FAQ – Current Information on the Library Shutdown

Borrowing, Returning, Media Reclaims

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

At present, it is generally not possible to apply for a new card in our branch libraries. On request, our First Level Hotline will extend your existing library card.

If you have any questions, please contact our First Level Hotline.

Can I still order books in the OPAC?

Currently, it is not possible to order or reserve books. All ordering functions of our Online Catalogue OPAC are deactivated. The reopening of loan services is planned for 2 June 2020.

More information will follow.

Can I still borrow books?

Borrowing and checking-out of physical library material is not possible during the shutdown. All ordering options in the OPAC are deactivated. Furthermore, already ordered books cannot be picked up at our branch libraries. The reopening of loan services is planned for 2 June 2020. More information will follow.

To TUM members we offer the following alternatives:

E-Media
We offer more than 160,000 e-books, which you as a TUM member can use from everywhere. You only need to authenticate yourself with your TUM ID. The easiest way to do this is via eAccess. Please log in and search the OPAC for e-books.

eAccess Login

dokumenTUM - our electronic document delivery
For TUM members we are expanding our electronic document delivery service dokumenTUM. 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.

Can I pick up books I have already ordered?

Books that were already ready for pick-up at our branch libraries can no longer be collected. Please order them once more as soon as loan services are available again.

The reopening of loan services is planned for 2 June 2020. More information will follow.

How can I return borrowed books?

Currently, it is not possible to return borrowed items in our branch libraries. Media reclaims are suspended until further notice, so you will not incur any costs.

There will also be generous transition periods so that you will not have to return borrowed media from one day to the next at short notice. You will have sufficient time for this.

The reopening of loan services and book returns is planned for 2 June 2020. More information will follow.

Returns by mail
However, if you want to return borrowed items right away, you may send them back to us by mail. Please only make use of this option if you are shipping from an EU member state.

Instructions and address for returns by mail

Are there currently any media reclaims?

No, currently we do not reclaim any borrowed items or charge any reclaim costs. This also applies when loan periods have already expired. Returning borrowed media is still not possible or necessary until further notice.

The reopening of loan services and book returns is planned for 2 June 2020. There will be generous transition periods thereafter, which will give you sufficient time to return media. Immediate returning of books on 2 June will neither be necessary nor requested. More detailed information will follow.

However, please note: 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.

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

How can I pay charges now?

Cash payment is currently not possible. 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.

Important note: Until further notice, we do not reclaim any borrowed items, even if their loan period expires. You will therefore not incur any new media reclaim costs. However, media reclaim procedures already underway remain valid.

There will also be generous transition periods so that you will not have to return borrowed media from one day to the next at short notice. You will have sufficient time for this.

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

Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, Scan Service, Poster Prints

Can I use interlibrary loan?

Ordering Copies
Our interliberary loan service for ordering copies is available again starting 21 April. Order via Gateway Bayern articles from scientific journals or parts of books that are locally not available. Until 31 May we will send you PDF files directly by e-mail.

This service is currently free of charge and available to all users of the TUM University Library.

Ordering Books
However, ordering books via interlibrary loan is temporarily suspended.

Previous Orders
Books that you have already ordered cannot be picked up in our branch libraries. Open orders will be cancelled and books ready for collection will be returned to the owning library at the end of the shutdown.

Books already borrowed via interlibrary loan must not be returned until we are open for you again. You will not be charged any media reclaim fees, even if the loan period expires.

Can I use dokumenTUM, the scan service of TUM?

For TUM members (students and staff), we offer our internal electronic document delivery service dokumenTUM. We will massively expand this service to compensate for the current suspension of traditional loan services.

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 at the TUM accessible?

From 18 May 2020, we will reopen some of our reading rooms as a learning place for TUM members, subject to restrictions. From 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. we offer individual study desks in our branch libraries Mathematics & Informatics Science, Physics, Main Campus, Straubing and Weihenstephan. In order to guarantee a safe minimum distance, only a limited number of study desks are available in each branch library.

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 reading rooms, group study rooms, and carrels, are currently not accessible – until further notice. Facilities managed by other institutions, such as the StudiTUM buildings, CIP pools, canteens, or cafeterias are closed for the time being.

Further information:
StudiTUM buildings
Munich Student Union

I reserved one of the library carrels. What do I have to consider?

Carrels are not accessible until further notice. Regardless of your reservation period, you do not have to return the transponder until we ask you to do so.

There will be generous transition periods so that you will not have to return the transponder from one day to the next at short notice. You will have sufficient time for this.

I am currently using a locker at the library. What do I have to consider?

Lockers within library facilities are not accessible until further notice. If you are currently using a locker, you do not have to return the key until we ask you to do so.

There will be generous transition periods so that you will not have to return the key from one day to the next at short notice. You will have sufficient time for this.

Please note: Even if you have reserved a study desk at a branch library after 18 May 2020, lockers are not available yet.

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