© Bielefeld University / Patrick Pollmeier
Latest Updates on the Library Relocation
Relocation Chronicles
May 13, 2024
IUB Departmental Library Now Open
The Interim Building of the University Library (IUB) is now open for use. The IUB accommodates the Subject Collection Linguistics and Literary Studies (LiLi) and provides the standard library services such as free scanning devices, PC workstations and self-service desks for quick borrowing and returning of library materials.
The IUB Departmental Library has the same opening hours as the library areas in Units D and E of the Main University Building (UHG). The IUB is open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 22:00. The library staff is present on weekdays until 18:00. On weekends and holidays the IUB is open from 9:00 to 19:00.
The IUB serves as an interim location for the LiLi Subject Collection, which had to be relocated from Unit C to another location due to the upcoming second phase of the UHG modernisation. Establishing the IUB has allowed the affected libraries to be remain undivided, while still maintaining long hours and easy access to open shelves.
May 6, 2024
Library Area C1/C0 is Closed – IUB Opens on May 13
The relocation of the Subject Collection Linguistics and Literary Studies (LiLi) from Units C0 and C1 is in its final phase. As a result, this library area at the Main University Building (UHG) is now closed for use. The Departmental Library at the Interim Building of the University Library (IUB) located between the UHG and Building X – the new location for the Subject Collection LiLi – will open as planned on May 13.
With an area of 2,000 square meters, the IUB provides space for approximately 400,000 media items. In addition, two free book scanners and PC workstations are available to users. Lockers with mechanical combination locks that do not require coins are also available at the IUB.
Throughout the year 2024, further library relocations will take place. After the completion of the first construction phase of the UHG, the Library Service Center (BDZ) and the Subject Collection Sport will move there. The remaining subject collections from Unit T1 (Music, Psychology and Educational Science) will be relocated into Unit U0.
May 2, 2024
Photo Update: Final Preparations at the IUB
The relocation of the “LiLi” Departmental Library is progressing as planned and the opening of the IUB is drawing closer. Here are some photos from the IUB showing the progress of the final preparations.
April 30, 2024
Reserve Literature for Lecturers Move from LiLi into IUB – Library Area in C1/C0 Closed from May 6
As of today, April 30, the reserve literature for lecturers (“Semesterapparate”) – the last part of the book collection of the Departmental Library for Linguistics and Literary Studies (“LiLi”) – will be moved into the Interim Building of the University Library (IUB). These books are now unavailable for use.
The two book scanners from the LiLi Library have already been relocated into the IUB. The device for free scanning in Unit D1 remains available to all users of the department libraries in Units D to E.
The vacated library area in Units C1 and C0 will be completely closed for use from May 6 (Monday) onwards. We kindly ask you to use PC workstations and discussion rooms in other library areas.
April 24, 2024
Relocation at the LiLi Library: German Studies Books & Low German Literature are Next to Be Moved into IUB
Update from April 25: As part of the ongoing relocation work at the LiLi Library, books on General and Comparative Literature as well as journal volumes are now being transferred into the IUB too and are therefore unavailable for use. Reserve literature for lecturers remains accessible.
The relocation of the media holdings from the Departmental Library for Linguistics and Literary Studies (LiLi) is entering the home stretch. Starting today, April 24, books on German Studies and Low German Literature – including Dutch Studies and Scandinavian Studies – will be transferred into the Interim Building of the University Library (IUB). These titles are now unavailable for use.
If you urgently need to read or borrow any items that have been affected by the relocation activities at the LiLi Library, please contact the circulation desk in Unit D1. The media holdings remaining at the LiLi Departmental Library – reserve literature for lectures, journal issues and books on General and Comparative Literature – will continue to be available without restrictions in Unit C, but will also be relocated into the IUB shortly.
