Info for students
at the UW/H
Info for students
at the UW/H
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Information on use
User Account / Library Card
Do I need a library card?
No, your Smartcard also serves as a library card.
Where can I find my user number?
Your library user number can be found at the top of your Smartcard and starts with “9”.
How do I activate my user account?
Instructions are available as a video or PDF on our intranet site.
Why do I need a password?
The password is required to access your user account on the intranet and to place holds on borrowed books.
Why do I need a PIN?
The PIN is required to borrow books at our self-checkout machines or to access your user account on the intranet.
I forgot my account password. What can I do?
You can reset your password. Open your user account and click the “Forgot Password” link.
What does the user account include?
It contains information about your borrowed media, reserved books, and any unpaid fees.
Searching
Where can I search for print books and e-books?
All print books and e-books are available in our library catalog (OPAC).
What is the OPAC?
The OPAC is the online catalog of the Witten/Herdecke University Library.
Why can’t I find the book I searched for in the catalog on the shelf?
The book may be checked out, part of the course reserves, or in a faculty member’s personal collection. If the book is missing, we appreciate a notification.
Where can I find e-books?
E-books are available in the library catalog (OPAC), just like print books.
Why can’t I download or print some e-books fully?
Some e-books can be saved, copied, or printed freely. Others have digital rights management (DRM), which limits downloads, copying, or printing, or requires personal registration.
Are there usage conditions for e-books?
Usage conditions are determined by the license agreements with the publishers and may vary.
Where can I find the library journals?
The library primarily offers electronic journals, searchable via the Electronic Journals Library (EZB). Only electronic journals can be searched there, not individual articles.
Where can I search for journal articles or databases?
Use our database offerings in fields such as medicine, psychology, business, and finance via the intranet site.
Is there a computer for research in the library?
No, unfortunately not.
Where can I search for dissertations or habilitations completed at UW/H?
Please contact a library staff member or email unibib@uni-wh.de.
What are course reserves and where can I find them?
Course reserves are a selection of course-relevant literature curated by instructors for the current semester. The shelves are located to the left of the information desk. The books cannot be borrowed, but copies or scans can be made.
Using Electronic Resources
Are there any special considerations for using electronic resources?
Access to licensed full-text articles, e-books, and electronic journals is available via the intranet with your university login through our proxy system.
Do I need VPN access?
No. Access to licensed resources is possible from external computers through the proxy system without installing VPN software.
Can I use e-resources off campus?
Yes, via the proxy system, you can access licensed materials from outside the campus network.
Why can’t I open full-text articles I found?
You may not have logged in through the proxy system or the library may not have a license for that content.
Reservations
What if the book I want is already borrowed?
You can place a hold in the OPAC. We will notify you by email when it is available.
Is there a cost for reservations?
No, this service is free.
Ordering Books from Storage
Which books are not directly accessible in the library?
Books marked “Magazine 1” or “Magazine 2” in the catalog are in restricted storage areas.
How can I borrow these books?
Contact a library staff member, and the book will be retrieved for you as soon as possible.
Borrowing
What do I need to borrow books at the self-checkout?
You must have an active library account with a password and PIN. Instructions are available under “Registration & Library Account”.
I cannot access my library account.
Your account may be locked after three failed login attempts. Contact a library staff member to unlock it.
I forgot my self-checkout PIN.
Log in to your user account, select “Self-Checkout PIN”, and reset your PIN.
How long can I borrow books?
The loan period is at least 28 days and automatically extends up to three times by 28 days unless the book is reserved.
Is there a limit on the number of books I can borrow?
No.
How can I check or extend loan periods?
You can view your loan periods in your user account or at the self-checkout. Loans extend automatically unless reserved by another user.
Can I borrow dissertations or habilitations from UW/H?
No, but you can view them on-site using a laptop and an external CD-ROM drive provided by the library.
Returns
Where can I return borrowed books?
Use the self-checkout machines; no Smartcard or PIN is required.
What happens if my return is overdue?
Return books immediately to make them available to others. Overdue fees will apply according to the library rules.
What if I want to keep a book beyond the maximum loan period?
Return it and borrow it again at the self-checkout.
What if a borrowed book is lost or damaged?
Report the loss or damage immediately by email, phone, or to a library staff member.
Interlibrary Loan
What if a book or article I need is not available?
Books or articles not in our library can be requested via interlibrary loan from other German libraries for a fee.
How does interlibrary loan work?
Submit a completed interlibrary loan form with your request. The fee for students is €1.50.
Fees
When are fees applied?
Fees occur when the maximum loan period including three extensions is exceeded. They are recorded in your library account.
What are overdue fees?
1–10 days: €2 per item
11–20 days: €5 per item
21–30 days: €10 per item
31+ days: €20 per item
Why is my account blocked?
Accounts with over €10 in fees are blocked until payment is made.
Bank details for payment:
Private University Witten/Herdecke
Sparkasse Witten
IBAN DE55452500350000010900
BIC WELADED1WTN
Reference: “UW/H Library Overdue Fee”
Services
Where can I find tutorials and guides?
Tutorials are available under “Videos & Tutorials”.
Does the library offer training sessions?
Training information is listed under “News”.
How can I contact library staff by phone?
Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00.
Email contact: unibib@uni-wh.de
Where is the reading room and when is it accessible?
