Holidays closed

29.03.-01.04.24 Easter

01.05.24 Labor Day

09.05.24 Ascension Day

20.05.24 Whit Monday

30.05.24 Corpus Christi

03.10.24 Day of German Unity

01.11.24 All Saints' Day

23.12.24-01.01.25 Christmas/New Year 2024/25

What are service hours...?
The following services are only available during service hours:

• Borrowing during the extended loan period for theses, during a practical application or semester abroad
• Collection and return of interlibrary loans
• Collection of laboratory materials

Cash machine locations:
Mönchengladbach Campus: Building W Foyer
Krefeld South Campus: Building A next to Infopoint
Krefeld West Campus: Anteroom to the library

Payment at the pay machines is currently only possible by EC card. Alternatively, please use the bank transfer option:

• Recipient: The Hochschule Niederrhein
• Institute: Stadtsparkasse Mönchengladbach
• Subject: Late fee MG/KR / User number
• IBAN: DE55 31050000 000 3425451
• BIC/Swift-Code: MGLSDE33

A

Account blocking s. Account blocking

Account details

Please use the following account details if you wish to pay your fees by bank transfer:

• Recipient: The Hochschule Niederrhein
• Institute: Stadtsparkasse Mönchengladbach
• Ref.: Late fees MG/KR / User number
• IBAN: DE55 31050000 000 3425451
• BIC/Swift-Code: MGLSDE33

You can also use our QR code to pay.

Overpayments of less than EUR 1.00 will not be refunded or credited.

Account management

Account management ("Account") within the DigiBib (see DigiBib) allows you to view loans and interlibrary loans and their loan periods, your orders and reservations and, if applicable, the amount of your fees. You can also renew items yourself here.

Addresses

Mönchengladbach Campus Library, Building N, Richard-Wagner-Straße 140, 41065 Mönchengladbach

• Phone: 02161/186-3400
• E-mail: ausleihe-mg(at)hs-niederrhein.de
• Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8.00-22.00, Sat 8.00-17.00
• Service hours: Mon-Fri 8.00-18.00

Library Campus Krefeld West, Building N, Frankenring 20, 47798 Krefeld

• Phone: 02161/186-3400
• E-mail: ausleihe-kr-west(at)hs-niederrhein.de
• Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8.00-16.00
• Service hours: Mon-Fri 8.00-16.00

Krefeld South Campus Library, Building G, Reinarzstraße 49, 47805 Krefeld

• Phone: 02161/186-3400
• E-mail: ausleihe-kr-sued(at)hs-niederrhein.de
• Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8.00-18.00
• Service hours: Mon-Fri 8.00-18.00

Deviations will be announced on the website under"News".

Acquisition suggestions

Students and employees of The Hochschule Niederrhein can send acquisition requests to the library via an online form. The media are preferably procured as e-books (campus license). If it is not possible to purchase an e-book, a printed book will be ordered. (see Acquisition)

Articles from journals see Journals

Availability

Information on the availability of an item can be found under "Status" under "Bibliographic information" in the full display of the catalog:

• on loan: The medium is freely accessible to you in your own branch.
• available to order: The item is located in another branch. You can order it free of charge to the branch of your choice (see ordering). You will be notified by e-mail as soon as it is ready for you to collect.
• Not available for loan: The item is freely accessible in the library. You can only use it within the specified branch (see reference collection).
• Borrowed until (date): The item has been borrowed by another person. You can reserve it. To do this, please click on "Reserve" (see Reservations). You will be notified by e-mail as soon as the item is ready for you to collect.
• Borrowed until (31.10. of the year or following year): The item has been borrowed by library users with special conditions and cannot be reserved or ordered via the catalog. Please ask at the service desk whether it can be obtained for you.
• If "/ In process" is indicated as a branch, the item is still being prepared for loan by the library.

D

Databases

Literature searches are possible in the DigiBib. Under "Databases / Full texts" you will find the licensed databases offered by the University Library.

DigiBib

The Digital Library (DigiBib) enables a comprehensive literature search in the catalog (see catalog), as well as in (inter)national library catalogs and databases. In the DigiBib you will find books, journals and journal articles that can be read online, are available in the library or can be ordered via interlibrary loan (see interlibrary loan).

To use the digital library from home, you will need your library ID and password. Please note that you do not need a VPN client to use the library's services.