April 22, 2024
Books on Classical Philology, Slavic Studies & Other Literature to be Moved into the IUB
The next phase of the relocation of the Departmental Library for Linguistics and Literary Studies (“LiLi”) will begin on Monday, April 22. The books on Classical Philology, Slavic Studies and Other Literature will then be transferred into the Interim Building of the University Library (IUB) and therefore closed for use starting April 22.
If you need to read or borrow any items that have been affected by the relocation activities at the LiLi Library, please contact the circulation desk in Unit D1. The reserve literature for lectures (“Semesterapparate”) and the media holdings from the departments for German Studies, Low German Literature as well as for General and Comparative Literature are still available at their original locations in Unit C without any restrictions.
Printer in C1 to be Transferred into D1
The printer at the Departmental Library for Linguistics and Literary Studies (“LiLi”) in Unit C1 will be moved into Unit D1 on Monday, April 22. The device providing free printing services for students will be set up in the entrance area near the PC workstations.
Please note that it may take a few days before the printer is ready for use at its new location. Until then, please use the printer in Unit V1.
April 18, 2024
Photo Update: Relocation Works at the IUB
The relocation of the book collections from the LiLi Departmental Library into the Interim Building of the University Library (IUB) is in full swing. We are excited to provide you with a glimpse into the ongoing relocation process.
April 15, 2024
Relocation of Books on Roman Studies and Linguistics Starting April 15
The relocation of the Departmental Library for Linguistics and Literary Studies (LiLi) is proceeding as planned. Starting April 15, the books on Roman Studies and Linguistics will be moved into the Interim Building of the Library (IUB).
Please note that these book collections – just like the journals and books on English Studies previously – won’t be available for use or loan. If you urgently need to access media from the blocked collections, please contact the circulation desk in Unit D1. We appreciate your understanding and will continue to keep you updated.
April 8, 2024
Relocation of the “LiLi” Library Begins on April 8 – Books on English Studies & Journals Unavailable
The relocation of the Departmental Library for Linguistics and Literary Studies (LiLi) into the Interim Building of the University Library (IUB) starts as planned on April 8. Print journals and books on English Studies (Anglistik) will be the first to be moved and therefore unavailable from April 8.
If you urgently need to access books from the restricted collections, please reach out to the library staff at the circulation desk in Unit D1. The required books will then be provided for on-site use or for borrowing. We appreciate your understanding that immediate access may not be possible, as the availability of books depends on their current status in the relocation process.
For the time being, all other media holdings of the LiLi Library remain fully accessible.
April 2, 2024
Preparations for the Relocation of the “LiLi” Departmental Library
From April 8, the book collections of the Departmental Library for Linguistics and Literary Studies (LiLi) will be relocated from Unit C of the Main University Building (UHG) into the Interim Building of the University Library (IUB). The IUB is scheduled to open for regular library services on May 13. However, before the relocation of the affected library holdings can begin, the following preparations are necessary to ensure a swift and smooth relocation process:
- From April 2 onwards, the moving company will remove books dating from 1800 to 1900 from the LiLi Departmental Library due to possible arsenic contamination and move them to a separate storage area.
- At the same time, bookshelves will be installed at the IUB. Some of the required shelving components are currently located in rooms in Unit C1. The removal of these shelves may cause some short-term disruptions there.
- The shelves containing the items designated for the relocation will be marked with coloured paper flags by library staff. This will not cause any disruption. Please do not remove the flags or change their position.
For an overview of the service adjustments that will take place starting April 8 because of the relocation of the library holdings into the IUB, please read our post “Relocation of the LiLi Departmental Library into the Interim Building (IUB)” (see below).
We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the library relocation and look forward to welcoming you at the IUB soon. If you have any questions, please contact the library team.
Relocation of the “LiLi” Library into the Interim Building (IUB)
Since the Departmental Library for Linguistics and Literary Studies (LiLi) is currently located in Unit C of the Main University Building (UHG) – within the areas designated for the 2nd construction phase – the LiLi Library will have to be temporarily relocated. During the next construction period scheduled to begin in 2025, the LiLi Library will be housed at the Interim Building of the University Library (IUB), which has been under construction since last summer between the UHG and Building X.
