Borrowing
Your Thoska card is your library card – for students, staff, and external users alike. Make sure to bring it with you whenever you visit the library.
Take good care of your card. If you lose it, let us know right away so we can block it and prevent any misuse.
With your library account – available through the Online Catalogue and the Discovery Service – you can:
- renew your loans (up to one day before they are due, as long as no one else has reserved the item),
- place holds on items (reserve items),
- cancel holds you no longer need, and
- check your current fees.
You will find your library number on the back of your thoska card. Your initial password is your date of birth in the format DDMMYY.
Forgot your password? No worries – just use the “Forgot Password” option in your account.
You can borrow materials from locations A, A/LBS, and EPB (ground floor). The loan period is 29 calendar days.
Just bring your valid library card (your thoska card) and check out your items at the circulation desk.
In special cases, you can ask someone else to borrow items for you (see menu item "Borrowing via someone else").
Materials from location LS (upper floor) are for use inside the library only.
Taking them out is only allowed in exceptional cases – just talk to a staff member if you think you need to.
Three days before your due date, you will get a reminder email – just in time to renew your items if needed.
You can renew up to three times (as long as no one else has placed a hold and your due date has not passed):
- in your library account via the Online Catalogue or Discovery Service (up to one day before they are due)
- by phone: +49 3683 688 -1785 / -1609
- or by email
You can return your borrowed items in the following ways:
- in person or by another person during opening hours
- outside opening hours via the book return box
- by mail: Items must arrive at the library before the end of the loan period. The sender assumes the shipping risk.
After the loan period has been exceeded, a written reminder will be sent, subject to a fee.
The first and second reminders are sent by e-mail, the third reminder is sent by registered mail ("Einschreiben").
The amount of the reminder fees is specified in the administrative cost regulations.
If the item you need is already checked out, you can reserve it. Just use the "Reserve" link shown in the Catalogue or Discovery Service next to the item you are interested in.
As soon as the item is available for checkout, you will see a note in your library account on the Catalogue and in the Discovery Service.
Plus, you will get an email notification to let you know it is ready to pick up.
Your thoska card is strictly personal and cannot be transferred to someone else.
However, in exceptional cases, you can authorize someone else to borrow items on your behalf.
For this to happen, the person you've chosen must present the authorization form you've filled out, along with your thoska card.