FAQ Library

The four libraries in our library system have different opening hours. You can find them here.

Changes to the opening hours will be announced in the news section of the library and on notice boards.

The university library can be used by anyone, the only requirement for borrowing is a valid residence in Germany. Borrowing media from the Language Centre and Forestry libraries is restricted to members of the university.

For members of the University of applied sciences (students, staff, professors), the Student.Card or the service card serves as a library card, other users receive an extra card. Students of the Technical University of Munich can use the TU card. In any case, it is necessary to register your personal data before borrowing items for the first time. Non-university members require a valid identity card.

For minors, a written authorisation from a legal guardian is required for registration.

Use of the library including most services (on-site lending, interlibrary loan, e-media use, research...) is free of charge.

Only reminders for overdue loans, damaged media and some interlibrary loan services (delivery of copies, loss of the order form) are subject to a charge.

You will find your library number on the back of your Student.Card (or service card or library card) under the barcode.

The password is preset to your date of birth in the form DDMM. You can change it at any time in our online catalogue (via the tabs: My details - User details - Change password).

If you have changed your password (the default setting is always your date of birth in the form DDMM) and then forgotten it, you can have a new one sent to you via the online catalogue (login button, "Forgot password").

Alternatively, the library staff can reset your password to the default setting at any time.

If you lose your Student.Card, please contact Student.Service. You will receive a new card, which must then be re-registered in the library.

If you lose a user card issued by the library, please contact us and we will issue you with a new card.

HSWT students can change their address details online via Student.Service, the library will then be informed of the change by e-mail. However, it is safer for you to announce the change of address directly in the library. Only if you have your address changed directly by the library can you be sure that our mail will reach you (e.g. notifications are sent by letter if someone else reserves a book you have borrowed and you therefore have to return it earlier).

All other library users (staff, professors, students from other universities of applied sciences, other users) should always contact the library service desk directly (in person, by phone or by email) to make a change.

Anything that does not disturb others and cannot cause damage to the media is permitted. This means:

• Drinks: may be taken along in sealed containers, open drinks are not permitted
• Food: small snacks (e.g. chocolate bars or similar) are permitted as long as they do not have a strong odour (the warm Leberkässemmel must therefore remain outside)
• Bags: must remain in the cloakroom or in the lockers, but you can put the things you need in the library in the baskets provided
• Mobile phones, tablets etc.: are of course allowed, but please set the devices to silent or vibrate alarm mode
• Pets: are unfortunately not allowed in the library or in the anteroom (guide dogs and guide dogs are exempt from this rule).

In general, you are welcome to lock your personal belongings in the lockers in the cloakroom, for which you will need a euro coin (in Triesdorf: a two-euro coin). If you don't have one with you, you can borrow a coin from the counter.

The library accepts no liability for lost or stolen items.

You can borrow up to 50 media at the same time.

Yes, the following media are excluded from lending:

• Media with a "not available for loan" sticker: these are mainly titles of which we have more than three copies. One of these always remains in the library as a reference copy for inspection or for making copies and scans.
• Journals: can only be consulted, copied or scanned in the library due to their topicality. There are some exceptions to this rule (e.g. language journals or popular science journals), which can be borrowed for one week.

A loan period of 20 opening days applies to books. This is automatically extended up to three times if the title is not reserved (this means a total of 80 opening days). At the end of the loan period, you will receive an e-mail reminder that you must return the media.

In the first (basic) loan period, the deadline is certain; only from the renewal phase onwards can the item be reclaimed earlier by placing a reservation. In this case you will receive a letter from the library. Please make sure that you always give us your correct address.

Special conditions apply to some media:

• Theses: normal loan period, but only one renewal (theses can only be borrowed by university members!); in Triesdorf, however, there are also three renewals for theses
• Borrowable journals, AV media (CDs, DVDs): one week and one week extension
• Media that have already been earmarked for loan: shortened loan periods apply here, so be sure to check the loan period for each book individually on the account statement that you receive with each loan!
• Media from the Forestry Departmental Library: can only be borrowed by university members

In principle, you never have to renew your media yourself; this happens automatically on the last day of the current loan period, provided the medium can still be renewed.

However, you can also renew items manually in the online catalogue (via "my details" - "account summary") or find out about your current loan period at any time.

You are welcome to use the library premises at any time without your library card, and you can also search the catalogue without registering.

You need your library card for

• borrowing media
• Reservations and orders
• Account information

The library card is NOT required for returning media.

You can access your library account at any time via our online catalogue. Simply click on "My details - Account summary" and log in with your library number (on the back of the card under the barcode) and your password (the default setting is your date of birth in the form DDMM).

Here you can see what you have borrowed, how long you can keep the media, whether you have to pay fees, etc.