Drink s. Drinks

E

Eating and drinking

Food and drink are not permitted in any of the library rooms. This regulation serves to protect the library media, the premises and to avoid disturbing other library users. Exceptions are drinks in containers with resealable screw caps.

E-books

The e-books from ProQuest Ebook Central are a web platform on which e-books from various publishers are offered for use by university members. You can view all the e-books you find there immediately and then decide whether you want to use them for longer. In the DigiBib under "E-Books" you will find ProQuest Ebook Central and the e-book packages of other providers. (see databases)
Tip: Introduction tutorial for ProQuest

E-book policy

The university library's e-book policy primarily aims to support digital teaching and learning. Therefore, media are primarily acquired in digital form (campus license) and made available to every member of the university network around the clock.

E-journals s. Electronic journals

Electronic journals/e-journals

The library provides a large number of electronic journals via the catalog and DigiBib. Please note the terms of use.

F

Fees

The following fees may apply when using the library:

• Exceeding the loan period
• Print/copy
• Interlibrary loan
• ID card for non-university members (see Lending)
• Replacement of library card
• Loss of or damage to a medium

The following overdue fees apply depending on the duration of the late return:

• 1-10 calendar days: 2 euros per item
• 11-20 calendar days: 5 Euro per medium
• 21-30 calendar days: 10 Euro per medium
• 31-40 calendar days: 20 Euro per medium
• from 41 calendar days: 20 Euro + 25 Euro administration fee + value replacement

For short-term loans (see short-term loans), overdraft fees of 2 euros per item and day apply.

• Library fee schedule

Avoid fees by returning your items on time or extending the loan period. Your account will be blocked if you have a balance of more than 30 euros (see card blocking).

The fees must be paid by 31.03. and 30.09. of each year. If this does not happen, you will be barred from further use of your account, in particular from borrowing and renewing items (see card block).

You can pay your fees at the pay machines (see pay machine) or by bank transfer (see account details).

Full texts

Full texts are electronic books (see e-books) and electronic journals (e-journals) that are available online. In DigiBib you will find full texts under "Databases / Full texts". The ID for use from home consists of your library number without leading zeros and your password (see user ID). All city users are excluded.

H

Help see Service

Hotline Phone: +49 (0)2161 186-3400 (see Service

House rules s. User regulations

I

identification see Registration

Indexing

Books and journals are arranged systematically and alphabetically according to main groups and subgroups.

There are three different shelving systems:

• in the Mönchengladbach campus library: one capital letter, two lower case letters, sometimes numbers, e.g. Gem 2
• for textile and clothing literature in Mönchengladbach: two capital letters, e.g. RA
• in the Krefeld West Campus and Krefeld South Campus libraries: three or four capital letters, e.g. TBM.

The first four letters of the author or title are added to the shelfmark.

Use the shelf labels and shelf marks as a guide and use the catalog.

Individual workstations see Workstations

Information

The staff at the service desk (see Service) will be happy to help you with any questions you may have. Information material can be found in the library and on the library website (see flyer).

Interlibrary loan

If the desired literature is not available in the university library, it can be ordered via interlibrary loan via DigiBib. A processing fee of 1.50 euros is charged for each interlibrary loan request. This fee is also charged if the requested item cannot be delivered. The fee is automatically charged to your library account. The loan period depends on the requirements of the lending library and may vary. Extensions are not possible. You will receive a copy of articles to keep. Interlibrary loans can only be borrowed and returned at the service desk. Please note the service hours. Further information on interlibrary loans can be found here.

Internet

The Internet PCs in the library can be used free of charge with a library number and password. You can print from the Internet PCs and save information on USB sticks.

introductions to courses, see Training courses

J

Jackets see checkroom

Journals

Current and older (bound) journals are available to you and can be copied/scanned or borrowed on short loan (see Short Loan).

M

Moodle

Moodle is an open-source e-learning platform. The library, as well as some faculties, offer accompanying courses via Moodle.

O

Opening hours

The regular and changed opening hours are announced under "Addresses and opening hours", through notices and "News".

Office workstations see PC workstations

Operating instructions

Please observe the following operating instructions when using the stacks on the Krefeld West campus. Please contact the library staff.
Operating instructions

Order

According to § 1 para. 2 of the Administration and User Regulations, the University Library primarily serves teaching education, studies and research at The Hochschule Niederrhein.

