The library is generally open to everyone.
To borrow, order, or reserve items, you need a virtual library card from Mainz University Library.

The library card is free for students, staff at JGU (Johannes Gutenberg University), research partners, and those listed in Section 8 para. 1 of the German state fee schedule (LGebG, Landesgebührengesetz).

For everyone else, a yearly member fee of €15 applies.

If you are not a student or employee at JGU, a yearly member fee of €15 applies.

However, minors, individuals listed in Section 8 para. 1 of the LGebG, as well as students and staff from the following scientific institutions and departments, are exempt from this fee:

Mainz 

• Academy of Sciences and Literature
• Fraunhofer ICT/IMM
• Helmholtz Institute Mainz
• Mainz University of Applied Sciences
• Institute for Historical Regional Studies at Mainz University (Institut für Geschichtliche Landeskunde an der Universität Mainz e.V., IGL)
• Institute of Molecular Biology Mainz
• Catholic University of Applied Sciences Mainz
• Mainz State Museum
• Leibniz Institute of European History
• Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research
• Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
• Natural History Museum Mainz
• Romano-Germanic Central Museum
• Student Union Mainz
• Mainz University: Participants of the Center for Continuing Education and the program specifically tailored for senior students aged 50 and above (“Studieren 50 plus”)

Bingen

• Bingen University of Applied Sciences

Darmstadt

• Technical University Darmstadt

Frankfurt

• Goethe University Frankfurt

Wiesbaden

• European Business School (EBS) Wiesbaden

You will receive your library card in virtual form, which can be accessed through the JGU ID card app (available in both the Play Store and App Store ). Further details about the app are available on the Data Center (Zentrum für Datenverarbeitung, ZDV) website.

Members and Guests of JGU:
You will automatically receive a library card number and a PIN along with your JGU account. JGU guests (visiting researchers, lecturers, interns, private lecturers, doctoral students, and scholarship holders) must additionally activate their library card. This should be done at the checkout desk in the Central Library during service hours with specialist staff.

Extramural Users:
Please fill out this form.

1. You will receive an activation email from the Data Center. Follow the instructions in the email, and you will then receive two additional emails containing your login details. After registering you will have a JGU account (username "ub……"), a password, and a 6-digit PIN.
2. After receiving the third email, go to the circulation desk in the Central Library (during service hours with specialist staff) and present your identity card, or alternatively your passport and an official domestic registration confirmation. Minors will need to provide a consent form (PDF) from a legal guardian. Once the annual fee is paid, you will be authorized to borrow items.

If you work at the University Medical Center Mainz, you first need to request a JGU account through the account administrators of your clinic or department. Additionally, you must grant permission for JGU to use your data by checking a box in the ESS portal. Along with your JGU account, you will also receive a library card number and a PIN.

You can access your library card through the JGU ID card app, which is available in the Play Store and App Store.

For further details about the app, visit the ZDV website.

Physical library cards are no longer issued. Instead, you can use your library card via the JGU ID Card app, available in the Play Store and App Store.

For further details about the app, visit the ZDV website.

There are several possible reasons why your library card may be blocked (e.g., expired validity, unpaid fees, etc.).
To have it unblocked, please visit one of our circulation desks in person:

Mainz

• Central Library
• Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology Library
• University Medical Library

Germersheim

• Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies Library

Students can change their address directly in JOGU-StINe. If you have any questions, please contact the Student Service Center.

Employees of JGU and the University Medical Center: 

Report your change of address to the JGU Human Resources Department.

Non-university students should report the change of address on site at one of the circulation desks:

Mainz

• Central Library 
• Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology Library
• University Medical Library

Germersheim 

• Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies Library

Please bring your updated ID with you.

You can reset your password and/or PIN through your JGU account via the ZDV portal: https://account.uni-mainz.de/

Are you an extramural user and forgot your password?
Please contact specialist staff during service hours at the circulation desk in the Central Library. You can also reach us by phone at +49 6131 39-22633 or by e-mail at ausleihe@ub.uni-mainz.de.

A large part of the University Library Mainz’s collection is available for borrowing.
This includes openly accessible items, such as those in the open stacks and the textbook collection.
Items stored in the closed stacks can also be checked out in most cases after placing a request.
Be sure to check the availability details in the Search Portal.

The easiest way to search for literature is by using the ("I’m looking for") search bar on our homepage. If the search bar is hidden, click the magnifying glass icon in the top left. Your search terms will be forwarded to our Search Portal. There you will find all of Mainz University Library’s electronic and print media in the “Library Catalog”.

