FAQ – Library Services during the Corona Pandemic

Borrowing, Returning, Media Reclaims

Can I apply for a library card or have it renewed?

From 2 June 2020, you can apply for a library card or have your existing one renewed. To do so, you must make an appointment in advance in the branch library of your choice. Please bring all necessary documents with you.

Make an appointment

StudentCard and PersonalCard as your library card
TUM members do not have to come to library. TUM students can self-activate their StudentCard in TUMonline, TUM employees can contact our First Level Hotline.

Further information
All about the library card
Library number & password

Can I order books via the online catalogue OPAC?

On 2 June around 10:00 a.m. you can start ordering again literature via our online catalogue OPAC. For check-out you must make an individual appointment in advance.

Ordered items are usually ready for check-out after 3 working days. Orders from or to the Branch Library Straubing can only be picked up after 5 working days due to the geographical distance. Please plan your check-out date accordingly.

Arrange an check-out appointment

Open Access Collections and Textbooks
Please also order in advance via OPAC books from textbook collections as well as items usually accessible in the reading rooms. At present, you cannot pick up books from the shelves yourself.

Reservations not possible
Currently, you cannot reserve library items borrowed by other users.

Further Information
Online Catalogue OPAC
Ordering & Reserving
Textbook Collections

How can I borrow books?

After Pentecost, our loan services are available again. You will need to pre-order requested literature in the OPAC and then make an individual appointment for the check-out. OPAC ordering functions are reactivated from 2 June around 10:00 a.m.

Please also order in advance via OPAC items from our textbook collections as well as literature usually accessible in the reading rooms. At present, you cannot pick up literature from the shelves yourself.

Arrange an check-out appointment

E-Media
Please make use of our wide range of online media with priority: TUM members have access to more than 160,00 e-books, 45,000 e-journals and 2,400 databases.

Reference Collections
For library items that are not available for loan (e.g. reference literature or literature that can only be used in the reading room) TUM members can order scans via dokumenTUM.

Further Information
Borrowing & Checking-out
Textbook Collections
Remote Access via eAccess

Can I pick up pre-ordered books?

After Pentecost, our loan services are available again. You must pre-order all desired literature via OPAC and then make an individual appointment for the check-out. OPAC ordering functions are reactivated from 2 June around 10:00 a.m.

Books that you ordered before the Corona pandemic in March 2020 can no longer be picked up.
Please order them again.

Arrange an check-out appointment

How can I return borrowed books?

From 2 June, you can return borrowed library items. Please arrange an individual appointment for this. Please refrain from unannounced visits to the library.

Make an appointment

Fee-based Media Reclaims
We will resume fee-based media reclaims on 13 July 2020. Please, return books whenever it is possible for you in a safe way until this date. You can also return books by mail.

Reservations, Renewals, Re-lending
For reasons of hygiene, returned media will be kept safe for three days ("book quarantine").Therefore, reservations on checked out items are currently not possible. Existing reservations will be cancelled. It is also not possible to re-lend books with expired loan periods immediately at the circulation desk.

Further Information
Renewing & Returning
Returns by Mail

When will fee-based media reclaims be resumed?

Starting 13 July 2020, we will resume reclaiming borrowed media with expired loan periods at a charge.

Returning books
Please use the time until 13 July to return books whenever it is possible for you in a safe way. Please arrange an individual appointment before you come to the library. You can also return books by mail.

Outstanding Fees
Media reclaim procedures already underway before 14 March 2020 remain valid. Fees can be paid via bank transfer using the billing code (BKZ). You will find the BKZ and bank details on your reclaim letter.

Cash payment is possible at the Branch Libraries Mechanical Engineering, Main Campus and Weihenstephan from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Branch Library Straubing from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please book your appointment within the respective payment hours:

Make an appointment

If you have any questions, please contact our Media Reclaim Team: media.reclaim@ub.tum.de

Further Information
Renewing & Returning
Media Reclaim Fees

How can I pay charges now?

Fees can be paid via bank transfer indicating the billing code (BKZ) on the transfer form. You can find the BKZ and bank details on your reclaim letter.

Cash payments are only possible in the branch libraries Mechanical Engineering, Main Campus, Straubing and Weihenstephan. For cash payments you need to make an individual appointment in advance. Please book your appointment within the respective payment hours.

Transition Period
We will resume fee-based media reclaims on 13 July 2020. Please arrange an appointment to return books until this date. You can also return books by mail.

If you have any questions, please contact our Media Reclaim Team: media.reclaim@ub.tum.de

Further Information
Renewing & Returning
Media Reclaim Fees

Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, Scan Service, Poster Prints

Can I use interlibrary loan?

On 2 June 2020, our interlibrary loan services will return to its familiar form. You can order books and journal articles that are not available locally from other libraries.

Check-out and Prices
Borrowing books via interlibrary loan is free of charge. For copies of articles you pay an expense allowance of € 1.50. Electronic delivery by e-mail is no longer possible since the special agreement with VG Wort has not been extended.

In order to pick up interlibrary loans, it is necessary to make an appointment in advance. Unannounced visits to the library are currently not possible.

Previous Orders
Interlibrary loans ordered before the Corona pandemic can no longer be picked up. Previous orders were cancelled and books not checked out were returned to the owning library. Please order literature again if necessary.

