General
Borrowing books from the university library is free of charge. If the loan periods are exceeded, fees are incurred.
The following parties are entitled to borrow books:
- Members of the university
- Other persons who have a library card
Library card
- For AAU members, student ID is valid as library card.
- For non-members of the university, we’d be happy to issue a library card. You can apply for this directly at the loan desk upon presentation of an official photographic identity document and conformation of residency (fee: € 20/year). Alternatively, you can send the documents in advance to schalter [dot] bibliothek [at] aau [dot] at.
- School pupils and apprentices receive a borrowing card at a reduced rate (fee: € 10/year) upon presentation of an acceptable ID (school pupil ID). Persons under the age of 18 also require a Declaration of consent and liability from the parent/guardian.
- Students at Austrian universities can borrow books free of charge with their student ID.
- Members of the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences can also borrow books free of charge with their student ID. In order to enter personal data into the system when enrolling, the relevant registration form is required.
- Students at the University College of Teacher Education Carinthia, the Catholic University College of Teacher Education Carinthia and the Gustav Mahler Private University for Music can also borrow books free of charge with their student ID.
Non-compliance with loan periods results in a fee.
(see Point 3 of the Schedule of fees).
Order – reserve – renew
Order
To order books online, register on our catalogue surf@ubk:
Register with your AAU account or the access data of your choice (for external users) – “Sign in” (top right). Enter the relevant search requests into the search field. Access to details in the hit list is by clicking a title or “Available at”, where you find the location of your item under “Get it”. If the item is in the closed stacks or already borrowed, you can order resp. reserve it by clicking “Request”. Please confirm your order by clicking “Request” (now green) again.
Your order resp. reservation is now complete. In the case of a closed-stacks item, you will receive an email notifying you that your item is at the loan desk a few hours later. In the case of a reservation, you will be notified when the item has been returned. In both cases, items remain at the loan desk for 5 workdays.
In the case of an open-stacks item, make a note of classification system (“Auf.sys.”) and call number (e.g.: I 345576). You can collect these books from the shelves yourself.
Textbooks are reserved for AAU students. They are located opposite the loan desk resp. on level 2 (cube) and have their own classification system.
Detailed instructions: https://surf.aau.at/primo-explore/static-file/help?vid=UKL&lang=en_US
Reservations
To reserve books that are borrowed already, register on our catalogue surf@ubk.
Register with your AAU account or the access data of your choice (for external users) – “Sign in” (top right). Enter the relevant search requests into the search field. Access to details in the hit list is by clicking a title or “Available at”, where you find the location of your item under “Get it”.
If you see a date (“borrowed until”) in the catalogue line, the book is borrowed until the specified date.
You can reserve the book under “Request”. Please confirm your reservation by clicking “Request” (now green) again.
Your reservation is now complete. In the case of a borrowed book being reserved, you will receive an email notifying you when the book will be returned.
Items remain at the loan desk for 5 workdays.
Detailed instructions: https://surf.aau.at/primo-explore/static-file/help?vid=UKL&lang=en_US
Renew
To extend the borrowing period, register on our catalogue surf@ubk.
Register with your AAU account or the access data of your choice (for external users) – “Sign in” (top right). Clicking “Konto” opens a sub-menu with the option “My Library Card/My Loans”.
You can now access your personal library account, where you find all your personal information.
“My Loans” shows you the list of your borrowed books. Next to every title, you find “Renew” if an extension is possible.
You can extend single items or the complete list on “Renew all”.
Attention: if an item has been reserved or if you have a fine to pay, you cannot extend the loan period for this item/any items.
Please check the return dater after every extension!
In principle, this procedure can only be repeated twice!
Detailed instructions: https://surf.aau.at/primo-explore/static-file/help?vid=UKL&lang=en_US
Returns & overdue fines
Please always return the media you have borrowed on time. If you exceed the loan period, fines will be due. These comprise daily fines and fines for warnings sent. Furthermore, if repeated warnings are sent, your user account may be blocked and you may be unable to borrow other books.
Daily fines: per day/book € 0.20, from the day after the due date, plus warning fee per borrowing instance (= all books that were borrowed on the same date):
- Warning: € 2 (1st day after due date)
- Warning: another € 2 (8th day after due date)
- Warning: another € 4 (15th day after due date)
Repeated failure to return the books after the 3rd warning constitutes a breach of the library regulations and can be penalised with limited (6 or 12 months) or, in the case of recurrence, permanent withdrawal of the entitlement to borrow books.
Prior to expiry of the loan period, you will automatically be sent a reminder by email. This is a service provided by the AAU, the non-compliance of which cannot constitute a waiver of or a legitimate extension to the return date.
(Spam filters often block these automated emails. Therefore please check your junk folder on a regular basis!)
Self-service kiosks for borrowing/returning books
Self-service borrowing/returning books, including at night
Since April 2005, within the framework of the 24-hour library, members of the university have been able to borrow media themselves from the open stacks of the library and return them to the library at any time, with the help of the self-service kiosks equipped with RFID technology. With this service, the AAU has a unique selling point in Austria.
Borrowing
- Hold your card above the picture of a card beside the screen (members of the AAU) or scan the barcode on the library card by placing the infrared strip on the glass panel (external users).
- Place the media you wish to borrow one after another on the glass panel. The medium will be booked to your account and released. Please take your time with this step.
- Once you press “Finish”, you will receive a borrowing receipt.
Returns
- Place the media that need to be retuned one by one in the opening of the return kiosks. The kiosk will now accept the medium.
