FAQs

General Information

Opening hours of the library?

For up-to-date information, please visit https://www.akbild.ac.at/library

How do I get a library card?

You will receive a library card if you show your proof of residence ( Meldezettel ) and your student ID or another photo identification.

Is the library pass free of charge?

The library card is free for all students, the faculty & staff as well as the alumni of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, and furthermore for faculty & staff of other educational institutions. The library may be used free of charge for holders of the Kulturpass and/or holders of a disability ID card. All other users can purchase a 4-month (EUR 5.–) or an annual library card (EUR 15.–).

Why does my library card not work?

Your library card might not work because it (1) has expired, (2) you have outstanding fees, or (3) you have reached the maximum of items available for request. Please note that you are personally required to extend your library card at the main library’s information desk once every year.

Are there any lockers available?

Yes, there are lockers available in the entrance area of the main library. You can get a key at the information desk. At the branch library at the Institute for Education in the Arts (IKL) unfortunately no lockers are available.

Where do I find the course reserves?

Most course reserves can be found in the open stacks area of the reading room of the main library.

How do I apply for a course reserve?

If you are a faculty member at the Academy, you have the option of applying for a course reserve of a maximum of 15 items per course. Please ask at the information desk of the library for the respective form.

Can I suggest books for purchase?

Yes, of course! Please use the respective online form in this regard: https://www.akbild.ac.at/portal_en/library/services/acquisition-request.

I would like to donate books to the library!

Thank you very much! Please note, however, that we can only accept donations after checking our inventory first. Should the books etc. not comply with our acquisition policy, or should we already have a copy of the respective item, we are giving them away for free without any further communication.

Where can I find up-to-date information on opening hours and events hosted by the library?

You will find all the details in our newsletter (if you want to register, please send an email to entlehnung@akbild.ac.at ), on our website (https://www.akbild.ac.at/library), as well as on our Social Media accounts on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/akademiebibliothek) and on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ub.akbild).

Does the library offer services for partially sighted or visually impaired people?

Yes. The staff of the library offers to scan printed matters of its own holdings into barrier-free Word- or PDF-files. We ask you to bring along your library ID card and your disability ID card if you want to use this service. For further information, please contact Patrizia Wiesner-Ledermann (p.wiesner@akbild.ac.at).

Searching for and requesting printed and AV media

Is the library an Open Access library?

"No", it isn't. The majority of the items you want to use or borrow have to be requested via our discovery service A…search (https:www.akbild.ac.at/bib-search) respecitvely or by using the card catalogue and request forms.

What do I find in A…search ?

A…search contains bibliographic records of all acquired physical items and licensed electronic resources (databases, ejournals, ebooks…), as well as of selected, freely available online resources. You have the option of using any computer, provided it has internet access, for research, submitting requests, and administrating your account. A…search will enable you with numerous filters to find the desired results.

What do I find in the card catalogue?

The card catalogue contains bibliographic records of all physical items that were acquired until 1970. Please obtain the request forms at the information desk for ordering.

How can I request any media online?

Just order the requested items by using your library card. Log in to A…search by using your individual user ID (beginning with "$R") and password. Then click on the item you’re interested in and on "Request" on the following page. With clicking on "send request" the process is completed.

What media can I borrow?

Basically, you can borrow any of the printed or audio-visual media published after 1950 with the exception of large formats, special editions, general reference works and magazines/journals.

How many items can I request/borrow in total?

The maximum number depends on your user status: Undergraduate and graduate students (diploma, master and PhD candidates): 10 reservations at once and 20 items borrowed in total; alumni and owners of an annual/4months-card: 10 reservations at once and 15 items borrowed in total; staff of the Academy as well as faculty & staff other educational institutions: 10 reservations at once and 20 items borrowed in total; Academy’s faculty members: 15 reservations and 35 items borrowed in total.

How long can I borrow an item?