Knowledge is based on a constant increase in information and is one of the most important assets of a modern and successful society. Teaching education, studies and research today require a fast supply of information that is independent of time and place. Today's diversity of information requires a careful selection of up-to-date and quality-tested information sources. The Hochschule Niederrhein University Library takes on this task by organizing and continuously expanding access to high-quality information in printed and digital form.

It sees itself as an academic university library and a place of learning for all students, lecturers and information seekers at The Hochschule Niederrhein.

The Hochschule Niederrhein University Library consists of three libraries (see addresses). If a book is available in another branch and is not on loan or in the reference collection (see reference collection), you can order it free of charge via the catalog ("Order"). As soon as the item is ready for you to pick up, you will receive a pick-up notification by e-mail. Please make sure you select the correct branch in the catalog.

S

Scanner

A high-quality incident light scanner is available in the libraries at the Mönchengladbach Campus and Krefeld South Campus. You can use the device to scan books, journals, documents etc. and save them on a USB stick or transfer them to a mobile device via an app. The handling of the scanner is described on a notice next to the device. If you have any questions, please contact the service department. Use is free of charge. Please ensure that you comply with copyright law. The library accepts no responsibility for the further use of the generated scan files.

Scientific work

The Mönchengladbach and Krefeld Süd campus libraries have compiled special literature on the subject of academic work. Here you will find tips and assistance on topics such as term papers, time management, efficient learning, motivation, memory training, etc. The books can be found in the semester apparatus and are marked with the number 99. They can only be borrowed as part of the short-term loan service (see short-term loan). Individual copies are also available in the normal stock. A list of books with scans of title pages and tables of contents can be viewed under "Semesterapparate".

Self-collection

You can collect and borrow your reserved and ordered books during opening hours (see addresses). The ordered or reserved media are sorted according to the first two digits of your library card number, within this group according to the last four digits of the library number. After taking out the media, please check them out at the self-checkout (see self-checkout). Please make sure that you only take out items that are available for you. The reserved media will be available for you for up to ten working days. Media delivered via interlibrary loan can only be collected from the service desk during service hours (see service hours).

Self-checkout

Self-checkout devices are available in the libraries during opening hours. Here you can borrow, return and renew your books yourself or check your account. This avoids waiting times at the service desk. You will need your library card and your self-issued PIN. The service is menu-driven. You will then receive a receipt to your e-mail address. Interlibrary loans can only be borrowed and returned at the service desk. Please note the service hours.

You can also return borrowed books by post (see addresses). You are responsible for sending the media yourself. To avoid overdue fines, please allow sufficient time for delivery. The media must be in the library by the end of the loan period. The return date is decisive.

Service hours

In the libraries, a distinction is made between opening hours and service hours. During all opening hours, you can borrow and return items in self-checkout and collect orders or reservations yourself. Only during service hours can you borrow items within the longer loan period and short loans, collect and return interlibrary loans and collect laboratory stock. Please submit applications for a discharge note or for the issue of a library card by e-mail.

Short loan

Borrowing is possible until the end of service hours on the following opening day of the respective library. Short-term loans can only be made at the service desk during service hours (see service hours). Books and journal volumes borrowed via short-term loans can be returned to the self-checkout desks until the end of opening hours. Journals must be returned to the service desk during service hours.

Signature see list

Smartphone

Phone calls are prohibited in the library. Please mute your mobile phone and switch off the vibration and light alarm.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in any of the library rooms or on the terrace in Mönchengladbach.

Students s. Registration

Status see Availability

Systematic catalog see list

B

Bank details see account details

Bags s. Wardrobe

Books

You can look up media from the library's stock in the catalog and also order them from another branch, reserve them and extend the loan periods. You can take books on loan from the shelves yourself.

Book loss / damage

If a book is lost or damaged, you must pay the purchase price plus 25 euros for administrative costs.

Borrowing

Borrowing is free of charge. You can check out your media yourself in the branch offices (see self-checkout). Interlibrary loans, short-term loans and media with a special loan period can be borrowed at the service desk. You will need your library number and PIN to borrow items. A maximum of 55 items may be borrowed. Borrowed media, with the exception of interlibrary loans, can be returned at the self-checkout desk in any branch and also at the media return desk on the Mönchengladbach campus. You will then receive a receipt. Further information on using the library can be found under Registration.

Branch order see order

C

Card blocking

Your account will be blocked if you have a balance of more than 30 euros.

