The Science and Technology Branch Library (TNZB) will not open until 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 22, due to an internal event.

The Departmental library 18 Mathematics, Computer Science and RRZE (18MI) will open at 10:30 a.m.

Following the website relaunch at the end of March, the University Library will switch to a new catalog just one month later, at the end of April.

We’ll be using open-source software called VuFind. The catalog will feature a more user-friendly interface, making it even easier to search for and find literature (see work-in-progress screenshot). The website is optimized for use on smartphones and tablets.

For FAU members, login will be via IdM credentials in the future, so no separate password will be required for the catalog. Passwords for external library users will become longer and thus more secure.

The transition will be accompanied by training sessions, which are scheduled to begin in May.

More information will follow at the end of April after the successful relaunch.

Today is the day: The University Library’s new website is now live. Following the launch of fau.de and the rollout by faculty, the rollout by institutions is now underway—starting with the University Library.

The new “FAU Elemental” design theme showcases FAU’s brand identity and combines a clear information architecture with intuitive navigation and a consistent visual style. Dedicated entry points for specific target groups quickly guide students, researchers, faculty, citizens, and schools to the relevant services.

Technically, the site is designed with the future in mind: it is accessible, optimized for mobile devices, features an improved search function, and runs on WordPress, a flexible, scalable platform. In this way, we are accompanying FAU to its new digital home and strengthening the university’s brand identity through a consistent corporate design. The streamlined navigation structure makes the site easier and even more intuitive to use.

We welcome your feedback: Please help us improve the site further by using the contact form on the website.

The University Library Erlangen-Nürnberg is the first library to receive the Open Library Badge 2025. This is an award for libraries that embrace the concept of openness. It is aimed equally at public and academic libraries and rewards their commitment to greater openness in society and academia. The quality seal has been awarded in 2016 and 2020, and now in the latest 2025 edition. The initiative is organized by a working group of the same name within the German Library Association.

The University Library scored well in all seven thematic areas and was particularly impressive in the areas of Open Access, Open Data, and Open Source, where it met all criteria in each case. Other thematic areas include “Participation and Citizen Science,” “Inclusion and Social Responsibility,” “Open Educational Resources,” and “Open Government and Open Research Information.” Evidence for the individual criteria can be viewed transparently on the website. A brief press release regarding the inaugural awarding of the 2025 quality seal is also available there.

The project „Die Open Source Academic Publishing Suite (OS APS) als Publikationssoftware etablieren und relevante Akteure vernetzen“ (OS-APS NET), with a planned duration of two years, has been approved by the DFG.

Given the challenges associated with XML workflows at university publishing services and university presses—which often manifest as a lack of expertise and limited staff resources—the Open Source Academic Publishing Suite (OS-APS) offers an infrastructure solution that has already proven itself in production use by various stakeholders. However, the OS-APS community network remains loose, and the documentation of workflows and the use of OS-APS still has room for improvement. The proposed project therefore aims to consolidate, expand, and sustainably document the existing knowledge of users. The software’s existing potential is to be identified and leveraged so that, in the medium term, OS-APS can establish itself as a publishing tool for institutional providers and be used independently by interested institutions without a high need for consultation.

To the software: https://os-aps.de/

The University Library will discontinue the acquisition of e-books via the ProQuest Ebook Central e-book platform as of April 1, 2026. In this context, the range of e-books available on this platform will be limited. If you have set up a user account on the https://ebookcentral.proquest.com website, titles you have used in the past may also be affected. We therefore recommend that you export the information stored in your notebooks, bookmarks, and bookshelves by the end of March.

However, titles that have been permanently purchased via this platform can still be accessed via the university library catalog after April 1 and used with all service functions.

The next and 10th “Long Night of Writing” will take place in the Main Library in Erlangen on Thursday, March 5, from 4 pm to 11 pm. Some workshops are only held online. Participation is free without prior registration. At 5 pm, there will be an anniversary event with a special “pUB quiz".

You can look forward to workshops on various topics, from writer's block to academic writing and researching with artificial intelligence. These include special courses for international students, some of which are in English. The program is complemented by individual writing consultations in English and German (also for international students). You can also relax with yoga or (non-alcoholic) cocktails and take part in the aforementioned “pUB quiz,” where you can win a special labyrinth tour of the University Library

The entire program can be found on the accompanying website:

Directly to the event platform To the writing consultations

The Long Night of Writing is organized by the University Library in collaboration with the the Writing Centre at the Language Centre (SZ), the FAU Competence Center for Interdisciplinary Scientific Reflection (ZIWIS), the Student Committee of the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theology (FSV Phil), the Student Representation (Stuve) as well as the Career Service and the Sponsor NÜRNBERGER Versicherung.

We look forward to seeing you!

Over the next few months, improvements will be made to key digital applications of the University Library: the website will be relaunched, for the catalog we will introduce new open-source software with a clear interface, and we will switch to a new open-source library system!

New website: In the spring, we will follow FAU into its new digital home and switch to a uniform web design. With the corporate design, we are contributing to FAU’s brand identity. A reduced navigation structure will make the website easier and more intuitive to use.

New catalog: For the summer semester, we will introduce a new open-source software called “VuFind”. The catalog will feature a clearer interface, making it even easier to search for literature.

New library system: On August 4, 2026, the switch to the new FOLIO library system will finally take place – the acronym stands for “The Future of Libraries is Open.” It is also an open-source system with a modular structure that focuses on openness and transparency.

More information on the individual projects will follow in separate announcements. We will also provide information on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook).

On December 9, the departmental library for Japanese Studies (07JA) will introduce an electronic lending system. Then, it will be possible to borrow, renew, and reserve media from the Japanese library using an FAUcard or an University Library card for external users. Please note that you can only reserve borrowed books via the catalog if you select the Japanese Studies departmental library under “Libraries without interlibrary delivery service” when choosing the access option.

Most materials can be borrowed. Exceptions include the reference and special collections under the shelf numbers 07JA20, 07JA30, and 07JA70, as well as the periodicals collection. The loan period is four weeks, with six renewal options. If the loan period is exceeded, an automatic chargeable request for return will be issued. With the introduction of the electronic loan system, all previously applicable special loan conditions are no longer valid.