Located in the basement of the Holzbau, open 24/7. Smartcard required.
Are there additional study spaces?
Yes, throughout the building and in small-group rooms on the first floor.
Scanning, Copying, Printing
Where can I scan books?
The book scanner is at the back of the library. Bring a USB stick; scans are free.
Where can I copy or print?
Two multifunction devices (MFPs) are in the copy room; one is near the reading room.
Printing costs:
B/W A4: €0.05
B/W A3: €0.10
Color A4: €0.50
Color A3: €1.00
Scanning: free
Can I print directly from a USB stick?
No.
Miscellaneous
Can I borrow a stapler, scissors, or hole punch?
Scissors and a hole punch are in the copy room; ask staff for a stapler.
Are there lockers?
Yes, accessible during library hours. 1€ coin required.
Can I get earplugs?
Yes, from the earplug vending machine, 1€ per pair.
Is Wi-Fi available?
Yes, eduroam and uwh-guest networks are provided.
Videos & Tutorials of the UB
"We have a DEAL" - Information about the UW/H's DEAL-Wiley contract
"Scan or copy?" - Information about the book scanner
"Thousands of journals but where?" - Information about accessing (e-)journals
Only students and employees of Witten/Herdecke University can borrow books.
To borrow media from the university library, you must have an activated electronic account in the LIBERO library system and be assigned a password and PIN for checking out media at the self-checkout machine.
You can find out how to activate your library account either in this video or in the step-by-step guide.
Click here to go directly to the library account activation page.
You are also welcome to ask one of the library staff at the information desk and activate your account together.
Borrowing books is only possible for students and University of Witten/Herdecke employees.
The prerequisite for borrowing media from the university library is an activated electronic user account online and assigning a PIN for booking media at the self-checkout machine (see above, registration & library account). An activated electronic user account is not necessary to read e-books!
Borrowing and returning
Media can be borrowed and returned during the library's opening hours and is done independently via the self-checkout machine in the entrance area.
Return deadline exceeded
Media whose return deadline has been exceeded can only be returned at the information desk during the library's opening hours. Magazines and books from the semester reserve are exempt from borrowing.
For more information, please refer to the library's terms of use.
The loan period is usually 28 days. The loan period is automatically extended three times by 28 days, provided that no reservation has been made for the medium in question.
IMPORTANT: Absence from the university does not exempt you from complying with the loan period.
Late fees are charged if the loan period is exceeded. The obligation to pay arises upon expiry of the loan period and is not linked to a reminder or warning notice.
The fees and charges specified in the terms of use apply at Witten/Herdecke University Library.
The multifunction printers are located in the entrance area of the campus library in the copy room.
The overhead scanner is in the back of the library opposite the stairs to the reading room (basement). It can be used to scan from above, which is particularly gentle on books and faster than with a “normal” scanner/printer. The data is saved on a USB stick.
- Free to use
- Saving on a USB stick (direct printing is not possible)
- Multi-touch user interface
- Scanning from above, with the book open (no need to turn the books over)
- Automatic “finger” removal (fingers that may be holding the book are removed by the scanner and digitally filled with the book white of the scanned page)
- Book fold correction (automatic compensation of distortions in the book fold)
- Easy scanning, e.g. B. of file folders
- Preview function for reliable results (various correction options before saving)
- Multilingual user guidance
- Original format, max. 480 x 360 mm
- Scanning in colour, grayscale, black/white
- Resolution 300 dpi, optionally 600 dpi
- File formats for saving PDF, TIF or JPG
The scanner is available during the library's opening hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.).
Would you like to see how the book scanner works? (The data outputs network, print, email and Dropbox presented in the video are not offered.)
The books (except for those in medicine and dentistry) are arranged according to the GHB system.
The medical and dental books are arranged according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine system.
Authorisation
For licensing reasons, access to licensed databases, e-journals, and e-books at the Witten/Herdecke University Library is only permitted to students and employees of the UW/H. People who do not belong to this group are excluded from using the library. If you belong to the authorised group and do not yet have access data (username and standard password) for the UW/H IT network, please contact the office of the dean responsible.
Access from external computers
Using a proxy system, the Witten/Herdecke University Library's licensed offerings can be used from computers outside the campus network (external computers). This is possible without downloading and installing software (such as VPN)!
After you have found a corresponding electronic offering (e-journal, database, etc.) on the university library's website, click on this link. A login page will open where you must authenticate yourself with your UW/H login data. You will then be taken to the provider's e-journal website or database.
Information on the login page
You must enter the user name you were given in writing when you started working or studying at the UW/H and your personal standard password.
User name
If you do not have your user name (or no longer have it), please get in touch with the support team at BIT-Support@uni-wh.de in the Department of Information Technology (BIT).
Standard password (password)
If you have forgotten your password, you can use "Password Self Service." For security reasons, the password expires and must be changed every 180 days. Please also use self-service for this.
Please note the following when accessing the website from outside the university's local network:
After successful login, the URL in the browser's address line must always contain ...uni-wh.idm.oclc.org... If this is not the case, you will no longer be surfing via the UW/H proxy and will, therefore, no longer be authorised by the providers of electronic offerings (publishers, etc.). This happens, for example, if you enter the URLs of electronic offerings directly or use bookmarks. Access will then no longer work!