The fees must be paid by 01.04. and 01.10. of each year. If this is not done, you will be excluded from further use of your account. Borrowing, interlibrary loans or extending the loan period will then no longer be possible. The account can only be used as usual once all outstanding fees have been paid.

Cash machine

You can pay your library fees or the fee for prepaid cards at the cash machines of The Hochschule Niederrhein. All fees can be paid cashless at the pay machines.

The pay machines are located here:

• Krefeld South Campus: at the Infopoint
• Campus Krefeld West: in the anteroom of the library
• Mönchengladbach campus: in the foyer of building W

Catalog

You can access the catalog via the Digital Library (see DigiBib). It allows you to search for books and journals in the university library. The hit lists show all the information on the title, where the literature is available and whether the documents are available for direct download. Under "More" you will find literature and articles from other libraries.

Change of user data

Your current user data is required for notifications from the library. Students of The Hochschule Niederrhein must inform the Student Office of their change of address. Employees of the university should notify the Human Resources Department of their change of address.

For reasons of data protection, all other users must present their identity card or a registration certificate in person.

Cell phone s. Smartphone

Citavi

Citavi is a reference management program. Citavi helps with all tasks of scientific literature work: from research, knowledge organization and task planning to the creation of the bibliography. The University Library offers a campus license. Further information on Citavi training courses can be found here.

City users see Registration

Consultation hours

If you have questions about using the library or research that are too extensive for the service, you can arrange Consultation hours. Please contact the service desk (see Service).

G

Group rooms

Group rooms are available in the libraries for teamwork. Further information can be found here.

L

Laboratory stock

Laboratory holdings are media that are located in the laboratories and other facilities of The Hochschule Niederrhein. Laboratory collections can be viewed by all library users. You can recognize laboratory holdings in the catalog by the entry in the copy display. If "/Laboratory" is indicated as a branch, this means that the item is located in a laboratory (special location outside the library). Please contact the supervisor of the laboratory to use the item on site.

Library Service

You can obtain information in person at the service desk or by e-mail at bibliotheksauskunft(at)hs-niederrhein.de.

Telephone information is available for all branches at the following telephone number: 02161/186-3400 (Mon-Fri 10 am - 4 pm).

For more detailed research questions, the library offers consultation hours (see Consultation hours).

Library card see registration

Literature management see Citavi

Lockers

Lockers are available free of charge. You can obtain a key at the service desk by presenting an ID card. The library is not liable for theft. Please refer to the user regulations.

Loan period

The loan period is 28 days. There is a maximum loan period of 140 days. The number of renewals is irrelevant. The loan period can be extended on the day after the item is borrowed.

Longer loan periods (see Longer loan period) can be requested for internship semesters abroad and theses.

Longer loan period

Students of The Hochschule Niederrhein are granted a longer loan period during their practical application or semester abroad as well as when writing a thesis. To apply for a longer loan period when writing a thesis, please present your admission (with the deadline listed) and, in the case of a practical application or semester abroad, the certificate from the Examinations Office at the service desk. Alternatively, you can send us your request by e-mail. The longer loan period can only be issued by the library staff. Reserved media and interlibrary loans are excluded from the longer loan period.

Lost property

Lost property is kept for two weeks at the service desk of the respective branch. After that, they are given to the Info-Point (Building W) in Mönchengladbach or to the janitors in Krefeld. You can view current lost property from all libraries here.

P

Password s. User ID

PC workstations

All libraries have PC workstations for the Internet, catalog, DigiBib and Microsoft Office. All workstations are equipped with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Citavi and USB ports and can be used for longer internet searches. The workstations are connected to a printer.

Play corners

A play corner is available for our younger visitors at the Mönchengladbach and Krefeld Süd locations. There is also a play box at the Krefeld West location.

R

Reference collection

Reference literature is marked with a yellow stripe or signature label and can only be borrowed on short-term loan (see short-term loan). These books and journals are intended to be used in the library and copied/scanned if necessary.

Registration

The Hochschule Niederrhein students can find their library card number in the HN-Identity-Manager. You can use the library with your student ID card or the iHN university app. To borrow items from the self-checkout machines, you need a PIN that you assign yourself in your library account.

Lecturers and employees of The Hochschule Niederrhein are admitted informally. You will receive your personal library card number via the HN Identity Manager. Activation is automatic. The digital library card can be accessed via the university app. A printed library card can be issued on request at the service desk.

