Current services of the University Library

Current Services of the University Library

On this page

⟹ Services concerning the supply of literature

⟹ Library card, borrowing items/collection (holdings of the Central Library, interlibrary loan), returning items (holdings of the Central Library, interlibrary loan), scan service

⟹ Study, online search, Zoom places and group study rooms

⟹ Other services

⟹ Courses, scan and copy, fees and fines, obtaining transaction numbers (interlibrary loan), dissertations, university bibliography

⟹ Contact details

Opening times of the Central Library:

Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm

Information/service desk:

Mon to Fri: 8 am to 6 pm
Sat: 10 am to 4 pm

You can contact the information team on the phone 0234 /32 - 26461 (Mon to Fr: 8 am to 6 pm, Sa: 10 am to 4 pm) or via Chat (Mon to Fri: 9 am to 4 pm) or via email ub-information (at) rub.de.

NEW: Don't get lost - use our new digital library guide
Find your way to all of our stock and service areas with the help of our new digital library guide by V:Scout. Navigate around the library using our digital information panels in the library or your mobile phone. No more searching for call numbers, the system will lead you directly to the correct shelf. You can navigate there directly by clicking on the link underneath the call number displayed in the catalogue RUB PRIMO. Self-return or self-issuing machines, lockers, work spaces, scanners, toilets etc. can be found via the menu or searched for.

Access to electronic resources

External access from your home

Use the external access to e-books, electronic journals and databases via VPN tunnel.

Part of the resources can also be accessed via Shibboleth, further information about access conditions and participating publishers you can find here.

E-Books

We have put together a selection of our e-book packages that have been bought or licensed by the Central Library or individual departmental libraries for use at the Ruhr University.

A comprehensive list of our e-book packages can be found in DBIS.

Please also search for individual e-books the RUB has bought a licence for in the RUB PRIMO
Tip: The title you are looking for is not available? Suggest the purchase of an e-book, and we will check access rights and price and get back to you. Please use our online request form Buchvorschlag online.

E-journals

Search for accessible e-journals in the Electronic Journals Library (EZB)

Databases

Here you find the list of databases licensed by the RUB:
Databases in alphabetical order | Databases by discipline:

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Services concerning the supply of literature

Library card

Library card / students of the RUB
Your student ID card also functions as your library card.
Student ID cards issued from WS 20/21 onwards have the library number (15 digits) on the back. Holders of student ID cards issued before then use the digital library card [German]. The matriculation number is NOT a valid library number!
You will also need your library password for the borrowing or library account login procedure! Here (->Account ->Forgot your password?) you can request a new password if necessary.
Library card / External users and staff
External users and staff of the RUB can apply for a library card at the information/service desk:
- Mon to Wed, Fri: 8 am to 4 pm
- Thu: 8 am to 6 pm
- Sat: 10 am to 4 pm
- You can apply for a library card beforehand via email to ausweise-ub (at) rub.de
- The following documents are required:
- valid German ID card (front and back) OR valid passport and recent official registration of residence ("Meldebescheinigung") of the town you live in
- RUB staff need to also bring their work contract.

Borrowing/collection of items (holdings of the Central Library, interlibrary loan)

Borrowing (self-issuing machines) items from the Central Library
You can borrow items from the open stacks of the Central Library using our self-issuing machines during our opening hours:
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm
- The self-issuing machines are located near the staircase on the ground and first floor.
- Please bring your student ID/(digital)library card.
- You will need the library password to use the self-issuing machines! Here (->Account ->Forgot your password?) you can request a new password if necessary - you will have to log on to your library account and change it before you can use the machine!
Borrowing of long-term lockers
You can borrow a long-term locker at the information/service desk during these times:
- Mon to Wed, Fri: 8 am to 4 pm
- Thu: 8 am to 6 pm
- Sat: 10 am to 4 pm
- Combined lockers and workspaces for students writing their doctoral dissertations are not available at the moment.
Collection of reserved books
The shelf with the reserved books is freely accessible. It is located on the ground floor.
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm
- Please take the book that is reserved for you off the shelf and borrow it using the self-issuing machine.
Interlibrary loan: Collection of books/articles, reading room use
You can collect interlibrary loan books and articles which you received a collection notification ("Abholbenachrichtigung") for or which have the status "ready for collection" ("abholbar") in your library account at the information/service desk during these times:
- Mon to Wed, Fri: 8 am to 4 pm
- Thu: 8 am to 6 pm
- Sat: 10 am to 4 pm
- During these times you can also use interlibrary loan books in our reading room that have been excluded from borrowing by the lending library. Please report to the information/service desk.