Clicking on a title will display all the details you need to locate the book or journal on the shelf. For precise location information, check “Where do I find books and journals?”.

In the "More Literature" section, you will find online articles and references from various databases, including some resources that may not be directly accessible through our library.

Both the "Library Catalog" and "More Literature" sections offer an advanced search function for more targeted results. Additional guidance is available in the Search Portal’s help section.

Tip: Learn how to navigate the Search Portal efficiently with our online course: “Grundlagen der Literaturrecherche: Tipps und Tricks für die Literatursuche im Rechercheportal“

All of the University Library’s media are listed in our Search Portal.

Electronic resources: A link to the full text is available directly from the short title list (accessible within the university network or via VPN).

Printed media: Click on a title for detailed information, including scanned tables of contents. In the blue-highlighted section, you will find all the details needed to locate the item on the shelf:

• The library where it is held
• Its specific location within the library
• The call number under which the book or journal can be found on the shelf.

For some publications, the classification number is missing from the usual place in the location information:

• For multi-volume works, click "Show all volumes."
• Newly ordered titles initially appear without a call number.

In branch libraries, items are mostly organized by different cataloging systems, allowing you to browse by subject. However, when searching for a specific title, be sure to use the Search Portal!

The open stacks in the Central Library are not organized by subject, except for the textbook collection. Be sure to search the search portal beforehand.

In the Central Library and most branch libraries, you can check out materials using your library card at self-checkout terminals. The items will be registered to your account, which you can view anytime via the Search Portal.

The standard loan period is four weeks, and you can renew it up to five times. However, renewals are not always possible. Certain user groups and library locations have special loan periods.

We offer various anatomical models for loan.

• All anatomical models are listed in the Search Portal. Please check the search portal in advance for the model’s call number.
• To borrow a model, visit the Central Library’s circulation desk and give the respective call number.
• You will then receive a key card for the designated locker.
• Models are available for same-day loans and must be returned by the next working day. (If borrowed on Friday, return is due Monday.)
• Returns via the return machines are not possible.
• Models may only be used within the Central Library and the Georg Forster Building Library.
• If returning the model the next day, it must be locked in the designated locker overnight. You may take the key card home if needed.

Do not unscrew or dismantle any parts beyond what is necessary for examination.
If a model part is lost or damaged, you are responsible for its replacement. A €20 fee applies for a lost key card.

The following items are not for loan:

• Frequently needed literature (e.g., current journals, encyclopedias)
• Special items (e.g., microfilms, microfiches, maps, newspaper volumes)
• Rare books and any books published before 1918
• Interlibrary loan books restricted to in-library use by the lending library

You can use these items in our library areas.

As pigments containing heavy metals were sometimes used in the 19th century for coloring book cuts and bindings, we recommend wearing gloves when handling books printed before 1900. These can be provided by us on request.

A large part of the items at our locations are arranged thematically according to various cataloging systems.

If you cannot locate a book at its designated spot, consider the following possibilities:

• Currently on Loan: The book may be on loan. You can place a hold on it.
• Not Reshelved Yet: The book was returned but hasn't been reshelved. Try checking again later.
• Newly Acquired: The book has been recently purchased and is still being processed. This is often the case with new releases. Ask library staff for assistance.
• Removed but Not on Loan: Someone may have taken the book off the shelf but didn’t check it out. Check the search portal and the shelf again later
• Misplaced: The book might have been moved. Look around the nearby shelves.

To order a title, click on "Order" in the search portal and choose your preferred pickup library. The requested item will be available for 14 days.

If you find items in separated collections in the catalog without an order link, please ask the library staff for help.

Closed-stack media from the Humanities Library can be requested online or with a request form.

Orders from the Search Portal

You can check if your ordered books are ready for pickup in your Search portal account (status: Item is ready for pickup).
Typically, orders are available by the following day. Please note that orders between two locations may take several days. You will receive an e-mail when the book is ready for pickup.
Ordered items will be available for you to collect for 14 days.

Closed stacks orders from the Humanities Library requested with an order form, will be available by 12:00 pm the next working day.

Closed-stacks orders cannot be cancelled online. If you no longer need the ordered books, please contact our library staff for assistance.

You can order Germersheim items to Mainz via the University Library’ Search Portal. Click on “Order” and select “Zentralbibliothek Ausleihe” as the pickup location. For items without an order link, please contact the information desk for assistance.