The admission of external interested parties is preferably done contactless by e-mail to bibliotheksauskunft(at)hs-niederrhein.de. Please send us a copy/photo of the documents listed below (identity card, front and back, and enrolment certificate if available).

Citizens of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia can register by presenting their identity card. If an identity card without address details is presented, the library also requires a current registration certificate. An annual fee of 20.00 euros is charged.

Students from other German universities and Fontys in Venlo are admitted on presentation of their identity card and current enrolment certificate. They are exempt from paying the annual fee. The validity of the library card ends on 01.05. or 01.11.

To renew the library card, the documents required for registration must be presented.

Minors also require a power of attorney from a parent or legal guardian.

Application for admission to use the university library for minors

The use of digital media is only possible for external users from the PC workstations in the library.

Renewal

The initial loan period is 28 days. There is a maximum loan period of 140 days. The number of renewals does not matter. The loan period can be extended on the day after the item is borrowed.

You can renew in the following ways:

• via the account management (see account management) of the catalog
• via self-checkout (see self-checkout) in the library branches

Please check your loan account after renewal and check for rejections.

A renewal is not possible

• if the item has been reserved by another person
• if the loan period has already been extended four times - in this case you can borrow the item again by presenting the item and your library card
• if the library account is blocked (see card blocking)
• by telephone or e-mail
• as part of the longer loan period (see Longer loan period) - the renewal request must be made at the service desk or by e-mail.

If an extension is not possible for technical reasons, please inform us of the problem: ausleihe-mg(at)hs-niederrhein.de.

Replacement card s. Loss of card

Reservation

If the book you want is on loan to another library user, you can reserve it free of charge via the catalog ("Reserve"). You will be notified when you can collect the book. It will then be put on hold for you for ten working days. Media with the status "borrowed until" (31.10. of the year or the following year) cannot be reserved via the catalog. Please contact the service desk to find out whether these media can be obtained for you.

Returning items

For the return of media from all campus libraries, the 24-hour return machine at building N on the Mönchengladbach campus is available outside opening hours. The media will be booked immediately. You will receive the return receipt by e-mail. Interlibrary loans can only be returned at the service desk. Please note the service hours.

Borrowed media can also be returned by post (see addresses). You are responsible for sending the media yourself. To avoid reminder fees, please allow sufficient time for shipping. The media must be in the library by the end of the loan period. The return date is decisive.

T

Theses

Theses from some faculties can be viewed in the library and some can be borrowed. Please search the catalog and ask if you are interested in borrowing a thesis. Theses are only handed out by library staff. If you are writing a thesis yourself, you can apply for longer loan periods (see longer loan period).

Training courses

The library offers the following training courses:

• Basic course
• Advanced basic course
• Advanced course
• Citavi course
• All about homework
• Library tour

If you are interested in a training course (possibly for your seminar), please contact

• the training team by e-mail: schulungbib@hs-niederrhein.de

Further information can be found under Training courses.

U

USB s. PC workstations

User ID (university ID)

To log in to the DigiBib and the catalog you need your university ID. For the PC workstations you need your library number and your password (six-digit date of birth).

For the self-checkout terminal you will need your library number and your PIN.

Students will receive their university ID upon registration.

As a city user, you will receive your user ID and initial password by e-mail. This password must be changed the first time you log in. A forgotten password can only be reset to the initial password by IT Support. The corresponding request must be sent to IT-Support(at)hs-niederrhein.de.

City users will receive their library number by e-mail after registration.

User regulations

Please observe the library's user regulations, the university's house rules and the user regulations for lockers.

• Library user regulations
• Regulations for the use of lockers
• House rules of The Hochschule Niederrhein
• Library fee schedule

Use Krefeld South

• General library use Krefeld South Campus

Use of Krefeld West Campus

• General use of the library on the Krefeld West campus

Use of Mönchengladbach

• General Library Use Campus Mönchengladbach
• General Information about the library

W

Website

You can find the library website at www.hs-niederrhein.de/bibliothek.

WLAN

The Hochschule Niederrhein has a comprehensive WLAN network. You can access the WLAN using your university account details. Detailed instructions can be found on the KIS website.

Workstations

Various workstations are available in the libraries. The workstations are accessible throughout the opening hours of the subject libraries. We offer individual workstations, PC workstations (see PC workstations) and group workstations (see Group rooms).