Returning Interlibrary Loans
From 2 June 2020, you can return books for interlibrary loan. Please make an appointment for this as well. From 13 July onwards, we will reclaim overdue interlibrary loans for a fee.

Make an appointment

Can I use dokumenTUM, the scan service of TUM?

For TUM members (students and staff), we offer our internal electronic document delivery service dokumenTUM.

You can order journal articles and parts from books that are available in our library collections. We will take care of the scanning and send you PDF files by e-mail. This service is free of charge.

E-Tutorial: How to use dokumenTUM – the TUM internal document delivery service

Does the University Library scan library materials for digital course reserves?

Yes, to support online teaching we offer all lecturers at TUM a scanning service for book chapters and journal articles from our library stocks. We provide the scans automatically in the digital course reserve of your Moodle course.

In addition, you can include yourself electronic media (e-books, articles from e-journals, or databases) from the University Library directly into your course reserve. Please make primary use of this option.

... and this is how you set up your digital semester catalogue: www.ub.tum.de/en/digisem

Can I pick up poster prints ordered from the LRZ to the Main Campus?

Unfortunately, you can not pick up poster prints that you have already ordered from the Leibniz Computing Centre (LRZ) to the TUM Main Campus. All services of the LRZ Collection Point are temporarily suspended.

It is also not possible to order new poster prints. The LRZ is closed to the public and has suspended services like the poster printing until further notice.

Further information:
LRZ Poster Print Service

Studying Areas, Carrels, Lockers

Are study areas in the library accessible?

We reopened some of our reading rooms as a learning place for TUM members. You can reserve an individual study desk in all branch libraries – with the exception of the Branch Library Chemistry – Monday to Friday (except public holidays). However, only a limited number is available in order to guarantee a safe minimum distances.

Starting 6 July, we will extend our opening hours to 6:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m. respectively.
The following reservation slots will be available:

Branch Library	Time Slot 1	Time Slot 2
Mathematics & Informatics, Main Campus, Weihenstephan	10:00 – 15:45	16:00 – 21:45
Mechanical Engineering, Medicine, Physics, Sports & Health Sciences, Straubing	10:00 – 13:45	14:00 – 17:45

To gain admission to the selected branch libraries, it is essential that you register and reserve your place via our website at least one day prior to your planned visit:

Reserve a study desk

All study areas in our branch libraries, including group study rooms, carrels, and the TUM Speaker's Corner are currently not accessible.

Can I reserve a carrel?

Unfortunately not, our carrels are not available until further notice.

Should you have used a carrel before the Corona pandemic, you can return your transponder starting 2 June. Please make an individual appointment before you come to the library. Unannounced visits are currently not possible.

Borrowed transponders will be reclaimed at a charge starting 13 July 2020.

Make an appointment

Are lockers currently available?

No, unfortunately, you cannot book library lockers until further notice.

Should you have used a locker already before the Corona pandemic, please clear it and return the key to us. Please make an individual appointment before you come to the library. Unannounced visits are currently not possible.

Borrowed locker keys will be reclaimed at a charge starting 13 July 2020.

Make an appointment

E-Media, E-Learning, Remote Access

How can I use e-books from home?

We have more than 160,000 e-books online available for TUM members. You can find our entire collection in the OPAC. You can see whether a title is available as an e-book by the blue "Read online" button.

To access e-books for free of charge, you must first authenticate yourself via eAccess. Log in with your TUM ID and then search in the OPAC.

Further information
Terms of use and alternative access options
Bibs vs. virus – extended access to electronic resources

How can I use e-journals from home?

We make over 45,000 scientific journals available online to TUM members. To access full texts free of charge from home, you must first authenticate yourself with your TUM ID.

The easiest way to do this is via eAccess: Log in with your TUM ID, then search for journal titles in the Electronic Journals Library (EZB).

Further information
Terms of use and alternative access options
Bibs vs. virus – extended access to electronic resources

Can I access specialist databases and research portals from home?

The University Library offers TUM members over 2,400 online databases and search portals in which you can find references, scientific papers, statistics, company data, facts, articles from journals, newspapers, conference proceedings and much more.

To access these resources free of charge from home, you have to authenticate yourself as a TUM member. Depending on the database this can be done with your TUM ID via eAccess or institutional login (Shibboleth). Other databases require a personal registration.

Access information for each database and an overview of our portfolio can be found at: www.ub.tum.de/en/databases

Further information
Bibs vs. virus – extended access to electronic resources

Is there extended access to e-media available?

Many publishers are offering temporary access to their e-books, e-journals and databases due to the corona crisis. Some make their complete program freely available, others offer expanded access with an existing license or make parts of their publications related to Covid-19 accessible.

Since these are time-limited access options, you will not find these e-media via our OPAC, but on the page bibs vs. virus. Please log in via eAccess with your TUM ID.

Can I still attend courses at the university library?

Unfortunately, classroom courses are currently not available. However, the University Library offers you the possibility to attend all courses as webinars, some of them are also available as e-courses on Moodle. If you have sucessfully passed the corresponding e-tests, we will gladly send you a certificate of participation.

You can find our complete courses programme at: https://www.ub.tum.de/en/courses

If you have any questions, please contact workshop@ub.tum.de