You can order Mainz items to Germersheim via the University Library’s Search Portal. Click on “Order” and select “Zentralbibliothek Ausleihe” as the pickup location. For items without an order link, please contact the information desk for assistance.

JGU staff members with a valid library card can borrow books until the end of the current semester (semester loan period). If a book is reserved, the loan duration will be shortened. Textbook collections and interlibrary loans are not affected by the semester loan period.
For specific loan regulations regarding certain collections, feel free to ask for more information at the library.

JGU students with an identity card for severely disabled people or a certificate from the “Office of Accessibility” can also borrow media from reference collections. To borrow, please come to the respective lending desk during regular service hours. The loan period is one week.

Are there any exceptions?
Manuscripts, Nachlasse (literary estates), autographs, old prints, media of particular value, and media published more than 100 years ago unfortunately cannot be borrowed. The same applies to microforms and media whose conservation status is endangered, other special collections and journal volumes.

Students with children at JGU can borrow reference materials during regular service times. To do so, provide the birth certificate of your child (original or as a copy) and your personal ID at the respective circulation desk. Your child must be under 7 years old. The loan period is one week.

Manuscripts, Nachlässe (literary estates), autographs, old prints, media of particular value, and media published more than 100 years ago unfortunately cannot be borrowed. The same applies to microforms and media whose conservation status is endangered, other special collections and journal volumes.

Media storage devices can be borrowed if there are no corresponding playback devices available at the library location. The loan period is one week.
We will be happy to advise you on site about special loan regulations for individual stock.

You can apply for a carrel in the reading room by filling out this form (PDF). The form has fields that you can fill in digitally. Once completed, save the document and send it, along with your request and a simple proof of your eligibility, to bbrewi@ub.uni-mainz.de. We will schedule an appointment to hand over the key and sign the form.

Eligibility: This service is intended for doctoral candidates and assistant professors at JGU who do not have a workspace at the university. Individuals with disabilities or equivalent status will be given priority. 
Don't forget to review the Regulations for using the carrels.

You can extend the loan periods via your account in the Search Portal. To log in you need your JGU account (user name and password).
Alternatively, you can also renew by calling +49 6131 39-22213 or by emailing ausleihe@ub.uni-mainz.de.

The loan period will be extended by four weeks (from the day on which you extend it).

If the loan period has only changed by a few days despite the extension, check the expiration date of your account (you can check your library account under the menu item "Profile"). 

If you have any questions on your account, please visit one of our circulation desks:

Mainz

• Central Library
• Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology Library
• University Medical Library

Germersheim

• Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies Library

An extension of the loan period is not possible, for example, if

• a medium has already been extended five times
• it has been reserved
• your library account is blocked
• your library card has expired
• it was ordered via interlibrary loan and the lending library does not allow an extension of the loan period.

In the Search portal, click on “Recall This” for the desired title. Enter your library card number and password on the following page and confirm the reservation.  As soon as the reserved title becomes available, you will be notified via e-mail, sent to the address linked to your account.

If you have placed a book on hold, you can cancel this in your account in the Search Portal.

In your account, in the Search Portal (“Checked out items”), you can see when the loan period is up. To log in you need your JGU account (user name and password).

You will receive a reminder email from us three days before the end of the loan period.

Regardless of whether you receive the reminder email, there are fees for late returns.

If possible, please return the books to the library from which you borrowed them so that they are available to everyone again without wasting time due to transportation. Use the self-return machines or self-service terminals available there.

The devices are accessible during general opening hours.
At locations without self-return machines or self-service terminals, for returns followed by a new loan or if you have further questions, please contact the specialist staff at the counter during service hours.

You can also ship back the books to the respective library. We recommend having additional shipping insurance for your package, as you bear the costs and risks of the return transport.

You will receive a return receipt for all returned media. Please also check the bookings in your library account. We can only process complaints upon presentation of the return receipt.

We charge a late fee of € 2 per item and week or part of a week of exceeding the deadline. For weekend loans from reference libraries, the late fee is € 1 per working day.

You can easily make any payments to us by bank transfer. Our bank account details are:

UB Mainz
IBAN: DE15 5535 0010 0200 1322 98
BIC: MALADE51WOR
Rheinhessen Sparkasse

Please be sure to enter your library card number and what kind of fees you would like to pay, e.g., late fee (“Säumnisgebühr”), annual fee (“Jahresgebühr”), etc., as Reason for Payment.