All AV media (DVDs) and comics/graphic novels can be borrowed for one week, while the period for printed media will depend on your user status: Undergraduate and graduate students (diploma, master and PhD candidates): 8 weeks (max. 12 months); alumni and owners of an annual/4months-card, staff of the Academy as well as faculty & staff other educational institutions: 4 weeks (max. 6 months); Academy’s faculty members: 12 weeks (max. 12 months).

When can I pick up my requested item?

You will get a notification on your Email account once your requested items are ready for pick-up.

How long are items placed on hold?

14 days.

How do I use the Media Library (Mediathek)?

The Media Library is an Open Access library. You can take the DVD covers from the shelves and pick up the respective DVDs at the information desk.

Do I have to set a request for journals?

Current volumes can always be found on the journal rack in the main reading room, but back issues must be requested via A…search or the card catalogue.

Can I borrow journal issues?

Unfortunately not. Journal issues may only be read in the reading room.

Can I renew my loans?

Loans are automatically renewed unless (1) your library card has expired, (2) you have outstanding fees and/or (3) the respective items are requested.

I can't renew my loans any more, but neither can I return them by the due date because …

In this case, please send an email to entlehnung@akbild.ac.at or call one of our colleagues at the information desk during opening hours (+43 (1) 588 16–2302).

Will I be charged for overdue books?

Basically, yes! If you do not return a borrowed item by the due date, you will be charged a fine consisting of a reminder fee (EUR 2.– per reminder) and a arrears fee (EUR 0.20 per item and day). This fine will only be charged for the days the library is open.

What do I do if I lose an item?

You will have to replace it.

How do I set an interlibrary loan request?

You can set an interlibrary loan request at the information desk or by sending an e-mail to fernleihe@akbild.ac.at . Interlibrary loan requests within Austria are basically free of charge (with the exception of items from the University of Art and Design Linz), while international interlibrary loan requests are not. For further information, please contact fernleihe@akbild.ac.at .

E-Journals and Academic Databases

Where and how do I find electronic journals?

Electronic journals can be found in the Electronic Journals Library (EZB) at: http://ezb.uni-regensburg.de/fl.phtml?bibid=UABK

Please note that you can use licensed contents (the yellow traffic light in the EZB) only within the campus network of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and/or via institutional login on the publisher’s platform by using AkademieOnline login data (Shibboleth). Remote access is only provided for faculty, staff and students of the Academy, either by using a VPN Tunnel (Virtual Private Network) or an institutional login option on the publisher’s platform and entering their AkademieOnline login data (Shibboleth). For more detailed information regarding VPN, please see: http://www.akbild.ac.at/vpn

Where and how do I find academic databases?

Academic databases can be found in the Database Information System (DBIS) at: http://rzblx10.uni-regensburg.de/dbinfo/fachliste.php?bib_id=uabk&lett=l&colors=&ocolors=

Please note that databases marked in the DBIS with a "U on yellow" can only be used within the campus network of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and/or via institutional login on the publisher’s platform by using AkademieOnline login data (Shibboleth). Remote access is only provided for faculty, staff and students of the Academy, either by using a VPN Tunnel (Virtual Private Network) or an institutional login option on the publisher’s platform and entering their AkademieOnline login data (Shibboleth). For more detailed information regarding VPN, please see: http://www.akbild.ac.at/vpn.

In case you’d like to use a database that requires "Log-on with User Name and Password", please contact Andreas Ferus (a.ferus@akbild.ac.at).

From where can I access and use the electronic resources?

If you are within the campus network of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, you should be able to access almost all of the licensed electronic resources (without entering a user name and/or password). Additionally, faculty, staff and students of the Academy can access the electronic resources from anywhere in the world using a VPN Tunnel and/or an institutional login option on the publisher’s platform by entering AkademieOnline login data (Shibboleth). If you have any questions, please contact Andreas Ferus at a.ferus@akbild.ac.at

What am I allowed to do with downloaded content (full-text articles from journals, ebooks, podcasts, images, …)?

Downloaded content may only be downloaded, saved and/or printed for personal use and research purposes. Contents may not be passed on in either form to any third party. Systematic downloading and/or printing is prohibited.