The IUB is expected to be completed by the end of March. The relocation of the affected book collections can start shortly thereafter. That’s why we would like to inform you in this post about the timeline and the details of the planned relocation measures.
- When will the relocation activities take place?
- What service restrictions are expected during the relocation of the LiLi Library?
We’re doing our best to keep service restrictions to an absolute minimum and to keep the book collections being moved out of use for as short a time as possible. Unfortunately, service restrictions are unavoidable in order to ensure that the relocation goes as quickly and smoothly as possible.
When the relocation activities begin, the media collections of each department within the LiLi Library will be one by one closed for use and then gradually moved into the IUB. It will no longer be possible to view or borrow the affected items at their original location in Unit C of the UHG. Media collections that have already been moved will be available for use at the IUB once the entire relocation process is complete.
The order in which departments will move and the dates of their relocation will be announced later. Reserve collections for lecturers (“Semesterapparate”) will be moved last, so that these materials remain available at the UHG for as long as possible and are only temporarily unavailable for use.
In order to ensure a smooth relocation process, adjacent study areas, PC workstations, and book collections will be closed to the public in phases. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Please consider using workstations in other areas of the library if necessary.
- What does the relocation process mean for borrowing media from the LiLi Library?
Already borrowed items can be renewed within the usual limits or borrowed again at the end of the maximum loan period upon presentation at a circulation desk – unless the item has been reserved by another user. Regular loan periods apply.
Borrowed items that are no longer needed can be returned to any departmental library. Media from the library holdings that have been blocked due to the relocation activities are temporarily unavailable for borrowing.
- Will the relocation process affect the neighbouring libraries in Units D and E?
- When will the LiLi Library open at the IUB?
Relocation of the Departmental Libraries during the Second Construction Phase
The first phase of the modernisation of the Main University Building (UHG) is almost finished – Units A, B, K, S, and R are set to be completed by spring 2024. The second construction phase poses a special challenge for the library: During the modernisation of Units C and T, certain departmental libraries and special book collections of the University Library must be accommodated in other areas.
The upcoming relocation measures will affect 630 workstations and approximately 830,000 items from the Departmental Libraries for
- Linguistics and Literary Studies
- Educational Science
- Psychology
- Sports Science
- Music
The library holdings will be housed in a number of spaces, including the Interim Building (IUB) between the UHG and Building X, which is scheduled for completion in spring 2024. The 2,000-square-foot IUB will provide space for approximately 400,000 media and 20 workstations. Some book collections and workstations will be moved into Unit U0 and other spaces in the first section of the UHG, including basement spaces for special collections. The Library Services Center (BDZ) and the Lernort.plus! learning space, currently located in Unit U0, will also move into the first section of the UHG.
The goal of the planning process was to keep the collections of the departmental libraries undivided, to ensure long opening hours, and to maintain close access to the available collections on open shelves. Additionally, the aim was to accommodate as many of the affected workstations as possible at other available locations. Based on these fundamental principles, the relocation plan is as follows:
| Departmental Library | From | Into |
|---|---|---|
| Linguistics & Literary Studies | Units C0–C1, UHG | Interim Building (IUB) |
| Educational Science | Unit T1, UHG | Unit U0, UHG |
| Psychology | Unit T1, UHG | Unit U0, UHG |
| Music | Unit T1, UHG | Unit U0, UHG |
| Sports Science | Unit T1, UHG | Unit B1, UHG |
In order to create more space for freely accessible media and workstations, older journals will be transferred into the Special Collections areas. These publications can then be ordered through Catalogue.plus! like any other archived media.
Relocation activities are expected to begin this spring, once the IUB is completed, and to end during 2024. The relocation process will occur in several phases.