Returning items

Returning items (holdings of the Central Library)
You can return books at the machines in the room signposted "Medienrückgabe" (ground floor, behind the lockers) as well as at the external self-return machine during these times:
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm
Returning items (holdings of the Central Library without RFID tag)
Items from the holdings of the Central Library without RFID tag will not be accepted by the self-return machines. Please put these in the appropriate book drop box located in the room signposted "Medienrückgabe" (ground floor, behind the lockers).
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm
- You won’t get a receipt when you return the books. When you log on to your library account later you will notice that they have been taken off your account.
Returning interlibrary loan books
You can return interlibrary loan books at the information/service desk:
- Mon to Wed, Fri: 8 am to 4 pm
- Thu: 8 am to 6 pm
- Sat: 10 am to 4 pm
- This way they will be be taken off your account immediately and you can get a receipt.
Alternatively you can put them in the appropriate book drop box located in the room signposted "Medienrückgabe" (ground floor, behind the lockers):
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm
- You won't get a receipt when you return the books. When you log on to your library account later you will notice that they have been taken off your account.
Returning items via mail
If it is not possible for you or someone you trust to come and return the borrowed items at the specified times, you can send them via mail to this address:
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Universitätsbibliothek
Abt. Benutzungsdienste
z. H. Herrn Althaus/Herrn Krampe
Universitätsstr. 150
44801 Bochum

Scan Service of the University Library

Under certain conditions we offer a scan service for print media

Scan service for printed material for scientists and lecturers
Virtual-walk-in service for e-resources, if you are facing technical problems with the VPN tunnel
Barrier-free scans for students with visual impairments

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Study, online search, Zoom places and and group study rooms

Study places

Study places are located in the central stair case area, the shelving areas and the reading rooms. Prior booking ist not required.
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm
Please note: The consumption of food and beverages (apart from water) within the building is not allowed.

Places for internet searches

You can take a seat at any of the online search places. These are equipped with an internet computer.
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm
Please note: The consumption of food and beverages (apart from water) within the building is not allowed.

Places for attending Zoom meetings: passive

You can take a seat at any of the Zoom places (labelled "HIRN-Port). These places are intended for passive (listening) participation in an online event.
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm
- The places are equipped with a LAN socket. You can get a LAN cable at the information/service desk for a deposit.
- Further places for Zoom meetings at the RUB [German] ..
Please note: The consumption of food and beverages (apart from water) within the building is not allowed.

Places for attending Zoom meetings: active

As a RUB student you can book a place intended for actively taking part in an online event. The places are located on the first floor opposite the orange elevators (area 2). In our booking system you can choose one of these time slots for an online meeting:
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 10 am | 10 am to 12 pm | 12 pm to 2 pm | 2 pm to 4 pm | 4 pm to 6 pm | 6 pm to 8 pm
You will receive a booking confirmation via email. Please report to the information/service desk shortly before your appointment.
Please bring your own hardware.
Please note: The consumption of food and beverages (apart from water) within the building is not allowed.

Group study rooms

Several groop study rooms/areas are available, which can be used spontaneously or with prior booking. Please note: You will need two LoginIDs to finish the booking.
To the booking system.
Please note: The consumption of food and beverages (apart from water) within the building is not allowed.

Other services

Courses

Here you will find a list of courses and one-on-one advice sessions that you can attend either online or on site in one of our training rooms, covering a variety of library related topics. We also recommend our videos, Moodle courses and tutorials for a flexible scheduling of your online learning.

Scan and copy

Scanners can be used during our entire opening times:
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm

All photocopiers on campus were taken out of service on the 31st of March 2023. This also applies to the copiers in the Central Library. Copies can still be made in the copycenter in the SSC building (SSC 01/219) as well as in the Uni Center and the Campus Center. Further information in the RUB-News, 21.10.2022 [German].

Fees and fines: Paying at the payment machine

Overdue fines and interlibrary loan fees can be paid at the payment machine (opposite the lockers on the ground floor):
- Mon to Fri: 8 am to 11 pm
- Sat and Sun: 10 am to 7 pm
- Only possible with a debit card.

Fees and fines: Paying by bank transfer

You can also pay your fees and fines (Fines, fees for interlibrary loan, all other fees) via bank transfer stating the follwing data:

Ruhr-Universität Bochum
IBAN DE19 4305 0001 0001 2200 11
BIC WELADED1BOC
Reference Library number
AND 1302110001*
*reason for transfer

Obtaining transaction numbers (interlibrary loan)

Staff of the RUB can get transaction numbers at the information/service desk:
- Mon to Wed, Fri: 8 am to 4 pm
- Thu: 8 am to 6 pm
- Sat: 10 am to 4 pm
- Please fill out and bring a transfer form [German].
- Alternatively you can send the transfer form via email to ub-information (at) rub.de. In this case the transaction numbers will be sent electronically.

Dissertations

You can submit your dissertation by mail. NEW: Submission of the electronic version of the deposit copy of a dissertation or habilitation is now possible via email or upload.

University Bibliography

It is possible to register publications for the University Bibliography.

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Contact details: Central Library

General information (fees, overdue items notifications, loan periods, general database information, bibliographic reference managers): ub-information (at) rub.de
Subject specific counseling (via email to the listed contacts)
Journals Department: journals (at) rub.de
Exchange and Theses Department: theses-ub (at) rub.de
University Bibliography: bibliographie-ub (at) rub.de
Research Data Management (RDM): fdm-helpdesk (at) rub.de
Open Access: oa (at) rub.de

Contact details: Associated Libraries

Joint Library IB: verbundbibliothek-ib (at) rub.de
Joint Library IC: verbundbibliothek-ic (at) rub.de

Services and contact data of the departmental libraries

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