Alternatively, you can pay by cash or card at our circulation desks:

• Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology Library (card only)
• Humanities Library (cash or card)
• Law and Economics Library (card only)
• Theology Library (card only)
• Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies Library (cash or card)
• University Medical Library (card only)
• Central Library (cash or card)

Please report this to the circulation desk immediately, so that there will be no late fees for the book:

• Mainz Phone: +49 6131 39-22213
• Germersheim Phone: +49 7274 508-35161

If the book does not turn up, you must cover the cost of the new purchase plus an €11 processing fee.

On our page Research Tips we have compiled the most important information in order to help you.

You can find information on individual subjects on our Subject Information pages. You can also contact our subject librarians.

If the book you are looking for is not available at Mainz University Library, you can submit a purchase suggestion. Or you can order it from another library via interlibrary loan.

Printing and copying facilities are provided by the Data Center (Zentrum für Datenverarbeitung, ZDV). You can find more information here.

You need a university account and and the corresponding six-digit PIN.

Linked to this is a print/copy account, to which your printouts are charged.
Details can be found in this video by our Data Center (Zentrum für Datenverarbeitung, ZDV): Assign, top up, print—here’s how!

Detailed information can be found on the pages of ZDV.

Releasing print jobs—here’s how it works! (Video)

The total amount will be debited from your print/copy account immediately after the print job is released. Then the system checks the device to see how many pages have actually been printed and corrects the amount if necessary. If no correction has been made, please contact the Data Center (Zentrum für Datenverarbeitung, ZDV).

You can set a new PIN (6-digit, numeric) in your JGU ZDV account.

At the service terminal, select the “Remove Assignment” function, log in with your account, and delete the assignment. You can then assign yourself a new card using the “Assign Card” function.

There can be various reasons for this:

Wrong printer: The wrong printer was selected when you submitted your print job. Please make sure that the printer “\jgu-ps-1.zdv.net\Drucken” is set by default.

Incorrect option selected in system notification: When printing PDFs, a window sometimes opens indicating a possible printing problem. Please select the last option here (“do not make any changes”), so that your print jobs can be started. 

Printing directly on the printer/copier is only possible for PDF and JPG formats. You must convert Word files to a PDF first.

Recommendation: Always print your file from a PC.

Unfortunately, the ZDV does not know the cause in these cases. In most cases it is the file. You are welcome to send your file to the ZDV to check.

The multifunctional printing and copying devices can also scan.

For book-friendly scanning, book scanners are also available in the Central Library and in the larger Branch Libraries (USB stick required). 

At Faculty 06, you can print in the rooms of the Computer Facilities for Research and Teaching (CAFL).

Two copiers are available. Color copies are possible. You can buy copy cards during the service hours at the desk.

Two book scanner are available. The scans can be saved to a USB stick.

You can order literature from other libraries that is not available on-site.
If you need a recent title that the UB does not already own, or if there are too few copies of an existing one, please feel free to make a purchase recommendation.

Tip: If you are looking for international doctoral dissertations, we recommend first searching the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text database. This is the world’s most extensive collection of doctoral dissertations and theses. Many doctoral dissertations are available as full texts through the university network (via VPN).

Users from Germersheim or Mainz can order media from the respective other library location for free! For more information: “How can I order items from Mainz in Germersheim?” and “How can I order items from Germersheim in Mainz?”

In addition to a valid library card, you need an interlibrary loan account.
Your interlibrary loan account operates on a credit basis. To set up an account or to deposit credit, please contact a circulation desk at one of the following locations:

Mainz

• Central Library
• Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology Library
• University Medical Library

Germersheim

• Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies Library

To facilitate a largely contactless process, please fill out and sign the registration form (PDF) in advance and bring it with you. You can also send a scan of the signed form by e-mail to ausleihe@ub.uni-mainz.de. 

Payment of the interlibrary loan fee can be made on site by cash or card or by bank transfer to the following account:
UB Mainz
Rheinhessen Sparkasse
IBAN: DE15 5535 0010 0200 1322 98
BIC: MALADE51WOR

Please be sure to enter “Interlibrary loan fees” (“Fernleihgebühren”) and your library card number as Reason for Payment.

A processing fee of €2 applies to each title ordered, even if the desired title cannot be delivered. The fee is debited automatically from the interlibrary loan account as soon as the order is sent. In some cases, additional costs may arise.

