FAQ: Finding Literature

In the Regensburg Catalog plus you can find about 4.3 million items from various Regensburg libraries.
When you search here, the results are presented in three tabs:

In the first tab Regensburg Catalog you will find all media items of the University Library, the OTH Regensburg Library and other scientific libraries in Regensburg.

Here you will find books, journals, newspapers, electronic media like DVDs, CD-ROMs, e-books and e-journals.

In the second tab Articles & more, for example, articles from journals and books are displayed in selection. In many cases you will have access to the PDF of the article within the university network.
Please note that here you will find only a selection of articles. For a comprehensive literature search, use databases.

In the third tab Bavarian Library Union you find the holdings of scientific libraries in Bavaria, Berlin and Brandenburg. Books, that are not available in Regensburg, can be ordered here via inter-library loan.

Before you can borrow anything, you need a library card.

First, please check in which library the desired item is available. Klick on the desired hit in the Regensburg Catalog plus. Under holdings you can see where to find it.

Stacks: items from the stacks have to be ordered via the Regensburg Catalog plus using your library card. After about half a day, they will be available for pick up in the Loans section of the Central Library for five workdays. Books may be borrowed for 4 weeks (2 renewals may be possible under reserve).

Textbook Collection: you can take the basic literature from our Textbook Collection directly from the shelves and borrow it via self-checkout. Textbooks can be borrowed for 4 weeks (two renewals may be possible under reserve). Please make a note of the shelfmark to find the books in the Textbook Collection.

Reading rooms: books located in the reading rooms are to be used on site.
With the book scanners you can scan single chapters and save scans on your USB stick free of charge. Up to five books can be borrowed at the respective reading room counter. Students can borrow reading room books for two weeks, external users over the weekend. Please make a note of the call number to find the books in the reading room.

E-media: e-books and e-journals licensed for the University network can be used by students at CIP-Pool computers on campus, within the WiFi eduroam or from home via VPN or Shibboleth. External users can use e-media on a computer in the Information Center during the opening hours of the Information desk.

OTH Regensburg Library : the library card of the University Library is also valid at the OTH Regensburg Library. Those holdings can be ordered to the University Library via the Regensburg Catalog plus. After about two days, orders are available for pick up in the Loans section of the Central Library. You can also borrow media items on site. Items can be borrowed for 4 weeks ( 2 renewals may be possible under reserve).

Other libraries and archives: for the holdings of other libraries and archives you need a separate library card. In this case, please contact the respective institution.

If an article is available online, you can download it in PDF format by clicking on the button “Full text”. Some articles are available free of charge, some are licensed for the University network only. Licensed articles can be used by students at CIP-Pool computers on campus, within the WiFi eduroam or from home via VPN or Shibboleth.
External users can use e-media on a computer in the Information Center during the opening hours of the Information desk.

If an article is only available in print, click on the tab “Services” to see if the University Library has a subscription to the journal. If the journal is available, please make a note of the shelfmark and scan the article in the reading room. If the journal is not available in Regensburg, you can order a copy of the article via inter-library loan. Click on “Information” and on “Interlibrary loan” and log in with your user number and password. A new window will open where you can choose inter-library loan (copy from journal): Fernleihbestellung (Kopie aus Zeitschrift). Fill in the form with the details of the article (journal title, title and author of the article, year, volume, page numbers). If you are not sure about an entry, please use the comments field.

For a comprehensive literature search on a certain topic databases are suitable, as you will find more literature on your subject or topic and subject-specific search options are offered. In addition to books, you will also find, for example, articles from journals and contributions to books and anthologies from international sources.

The tab “Articles & more” provides only a selection of articles and book chapters. For a more in-depth research, use databases.

If you have any questions about databases, please contact the information desk and the subject librarians for the corresponding subjects.

When you have found a suitable publication in a database, the full text is usually available for reading or downloading.
If not, you will find the service SFX in many databases. This allows you to check whether a publication is available online or in print in a Regensburg library.
If the publication is not available in one of the Regensburg libraries, you can order the book or a copy of the journal article via inter-library loan.
To do so, click in the Regensburg catalog plus under "Information" on "Interlibrary loan" and log in with your user name and password.
A new window will open, where you can select the kind of order (book or article). In the form that opens, you can enter the details of the required publication. If you are not sure about an entry, please use the comments field.
If you have any questions about databases, please contact the Information or the subject librarians for the respective subject.

E-books are listed in the Regensburg Catalog plus. Some of them are accessible free of charge, but most of them are licensed by the Regensburg University Library or by the OTH Regensburg Library.

Licensed e-books can be used within the network of the respective university. You can tell which library has purchased the e-book by the note in the Regensburg Catalog plus "campus license for University of Regensburg" or "campus licsense for OTH Regensburg".

E-books licensed for the University network can be used by students at CIP-Pool computers on campus, within the WiFi eduroam or from home via VPN or Shibboleth. External users can use e-media on a computer in the Information Center during the opening hours of the Information desk.
If you have any questions, please contact the Information.

E-books of the OTH Regensburg Library can be used by students and external users on a computer in the OTH Regensburg library. You can read the e-book and in many cases it's possible to download the e-book (to your own USB stick).

Further information on e-books.

If you have any questions or problems with e-books, please feel free to contact the Information desk.