You have several options here:

• You send us the book by post to the address of the (branch) library where you borrowed the item.
• You can use our media return boxes (bookreturns) at the respective library to return the media (simply drop them in carefully).

If you forget to return the borrowed media on time, despite our reminder e-mail or a reclaim, you will be reminded with costs.

The reminder fees are based on the current No. 8 of the "Verordnung über den Erlass des Kostenverzeichnisses zum Kostengesetz" (Kostenverzeichnis - KVz) of 18 April 1999 in the latest version (BGVBl 2000, p. 839). They amount to:

• 1st reminder - 7.50 Euros, if necessary additionally:
• 2nd reminder - 10.00 Euros, additional if applicable:
• 3rd reminder - 20.00 Euros plus 5.00 Euros postage costs, if applicable additionally:
• 4th reminder - 30.00 Euros plus 5.00 Euros postage plus compensation costs if applicable

The reminder fees add up, e.g. after receipt of the 2nd reminder 17.50 Euros must be paid (1st reminder 7.50 Euros + 2nd reminder 10.00 Euros = 17.50 Euros).

Payment is only possible in cash at the library. Once the books have been returned, only the fees already incurred will be charged. The library account remains blocked until the fees have been paid in full.

If you are unable to return your books on time due to illness, the reminder fees can be cancelled upon presentation of a medical certificate.

In any case, please call us in good time if you can foresee that you will not be able to meet a loan deadline. We will then try to find a solution together with you.

Yes, but the person needs your card and a written authorisation to collect the ordered medium.

Access to theses is regulated differently in the individual departments:

• Departments LA and AE: all released theses are available in the library and can be searched for via the library catalogue. The current three volumes are available in the library, the older volumes can be ordered from the stacks via the catalogue. They can be borrowed with a normal loan period and one renewal.
• Department WF: all released works are accessible in the forestry library.
• Departments BI and GL: the works are not accessible via the library. Please contact the respective department chair's office.
• Triesdorf departments: the released theses are accessible in the Triesdorf branch library and can be borrowed by university members.

If you want to search for literature available in the library, it is best to use our online catalogue.

Here you can find books, journals, AV media, theses (diploma and bachelor theses), e-books and e-journals that are available or licensed in the HSWT library.

Important note: please always select the OPAC access according to the branch you are in (e.g. if you are in Triesdorf, use the access for the Triesdorf branch library). Otherwise orders, reservations etc. will not be allocated correctly. In addition, you will always see the hits from your own branch first (however, the entire holdings of the library system will always be searched and displayed).

Please note: to search for journal articles (both print and e-journals), please use our literature databases!

The easiest way to search in the OPAC is via the "Keyword anywhere" field. Here you can enter all the terms you want to search for, e.g. title, author, year of publication, but also thematic terms. It is therefore not absolutely necessary to select a specific search category.

Use terms that are as specific as possible and follow the principle "less is more", then there will be fewer typing errors. Capitalisation and the order of the search terms do not matter.

Especially for thematic searches, it is advisable to truncate search terms. The * replaces none to an infinite number of characters. You should therefore simply cut off the word you are looking for in the right place in order to find as many variants as possible. E.g. biotechnolog* finds terms such as "biotechnology", "biotechnology company", "biotechnological" etc.

You can find instructions for searching in OPAC here (German language).

There are two things to note here:

Location of the medium: you can already see the signature of a copy in the results overview, starting with the location. The most important locations are:

• 00/00: Open access collection of the central library
• 00/08: Textbook collection central library
• 00/01: Central Library stacks
• 10/00: Triesdorf branch library
• 30/00: Forestry Branch Library
• 80/00: Language centre library
• Further locations can be found in plain text directly next to the respective result

Important note: please always select the OPAC access according to the branch you are in (e.g. if you are in Triesdorf, use the access for the Triesdorf Branch Library). Otherwise orders, reservations etc. will not be allocated correctly. In addition, you will always see the hits from your own branch first (however, the entire holdings of the library system are always searched and displayed).

Status of the medium:

• Available: the item can be borrowed directly from the respective location. If you are at the right location, simply take the item from the shelf and have it checked out at the counter.
• For order: You can order from the stacks and from both university locations. Simply go to the individual title and click on "for order" in the copy display. After entering your user number and password, the item can be ordered to your own branch. You will receive an e-mail as soon as you can collect it from the counter (does not apply to stack orders, these are ready for collection on the next working day at midday).
• On loan until: You can reserve borrowed media. To do this, click on "on loan until" in the item display of the individual item. (first select the item with the earliest loan period end date). After entering your user number and password, the item can be reserved. You will receive an e-mail as soon as you can collect it from the counter.
• Not available: If you are at the correct location or it is accessible to you, you can use the item in the respective library, but you cannot borrow it. In the case of handbooks from professors, you must go to the respective teacher yourself and ask for the book.