In the HeBIS Portal, under the menu item “Login” select your home library (“Mainz: University Library incl. Campus Germersheim”) and log in with your library card number and PIN.

Have you forgotten your PIN or would you like to set a new one? You can manage your PIN via your ZDV JGU account. 

If you want to order a book for loan, please search using the details of the book (title, author or ISBN) and click on the “Order” button once you have found the correct result. 

If you would like to order an article from a journal (you will receive a copy you can keep), please search with details of the journal (title of the journal, ISSN), NOT with the title of the article. You enter the details of the item later in the order form.

You can check the processing status of your interlibrary loan requests via your interlibrary loan account.

In the HeBIS portal, select your home library (“Mainz: University Library incl. Campus Germersheim”) under the “Login” menu item and log in with your library card number and PIN. Go to the “Patron information” menu item at the top and select “Your account in the interlibrary loan system”. Once you have entered your PIN, you will see a list of your interlibrary loan orders, which you can click on individually.

Please note: It can take up to fourteen days from the message “ready for shipment” to the arrival of the delivery. You will receive a pick-up notification. If your status message is negative, you will receive feedback from us.

Yes, you will receive an e-mail notification.

Articles are usually made available as PDF files after a few days. For the orderd books it usually takes one or two weeks to arrive.

Mainz: At the selected place of issue (collection shelf of the Central Library as with other orders, circulation desks of the Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology Library or of the University Medical Library). The ordered volumes will remain ready for you to pick up for two weeks.

Germersheim: Collection shelf of the Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies Library.

The ordered volumes will remain ready for you to pick up for two weeks.

The loan period is usually four weeks. A renewal is possible, provided the library that supplied the book agrees. Articles you will normally receive as PDF files, in exceptional cases as paper copies for collection on site.

You can extend the loan periods of interlibrary loans up to two times in the search portal under the menu item “Items on loan”, provided the lending library allows this. You will need your JGU account (user name and password) to do this.

Alternatively, you can also request a renewal by telephone on +49 6131 39-22213 or by e-mail to ausleihe@ub.uni-mainz.de.

The loan period will be extended by four weeks from the day of the extension.

Most items can be ordered via interlibrary loan.

Exceptions:

• daily and weekly newspapers as well as general-interest magazines (can be neither copied nor loaned)
• loose-leaf books (partial copies are possible)
• Master’s, Bachelor’s, Diploma, Admission, and Examination theses
• DIN Standards—you can view these at a Standards Infopoint
• particularly valuable works
• works of an unusual format
• works that are available in bookstores at a low price
• media not available in book form (e.g., slides, records, maps, plans, etc.) if, e.g. due to their nature, they are at risk of being damaged during shipment
• frequently used media, in particular those in textbook collections, reading rooms and reference libraries
• e-books

Testing material (psychological or medical tests) can only be ordered by people who can demonstrate a justified scientific interest. Please contact the information desk in the Central Library.

DIN standards and other technical rules can be viewed at one of the Standards Infopoints. The closest ones can be found in Darmstadt and Kaiserslautern.

Document delivery services like Subito are a lifesaver when you need your literature faster. However: It is more expensive and only available upon registration. In return, Subito will send books and articles directly to your home address.

Using the Internal Loan Service, members of the University Medical Center can access articles from medical journals for free.

Your benefits:

• short delivery time: one week
• convenient delivery: shipping by internal mail or collection at the University Medical Library
  
  Note: We are only allowed to provide photocopies of articles.
• free of charge: Should costs arise because the article is not available through the ILV libraries, we will contact you before we order it.

Order form

If you have any further questions, the following contacts can assist you.

Colleagues from external and international libraries, please contact: fernleihe@ub.uni-mainz.de

The number of copies needed depends on the doctoral dissertation’s form of publication. Details can be found under “Deposit copies”.

The printed copies can be handed in either by post or in person during service hours, at the University Medical Library or at the entrance of the Georg Forster Building library.  

Mailing address:
Mainz University Library
Central Library
Jakob-Welder-Weg 6
55128 Mainz

Please note that we cannot issue a receipt, but a confirmation note will be sent directly to the respective faculty.

Find out about the requirements for electronic publication of your thesis. (Please pay particular attention to the checklist.)

Information on legal issues and licenses can be found on the Open Science help pages.

