ZB MED provides additional workstations in the main building at short notice to alleviate the difficult situation for students
Changed general conditions at the Cologne site - national mission and nationwide use unchanged
At both of its locations, ZB MED fulfils its national task as the central specialist library for the life sciences, in Bonn for nutrition, environmental and agricultural sciences, and in Cologne for medicine and health. In addition, as the medical department library of the University of Cologne, it has been responsible for ensuring the regional supply of information. Therefore, the medical literature on the Cologne campus is available centrally in one place through direct access in the rooms of ZB MED - whether it is owned by ZB MED or the university was irrelevant. These holdings were also made available to researchers nationally (and also internationally) via interlibrary loan and document delivery as part of the ZB MED delivery services.
This joint fulfilment of local, regional and national tasks is - in our view - an advantage for users on the campus of the University of Cologne. They have immediate access to the holdings of the largest medical library in Europe.
The Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne has now changed the agreements: In future, the University and City Library (USB) will take over the holdings of the medical department library and, in the medium term, will act as the point of contact for campus users:inside Cologne.
Learning and working places:
The change requested by the Faculty of Medicine to certain supplementary cooperation agreements also affects the premises in the LFI building, which were previously used by ZB MED. Due to the University Hospital's wish to vacate the reading room area as well as the study and work spaces in the LFI building for other usage needs, these will no longer be available for use by ZB MED and campus users as before. Due to the pandemic and the associated hygiene measures, only 115 of the original 250 workstations in the areas used by ZB MED in the main and LFI buildings could be used - 75 of them in the LFI building, which will now be eliminated.
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What ZB MED is still able to do on site:
- In addition to the 40 workstations still available, ZB MED has set up a further 20 corona-compliant workstations on the 1st and 2nd floors in the main building at short notice, which have been available for use since 1 February. The workstations can be reserved via the ZB MED booking tool.
To the booking
Please cancel your booking if you do not need a booked workstation after all. This way you give others the chance to use one of the few places!
Access to journal literature from the LFI reading room:
Until now, journal literature in the LFI reading room was freely accessible and could be used on site. In addition to the reading room, ZB MED must now also clear the stacks in the LFI building in cooperation with the USB - a total of 17.5 km of shelf space. Planning for access in other rooms is currently in full swing.
In order to enable you to continue using the literature even in the relocation mode, we offer you to place an interlibrary loan order for articles from these journals via DigiBib. Use your ZB MED ID card to place the order. We will notify you as soon as the copies are ready. You can then pick them up at the counter during the opening hours of the circulation desk.
This option applies to journal articles from the following shelfmark groups:
- Se (from year 1985)
- Ua - Uo (from 1985 onwards)
- Zs.A 6000 - 7229 (from volume 1995)
- Zs.B (as of volume 1985)
ZB MED also supplies literature via subito, the delivery service of the academic libraries. If you order your desired literature there, we will deliver directly to your address. Information on delivery conditions and prices can be found on the subito website.
To subito
What services does ZB MED continue to offer on site?
- The journals in the main building are freely accessible. Older journal holdings can be ordered for use in the reading room via the ZB MED website.
Further information and order form - Books can be used on site or borrowed. A selection of important handbooks and textbooks, encyclopaedias, books acquired by the library since 2010 and patient literature can be found in the reading room on the ground floor. You can order older literature before your visit via the ZB MED search portal LIVIVO for collection at the circulation desk.
To LIVIVO - The lending desk at the Cologne location remains open. However, ZB MED can only provide this service at reduced times, as we have considerably fewer staff available. The University Library is obliged to cover the supply of literature and information for medicine on campus in the future.
Current opening hours
Nationwide use guaranteed to the usual extent:
ZB MED remains the central specialist library for supraregional use from all over Germany. We are your contact if you work in the life sciences! Are you planning a visit to ZB MED? Then please contact us in advance by e-mail so that we can prepare your stay with us in the best possible way.
To the e-mail contact
Do you have any questions or need to talk about the changed conditions at the Cologne site?
You can reach our management in an open online consultation hour:
- Appointment: every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month from 5 to 6pm.
Zoom link
In addition, we are available for telephone or written consultations:
