University Library of Bern UB

Faculty libraries

History

Opening hours

 

The History Library is part of the Unitobler Library

Services

The general service hours of the History Library are from Monday to Thursday 10:00-12:00 and from 14:00-16:00 and Friday 10:00-12:00. Changes will be announced in the library.

For general information about infrastructure, borrowing and returning, courier services, information and research assistance please visit the website of the Unitobler Library.

Infrastructure

  • 39 long-term study spaces, which can be rented per semester; 32 of them are equiped with mobile file cabinets
    Further information on renting study spaces and mobile file cabinets can be found here.
    Reservations for study spaces and mobile file cabinets can be made using this form.
    An overview map shows the layout of the study spaces in the History Library.
  • 37 day-to-day study spaces for free use
  • 1 self-checkout terminal
  • 1 catalog terminal
  •  Uniprint devices are available in the Basisbibliothek Unitobler
  • Course reserves on presence shelves (the respective lecturer will provide information on location and usage regulations)

Library introductions

Library introductions take place as part of the curriculum (tutorials). The web form «Fachbereich Geschichte» is available for registrations.

Consultation hours for literature research by Dr. Lennart Güntzel, subject librarian for history at the University Library of Bern:

  • Assistance with research on specific topics
  • Research strategies
  • Databases and internet sources
  • Use of reference management programmes

During the semester on Mondays from 10-12 a.m. (other appointments are possible with prior arrangement by e-mail).

The consultation hours take place via Zoom, the link can always be found on the respective Monday morning in the History forum.

Bibliothek Geschichte

Collection

The holdings of the History Library correspond to the main research areas of the Institute of History and are primarily available to members of the University, students and other specialists. You can search for documents from the collection via swisscovery University and PH Bern.

The institute library has a collection of around 100,000 volumes, which grows by around 3,500 new acquisitions every year. Around 250 current journals, 300 closed journals and a smaller collection of maps and audiovisual holdings (CDs, DVDs, microforms etc.) complete the collection.

The holdings are located on the basement floor (access and checking out in the main library) and on 2 platforms on the ground floor of Unitobler. Users can check out the holdings of the section of Ancient History on platform 2 at the self-checkout terminal in the foyer of the institute of History. The holdings on platform 1 (handbooks, atlases, encyclopaedias, etc.) are generally not available for borrowing.

Since 2014, some of the holdings are being transferred to the vonRoll storage library (including old holdings, journals, licentiate theses).

We are happy to receive your acquisition suggestions by e-mail or electronic form.

E-Journals

Discover online journals with BrowZine

The following selection pages offer the ideal introduction: History Journals and Ancient History Journals.

With BrowZine you can also:

  • Compile articles and journals in your own library
  • Set up alerts and be notified of new publications
  • Save articles and read them offline later
Platform 1: Non-lending collection (Document in German) (PDF, 87KB)
Platform 2: Library for old history and epigraphics (Document in German) (PDF, 81KB)
Basement: Open access library (Document in German) (PDF, 43KB)