• save references in a database
• import data from library catalogs and other databases
• insert references into word processing programs with one click 
• automatically create bibliographies

• Students as well as doctoral and post-doc candidates: adding own summaries, notes, citations, etc. when studying specialist literature, textbooks, etc., managing literature to be used for their academic work
• Scientists and lecturers: using templates and citation styles for scientific journals, compilation of literature lists for seminars
• Workgroups: shared access to a data collection

The University Library and the Data Center (Zentrum für Datenverarbeitung, ZDV) make reference management programs available to all JGU members. These can help you keep track of the increasing flood of information and publications.

Currently available at JGU:

• a campus license for Citavi
• for JGU institutions: favorable terms for purchasing EndNote
• for the University Medical Center: a framework license for EndNote

Other programs available on the market include:

• JabRef, Mendeley, Zotero (free software)
•  BibDesk, Papers (for MacOS only)

These differ in some respects, for example:

•     Platform (Windows, Mac OS, platform independent)
•     Client or web-based
•     Free or fee-based
•     Range of functions (knowledge organization, ability to work with a team, …)
•     Language

Citavi offers the usual functions of reference management (collecting, managing, and outputting references).

In addition, there are some special features:

• Knowledge Organizer (add content to title data using abstracts, citations, tables of contents, …)
• Task Planner (manage deadlines, such as loan periods)
• Citavi Picker, an add-on program to add websites, for example
• English-language interface and support
• Team version available (multiple people can work on Citavi projects simultaneously in local networks)

The University Library and the Data Center (Zentrum für Datenverarbeitung, ZDV) have entered into a campus license agreement for Citavi for Mainz University. The contract currently runs until the end of 2025 and entitles all of the university’s employees and students to use the software during this time.

You can obtain the software directly from the provider’s website.

This is primarily the free version (Citavi Free), which can be converted into the full version by registering on the www.citavi.com/uni-mainz website. Please note that you must enter your work/student e-mail address

Attend one of our Citavi courses.

Citavi’s website offers numerous tutorials and lots of information:

• Overview
• Forum and FAQ
• Citavi Manual

EndNote offers the usual functions of reference management (collect, manage, and output references). There are also many predefined citation styles for various journals, especially in the field of medicine and natural sciences.

JGU institutions can purchase EndNote at discounted rates through the Data Center (Zentrum für Datenverarbeitung, ZDV).

Mainz University Medical Center has acquired a framework license of the EndNote software for its employees and students. We have compiled detailed information on this.

Anyone can create a web-based EndNote Basic account for free. However, the range of functions is significantly limited compared to the single-user version.

If you have any questions, please contact the University Medical Library via e-mail: bbum@ub.uni-mainz.de 

Attend one of our EndNote courses offered by the University Medical Library.

The EndNote website provides further information and instructions, for example:

• Online tutorials

Many professors put together so-called course reserves.

What’s special about it: The media on reserve are in one place for a semester, can be used in the library and copied in excerpts, but not borrowed.

Please inquire about the location of your subjects in your library on site.

We will be happy to set up a course reserve for you.

Mainz:
Please submit your literature list to the appropriate branch library or the Central Library at least four weeks before you want it to be available.

Germersheim: 
Please hand in the media for the course reserve to the circulation desk at least four weeks before you want it to be available.

Current, printed editions are available in:

Mainz

• Law and Economics Library
• University Medical Library

Germersheim

• Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies Library

The newspapers may only be used in the reading rooms.

You can find information about the printed newspaper holdings and electronic editions in the research portal.

You can access our licensed electronic resources in a number of ways:

On the Mainz/Germersheim campus:

• with a university account on all PCs as well as wireless via VPN
• with a JGU account with limited rights on selected devices in the Central Library and the branch libraries

Off campus:

• with a university account via VPN (unfortunately, not possible with a JGU account with limited rights)

Detailed information can be found on the Data Center (ZDV) Page.

The terms of use can be found on the publishers or the database providers’ websites.

In general:

• Full texts may only be printed or saved for personal and research purposes.
• Systematic downloading of articles or search results, in particular by robots, is prohibited.
• You may not pass on articles to third parties, neither electronically nor in printed form.
• Violations of the respective terms of use may result in providers or publishers blocking access to full texts.

We have gathered information for you on how publishers track data.

Please use the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Google Chrome, or Opera to avoid access problems and to ensure that you can access all functions.

Internet Explorer is outdated and no longer supported by Microsoft. As a result, it is no longer compatible with all platforms on which our licensed electronic products are offered.

