Open to everyone

Borrowing books is free of charge. In order to borrow books, you need a library card. There may be a fee for courier service if you order books from another library to UB Bern. Loan period is at least four weeks. You will receive a reminder email when you have to return the books.

The library card is free of charge. You have to present a proof of identity and a valid email address. A postal address in Switzerland (also an asylum center) would be of advantage. Persons with refugee status may also receive a library card. To obtain a library card, you must first create a SWITCH edu-ID (registration possible in German, English and French). You can find instructions in German and English here. After receiving a confirmation of your account via email, you can go to a library and receive your library card. Please bring a proof of identity and the email confirmation with you.

The UB Bern carries books in Arabic, German, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Bulgarian, English, French, Italian, Macedonian, Persian, Portuguese, Slovak, Spanish, Russian, Czech, Turkish, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Urdu, and other languages.

Here you can find places to read and study in the libraries of the UB Bern.

With a library card, you can read over 6,000 international newspapers and magazines from over 100 countries in around 60 languages at the public computers (research stations) in the UB Bern libraries via the PressReader platform.

We speak many languages and are happy to help you. Phone: +41 31 684 92 11 or mail bibliothek@unibe.ch. Our staff speak German, English and French. If you would like information in another language, please send us an email and we will get back to you.