- The next item can only be inserted once the green light comes on again.
- Once the last item has been returned, press the grey button and you will receive a return receipt
Inter-library loans and other non-accepted media can only be returned at the counter during opening hours.
If the return kiosks are not operational due to technical reasons, the media to be returned can be handed in to the porter at the main entrance.
Conditions of borrowing
- Students at the AAU (including exchange students)
- Students writing their thesis/dissertation at the AAU
- Academic staff at the AAU
- Administrative staff at the AAU
- External users (school pupils, students at other Austrian universities, other paying users)
- Students at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences or the University College of Teacher Education Carinthia
- Students writing their thesis at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences or the University College of Teacher Education Carinthia
- External academics
Insofar as a work has not been reserved or a warning has not been sent, it can be renewed 2x (excluding holidays and 3-day loans). Renewal is also possible online via the local online catalogue after logging in (“Log in”).
Long-term loans at the department (see also Section 4 (7) of the Regulations for use)
Renewal limitations are laid down in the Regulations for use (see also Section 13 of the Regulations for use)
Students at the AAU (including exchange students)
| Location | Catalogue status | Number | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed stacks | can be loaned (“entlehnbar”) | 12 | 30 days |
| Open-access area | can be loaned for 3 days (“„3 Tage entlehnbar“”) | 3 | 3 days* |
| Textbook collection | for AAU students (“für AAU-Studierende”) | 3 | 30 days |
| Media library | Short-term loan (“Kurzentlehnung”) | 3 | 3 days* |
| Inter-library loan | unlimited | depends on the library | |
| * Cannot be renewed! |
Students writing their thesis/dissertation at the AAU
| Location | Catalogue status | Number | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed stacks | can be loaned (“entlehnbar”) | 12 | 30 days |
| Open-access area | can be loaned for 3 days (“„3 Tage entlehnbar“”) | 9 | 30 days |
| Textbook collection | for AAU students (“für AAU-Studierende”) | 3 | 30 days |
| Media library | Short-term loan (“Kurzentlehnung”) | 6 | 9 days* |
| Inter-library loan | unlimited | depends on the library | |
| * Cannot be renewed! |
Academic staff at the AAU
| Location | Catalogue status | Number | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed stacks | can be loaned (“entlehnbar”) | 90* | 6 months |
| Open-access area | can be loaned for 3 days (“„3 Tage entlehnbar“”) | 90* | 6 months |
| Textbook collection | for AAU students (“für AAU-Studierende”) | 0 | |
| Media library | Short-term loan (“Kurzentlehnung”) | 6 | 9 days |
| Inter-library loan | unlimited | depends on the library | |
| * maximum number of items that can be borrowed, irrespective of location |
Administrative staff at the AAU
| Location | Catalogue status | Number | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed stacks | can be loaned (“entlehnbar”) | 30* | 3 months |
| Open-access area | can be loaned for 3 days (“„3 Tage entlehnbar“”) | 30* | 3 months |
| Textbook collection | for AAU students (“für AAU-Studierende”) | 0 | |
| Media library | Short-term loan (“Kurzentlehnung”) | 6 | 9 days |
| Inter-library loan | unlimited | depends on the library | |
| * maximum number of items that can be borrowed, irrespective of location |
External users (school pupils, students at other Austrian universities, other paying users)
| Location | Catalogue status | Number | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed stacks | can be loaned (“entlehnbar”) | 6 | 30 days |
| Open-access area | can be loaned for 3 days (“„3 Tage entlehnbar“”) | 3 | 3 days* |
| Textbook collection | for AAU students (“für AAU-Studierende”) | 0 | |
| Media library | Short-term loan (“Kurzentlehnung”) | 3 | 3 days* |
| Inter-library loan | unlimited | depends on the library | |
| * Cannot be renewed! |
Students at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences or the University College of Teacher Education Carinthia
| Location | Catalogue status | Number | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed stacks | can be loaned (“entlehnbar”) | 6 | 30 days |
| Open-access area | can be loaned for 3 days (“„3 Tage entlehnbar“”) | 3 | 3 days* |
| Textbook collection | for AAU students (“für AAU-Studierende”) | 0 | |
| Media library | Short-term loan (“Kurzentlehnung”) | 3 | 3 days* |
| Inter-library loan | unlimited | depends on the library | |
| * Cannot be renewed! |
Students writing their thesis at the Carinthia University of Applied Sciences or the University College of Teacher Education Carinthia
| Location | Catalogue status | Number | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed stacks | can be loaned (“entlehnbar”) | 12 | 30 days |
| Open-access area | can be loaned for 3 days (“„3 Tage entlehnbar“”) | 3 | 3 days* |
| Textbook collection | for AAU students (“für AAU-Studierende”) | 0 | |
| Media library | Short-term loan (“Kurzentlehnung”) | 3 | 3 days* |
| Inter-library loan | unlimited | depends on the library | |
| * Renewal 2x possible = max. 9 days |
External academics
| Location | Catalogue status | Number | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed stacks | can be loaned (“entlehnbar”) | 30* | 3 months |
| Open-access area | can be loaned for 3 days (“„3 Tage entlehnbar“”) | 30* | 3 months |
| Textbook collection | for AAU students (“für AAU-Studierende”) | 0 | |
| Media library | Short-term loan (“Kurzentlehnung”) | 6 | 9 days |
| Inter-library loan | unlimited | depends on the library | |
| * maximum number of items that can be borrowed, irrespective of location |