The shelfmark is a combination of numbers and letters that is individually assigned to a specific copy of a title and makes it easier to find it.

In the central library, for example, shelfmarks look like this:

00/00 BIO 400/20

The first four digits indicate the location, followed by a "descriptive" combination of letters for the relevant subject and a three-digit number for the subject area. In this case, that would be biology, general botany. You can find a list of all these so-called "subject areas" including the different locations here. The last number is simply a consecutive number.

The books are organised on the shelves according to these shelfmark groups, so you will always find all books on a particular subject on the same shelf.

In the Triesdorf branch library, for example, shelfmarks look like this:

10/00 XIX.1.Gru 12 T 596

Here too, the first four digits indicate the location, followed by a Roman numeral and an Arabic numeral describing the subject area. In the example above: "XIX.1" = water and below that hydrology, hydrogeology. You can find a list of all these "subject areas" here. This is followed by the first three letters of the author's surname or the title. The last letter-number combination is an internal number that uniquely identifies each copy.

Search for the desired title in our online catalogue. Click on the individual hit (you can do this by clicking on the title or on the adjacent symbol). Then select the "holdings" tab. In the list you will see the status and loan periods of all items. Select the one that has the shortest loan period and has not yet been reserved. After entering your user number and password, the copy will be reserved for you. You will receive an e-mail from us as soon as you can collect it from the counter. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the date given in the OPAC as it depends on when the borrower returns the item.

You can order from the stacks and from both university locations (i.e. from Weihenstephan to Triesdorf and vice versa).

Search for the desired title in the online catalogue. Go to the individual title (click on the title or the adjacent symbol) and select the "holdings" tab. There you will see a list of all copies and their status. Now click on "for order" (if there is no copy available to borrow in your branch). After entering your user number and password, the item can be ordered to your branch. You will receive an e-mail as soon as you can collect it from the counter (does not apply to orders from the stacks, these are ready for collection on the next working day at midday).

You can always find licensed e-media (e-books, e-journals) via our library catalogue. Here you can access the full texts directly. On the university campus, it is sufficient to log in with your personal IT ID on the respective computer; for access from home, you need VPN access (with the Full Tunnel Special setting).

There are also e-media services that require special registration conditions or are only available to a certain group of people. You can find these in the e-media area on the intranet.

For a thematic search for journal articles (from print journals and e-journals), it is best to use literature databases. These subject databases analyse individual subject areas.

In our library catalogue you cannot search for articles, but only for the journal in which the desired article appears. So if you already know when and in which journal the article was published, you can simply search in the OPAC using the journal title and year of publication.

If you are looking for a more comprehensive search (especially important for theses), it is best to select the relevant databases via our database information system DBIS. All licenced databases are sorted by subject area and accessible via direct links. Of course, you can also search for individual databases here.

If you cannot find what you are looking for here, you have several options:

• Order the literature you want via interlibrary loan. You can order both books and journal articles. You can find more information in the "Interlibrary loan and document delivery" section.
• Send us an acquisition proposal via our web form. There you fill in a short form with the details of the desired title.

You can order literature that is NOT available in the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University Library or other libraries in Freising or Triesdorf via interlibrary loan.

All persons who have a valid library card from the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University Library. In Triesdorf, interlibrary loan is only possible for members of the University of applied sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf.

• books already available on site, even if they are currently on loan (in Freising, this also applies to the Weihenstephan TU library, for example)
• Books that we cannot order online from another library
• Master's, bachelor's and diploma theses
• Books that are available in regular bookshops for up to €15
• DIN standards and VDI guidelines
• Loose-leaf editions
• Fiction (novels)

Interlibrary loan requests for books are usually free of charge. However, if the original cannot be borrowed, a copy is sometimes supplied for a fee (in this case you will normally be contacted by us and asked whether you would like this).

A charge of 1.50 euros is payable for copies delivered from the interlibrary loan system.

You can decline to pay this fee when ordering under point 2 "Delivery details". For copies up to 40 pages, however, the charge of 1.50 euros must always be paid.

The calculation is based on the page count of the original. Different fees may apply for copy deliveries from non-Bavarian libraries.

Please note: If you have ordered an essay, you will have to pay fees in any case - the fees do not expire even if you do not collect the essay.

First check the OPAC to see if the item you want is already available in Freising or Triesdorf. If this is not the case, you can either place an interlibrary loan request directly in the OPAC (select the catalogue of the Bavarian Library Network via "Database selection") or in Gateway Bayern. Depending on whether you want to borrow a book or request a copy of a book or journal, the procedure is slightly different. Please read the following PDF instructions:

• Ordering via Gateway Bayern (German language)
• Ordering via OPAC plus (German language)

The processing of a book order via interlibrary loan takes approx. 2 weeks. Orders for articles are usually processed within 10 days.