If you have access problems, please contact: e-medien@ub.uni-mainz.de

You are neither a JGU student nor a member of JGU? Then you need a valid library card from Mainz University Library for printing, copying, and accessing licensed electronic media on site.

With your university account, you can log into the Wi-Fi on the Mainz and Germersheim campuses (unfortunately, this is not possible for non-university users). You can find instructions on the ZDV website.

As a member of another university participating in the European eduroam network, you can connect to the eduroam Wi-Fi by logging in with your home university’s account.

Wenn Sie ein KI-Tool im Rahmen Ihrer wissenschaftlichen Arbeit nutzen, sollten Sie sich gut über die rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen und Datenschutzrichtlinien informieren, insbesondere bei der Nutzung urheberrechtlich geschützter E-Medien.

Folgendes gilt es zu beachten: 

• Bei vielen KI-Tools müssen Sie sich registrieren, um Zugriff auf die Inhalte bzw. auf alle Inhalte zu erhalten.
• Die Server stehen oft außerhalb der EU – nicht DSGVO-konform.
• Geben Sie keine privaten oder sensiblen Daten preis.
• Fast alle Verlage verbieten es, elektronische Volltexte ihrer E-Books oder E-Journals in KI-Tools hochzuladen.
• Laden Sie nur Texte in KI-Tools, von denen Sie die Rechte besitzen bzw. die in Open Access verfügbar sind.

Auf Anfrage informiert die Universitäts­bibliothek über die entsprechenden Lizenzbestimmungen. 

Auf unserer Seite Nutzung von KI-Tools können Sie sich über KI-Tools informieren und beraten lassen.

A large part of the media at our locations is arranged thematically according to various cataloging systems.

• Georg Forster Building Library
• Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology Library
• Humanities Library
• Law and Economics Library
• Theology Library
• Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies Library
• University Medical Library
• Central Library

Simply contact a member of staff at one of the information or circulation desks on site. Or send us an email at info@ub.uni-mainz.de. We will be happy to assist you!

You are welcome to offer donations that add value to our media collections. The subject librarian in charge will decide whether your donation is accepted and where the media are placed.

The media must correspond to our acquisition profile, which is primarily oriented at the focuses of research, teaching, and studying at Mainz University. They must also be in good condition.

• Please contact us in advance via email. We may then ask you to provide a list of the books intended for donation.
• Duplicates are generally not accepted. Therefore, before handing over the donated media, they should be checked against our library catalog.
• The donor is responsible for the delivery of the donation. There will be no reimbursement.
• Unsolicited donations will not be returned.
• Conditions made for the donation (e.g. special identification, separate or closed location, usage restrictions) cannot in general be accepted.
• Upon handing over the media, the donor submits a written statement (PDF), through which unrestricted right of disposal of the media is permanently transferred to Mainz University Library. Media that are not incorporated into the collection may be disposed of, given away, used for a book bazaar, sold to secondhand bookshops, or given away to another library.

Acceptance of donations is based on purely objective criteria, irrespective of the person or function of the donor(s).

In duly justified cases, the library’s head will decide on exceptions of the points mentioned above.

The following are allowed:

• Cold and hot drinks
• Generally odorless and cold, outside the break rooms only 'noiseless' food.
• When working with manuscripts, autographs, old prints published before 1850, other special collections, as well as the holdings of the University Archives, drinks and food are prohibited. 

Please be careful with the media in general.

The Mainz Student Union operates on Mainz campus several cafeterias and cafés. The offer is complemented by snack, confectionary and vending machines.

The Germersheim campus also has a cafeteria.

Georg Forster Building Library and Central Library
AMA Lounge between Georg Forster Building Library and Central Library, Group study room 2 on the second floor of the Central Library

Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology Library
Outside the library: Chemistry foyer (weekdays only), on weekends entrance area in front of the library

Humanities Library
Outside the libraries: Communication corners

Humanities Library, School of Music
Outside the library: Break room on the ground floor, seating on the second floor

Humanities Library, Musicology
Sofa in the entrance area; outside the library: Tables and chairs in front of the library

Law and Economics Library
Learning center; outside the library: ReWi foyer and ReWi cafeteria (during opening hours) 

Theology Library
Outside the library: In the lecture hall area of the Faculty of Theology (Mon. to Fri.) and at the main train station

Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies Library
Outside the library: Cafeteria

University Medical Library
Outside the library: Tables and chairs on the ground floor