patent Information Centre (PNZ)
(3rd floor)
Tel.: 80-94480 or 80-93601
Fax: (0241) 80 92-239
Internet: www.bth.rwth-aachen.de/PNZ/
E-Mail: pnz@bth.rwth-aachen.de
Mon, Tue:  8.30 - 16.30
Wed:         8.30 - 18.30
Thu, Fri:     8.30 - 16.30

Tel.: 80-88993
Fax: (0241) 80-82493
Internet: www.bth.rwth-aachen.de/mb/index.html
E-Mail: medbibl@bth.rwth-aachen.de
Opening hours
Mon - Fri: 8.00 - 21.00
Sat:         9.00 - 17.00
Lending hours
Mon:          9.00 - 16.45
Tue - Thu: 9.00 - 19.30
Fri:           9.00 - 15.45
Sat:          9.00 - 12.45

How to Use the Central Library

Members of the University and guests may use the library in accordance with Library Regulations. On first coming to the Central Library users should ask for a registration card at the Issue Desk (ground floor). There are no fees.

Reference Desk
(2nd floor)
Tel.: 80-94459
E-Mail: iz@bth.rwth-aachen.de
Information specialists are available to tell you how to use the library and its catalogues and information sources.

Guided Tours
There are guided tours at the beginning of each semester (see special announcements posted in the library or in the internet). For special group guidance ask at the Reference Desk (Telephone: 80-94459).

The library maintains library research workstations in the Reading Rooms and the entrance hall to provide access to electronic resources available on-site and via the internet in support of research and learning.
There are also workstations for free internet available for staff and registered students of the RWTH. Login with the number of your library usercard and password (groundfloor), login with RWTH user-id and password (Lernen + Arbeiten I, 1st floor).
The Library has a pay-printing workstation that allows you to send print jobs from any of the library's workstations. The pay-printing workstation is to be found in the entrance hall on the ground floor. You can't send print jobs to other networked printers from our workstations. It isn't possible to send jobs from wireless-connected laptops.
Wireless network-access is available in the entire library.

Borrowing from the Library

The materials of the Central library are not shelved on open access but in closed stack rooms. Library material from the closed stacks can be requested electronically through the library catalogue or by handing in a request form at the Circulation Desk.
After waiting for a few minutes your name will be called and you will be attended to. Requested materials will be held 2 days at the circulation desk.

Period of loan
books:        4 weeks
periodicals: 2 weeks

If you forget to return books or periodicals in time you will incur an automatic fine on the following scale:
01 - 10 days of delay: EUR   2.00 per volume
11 - 20 days of delay: EUR   5.00 per volume
21 - 30 days of delay: EUR  10.00 per volume
31 - 40 days of delay: EUR  20.00 per volume

Catalogues

Catalogue of the University Library Aachen
The Catalogue of the University Library Aachen includes the collection of the Central Library and all branch libraries. For books and dissertations of the Central Library with publishing year until 1988 verify your search at the printed alphabetical card catalogue in the entrance hall of the Central Library. Single book chapters and journal articles are not included.
The catalogue is the key to finding what you want. Catalogue records give a bibliographic description (author, title, publication details, etc.) of each item, list the holding (branch)libraries, the call numbers and tell you whether the item is on loan.
As well as enabling you to locate books, journals and other library materials, it also allows you to check your user account for details of your loans, recalls and interlibrary loan requests as well as renewing your loans and other services.
To do any of this you will need to enter your user number and password.

Catalogue of the Departmental Libraries
At Aachen University there are more than 150 Departmental Libraries whose administration is independent from the Central Library, i.e. they have individual library regulations and library cards. Their collections are searchable via the Departmental Catalogue. However, please note that in these libraries books and journals are generally reference only and cannot be borrowed.

Catalogue of Journals at Aachen University
Catalogue of journals held at the Central Library and/or the Departmental Libraries.

Interlibrary loan service

As not everything you need is held in our own collections, the interlibrary loan service obtains items not available from our own stock. We endeavour to find those items and make them available to you.

Requests can be made via Digitale Bibliothek. You need to logon with your user name and password to access the ILL service. We will notify you using your preferred means of contact when the requested materials are available at the Circulation Desk. We encourage correspondence by e-mail.

For details ask the information specialists.

Text-Book Collection

Text-books of which several copies are available are kept in the Text-Book Collection. These books are marked LB in the catalogues. They are on open access.

Xerox and Reading Machines for Microforms

Xerox machines and scanners are on the ground floor and in the Reading Rooms on the 1st and 2nd floor.

The Library also has a reader-printer (Informationszentrum 2nd floor).

A reading machine for microforms is also available in the Informationszentrum (2nd floor).