You will always be notified by e-mail when your order arrives.

• Book orders: You can check the status of your interlibrary loan at any time in your library account, as it is booked as an interlibrary loan order in your library account at Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University Library as soon as you have ordered the book. You can find your interlibrary loan requests there under the menu item "interlibrary loan". As long as the book has not yet arrived, it has the status "ordered". When the book has arrived, it will have the status "available for collection". You will also receive an e-mail notification as soon as the ordered book has arrived.

• Essay orders: An e-mail from the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University Library will inform you when the book is ready for collection.

The lending library may impose certain restrictions on the use of our library within the framework of the lending regulations, e.g. shortened loan period, no possibility of renewal, use only in the reading room, no copying, etc. We are bound by these restrictions without exception.

Members of the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf can use our multifunctional devices to copy, scan and print pdf files with their Student.Card or ID card (after logging in to the PCs provided with their personal IT ID).

All users of the central library and the Triesdorf branch library can also use our book scanner to make scans free of charge. Please bring a USB stick with you.

For printouts that are not directly related to your research activities, please use the IT rooms at the University of applied sciences.

University members can use the databases and e-media licensed by us from home free of charge. The following requirements are necessary:

• Set up a VPN client (with the Full-Tunnel (Special) setting)
• Log in to the HSWT homepage with your user ID

As a member of the university, you have several options for this:

• You have your own internet-enabled device: the easiest way is to use our WLAN hotspot via eduroam (education roaming). You will need your Radius ID for this. This consists of the global user ID extended by '@hswt.de', e.g. xy1234@hswt.de (the password corresponds to your global user password).

• You would like to work on one of our computers: in the central library in Weihenstephan, only the four PCs in the rear area of the library are available for Internet use (the OPAC computers in the front area of the library can only be used for research in the catalogue). Please log in with your computer user ID and password. In the Triesdorf branch library you will find several PCs on the ground floor and on the first floor for internet use after prior registration with your user ID and password. In the Forestry branch library you will also find a computer for free use after logging in with your ID.

In the central library in Weihenstephan, in the Triesdorf branch library and in the Forestry branch library, you can also use our guest ID to search the Internet as a non-university member after registering at the counter and presenting your ID card. You must specify your research topic for this; use purely for leisure purposes or to retrieve e-mails is not permitted.

You are of course welcome to use your laptop, tablet etc. in the library. Please make sure that the devices are set to silent. You will find power sockets at almost all workstations (under the tables).

Information on using the internet can be found one question above.

Are you new to the University of applied sciences or haven't used the library yet?

Here you can get an initial overview: Short presentation of the library (German language)

There is also a Moodle course for library newcomers"How does the library work?" (German language).

If you would like to get to know the library a little better, our introductions to using the library are just right for you. Here you will learn how to find your way around the library and how to search the library catalogue (OPAC).

In Weihenstephan, we offer these introductory sessions for small groups all year round by appointment. The procedure is very simple:

• The minimum number of participants is 3 and the maximum is 10. Join forces with your fellow students and register:

• Register at schulung.bibliothek@hswt.de, stating: all participants with contact details (telephone number and email address), preferred date (Mon to Fri between 13:00 and 16:00)

We will then get in touch with you and organise your visit.

Library tours take place regularly in Triesdorf. You can find the dates and registration lists on the notice board at the library entrance in building A. You are also welcome to contact us with individual appointment requests. Just send us an e-mail to schulung.bibliothek@hswt.de.

We offer literature research counselling for students, especially for thematic searches. Here you will learn how to use the library's range of information in a personalised way. We teach you how to search for your topic in catalogues, literature databases and e-media offers, how to access the titles you find and how to manage them in the best way. We offer these introductions for individuals or small groups of up to five people. Please make an appointment, stating your research topic. Allow about 60 to 90 minutes.

Simply make an appointment with us by e-mail.

For students of individual subjects or departments, we offer subject-specific introductions to literature research in consultation with the respective lecturer. These courses usually last 90 minutes, but can also be organised as block courses over an entire semester. We organise these courses according to the wishes of the respective teacher. Please contact us with the following information: department, subject, desired topics, number of participants, desired duration and intensity of the event.

Especially for school classes (e.g. individual seminars), we offer a customised introduction to using the library. After a short tour of the library, pupils can learn how to search the library catalogue and use the library themselves and receive valuable tips on finding literature for presentations, seminar papers, etc. These events last approx. 60 minutes and are suitable for groups of up to 15 people. Please make an appointment with us and let us know your exact wishes for the event.