Library A - Z
Below you will find important information on various subjects relating to library use, sorted alphabetically by keyword.
Acquisition request Requests can be submitted by e-mail. Acquisition request
Articles Articles from journals, congress reports and Liber Amicorum, etc. are generally not listed in the swisscovery Basel catalogue. For Swiss article search please switch to the swisscovery catalogue. Electronic articles can also be found in legal databases.
Basic literature (BLR) Current literature (Liber Amicorum, commentaries, reference works and current textbooks) arranged systematically by country and legal field and located in the galleries on the 1st and 2nd floors. After use, these books with colored labels are to be returned to the book trolleys on the corresponding floor - and not to the shelves.
Basler Courier - University Main Library - University Business and Economics Library - SWA All items from the UBH and the UBW-SWA that are approved for home lending can be ordered for collection at the circulation desk of the other library free of charge. Returns are also possible at both locations. This service is provided to all users registered in SLSP. The waiting time is usually two days.
Call numbers The call numbers of the media listed in the library catalog and the resulting locations can be found on the orientation steles on the 1st and 2nd floors of the library. The signature prefix JF means that the items are from the JF Library. There are two different shelfmark systems:
- the shelfmarks of the main departments (holdings in the reading rooms, gallery and stacks) on white labels, shown as "letter, Roman numeral and Arabic numeral"
- the shelfmarks of the basic literature (1st and 2nd floor gallery) on colored labels, shown as "classification number or country abbreviation and classification number, four capital letters of the author's name and year of publication".
Case law Federal court decisions including ECHR and many cantonal collections of decisions are available online. A large part of cantonal case law is also provided proof in Swisslex. On the 2nd floor in the gallery there are printed collections of decisions.
Commentaries These can be found in the basic literature shelves in the galleries, organized systematically by country and legal field. (In the case of Swiss works, there are often additional copies in the reading rooms). Some comments are included in the legal databases such as legalis (Basler Kommentare), Swisslex (Zürcher and Berner Kommentare) and beck-online (Münchener Kommentare).
Collections of legislation The collections of federal and some cantonal legislation are located on the 2nd floor in the gallery. The federal law collections and all cantonal law collections are also available electronically. Please note that the electronic form of the Official Compilation (AS) of federal law has been legally binding since 01.01.2016 and no longer the printed version.
Copying, printing, scanning and mobile printing Copying/printing machines are located on both floors. The UNIcard is used for copying, printing or scanning (stick, e-mail). Credit can be topped up via the Secanda Cashless app. Private individuals without a UNIcard can buy a PRINTcard at the following locations and top it up in cash. There is also a coin-operated photocopier on the 1st floor. An overhead scanner is provided on the 1st floor for professional scans. For copies on A3 paper, the devices in the University Business and Economics Library - SWA can be used. Mobile printing (see separate entry). UniPrint
Copyright Printed books and journals may not be copied or scanned in whole or in part. Licensed e-media may only be used in the context of research and teaching, any commercial use is prohibited, transfer to third parties is prohibited, as is the systematic downloading and reproduction (manually or by program) of entire issues of e-journals, entire or substantial parts of e-books and databases. Passwords and other access data are confidential and may not be disclosed to third parties.
Databases The licensed legal databases are freely accessible to university members on the university network.
E-books Licensed and freely accessible e-books are provided proof in the swisscovery Basel library catalog and are also clearly displayed on the library website. Others can also be found in databases. In order to read licensed e-books in full text, a connection to the university network is required.
E-journals Licensed and freely accessible e-journals are provided proof in the swisscovery Basel library catalog and are also clearly displayed on the library page. Others can also be found in databases. In order to read licensed e-journals in full text, a connection to the university network is required.
Electronic media The e-media include freely accessible and licensed e-journals, e-books and databases. The e-media licensed for the University of Basel can only be read in full text if the computer has a connection to the university network.
EU Information Center (EU/i/) The EU Information Center (EU/i/) is located in the University Business and Economics Library - SWA.
Group rooms The JF Library provides 8 small group rooms. These cannot be occupied by individuals; they are intended exclusively for meetings and cannot be reserved.
Information The first point of contact for questions about the library is the information desk on the 1st floor. Send e-mail
Inter-library loans The JF Library does not arrange books or photocopies from other libraries. The University Business and Economics Library - SWA or the UBH are responsible for inter-library loans.
Internet Wireless LAN is available in all library rooms. With WLAN "unibas-public", members of the University of Basel have access to the Internet (including licensed electronic media) and the university network via VPN (members of other Swiss higher education institutions have access via their VPN solution). The "eduroam" wireless network enables members of all participating higher education institutions (worldwide) to access the Internet without a VPN (access to licensed electronic media, however, only for members of the University of Basel). Further information can be found on the website of the IT Services of the University of Basel. On the computers on the 1st and 2nd floor, which are not specially equipped for catalog queries, university members have free access to the Internet after logging in with their unibas account. Non-university members can register free of charge using the WLAN "unibas-visitor" with their cell phone number (no access to licensed electronic media). IT services
Journals (printed and electronic) The current year of most printed journals can be found on the shelves in the gallery on the 2nd floor with their shelfmark. The bound volumes of the journals are located in the reading rooms under the respective shelf mark. Some older journal volumes can be found in the stacks. E-journals are also provided proof in the swisscovery Basel library catalog, linked directly from the catalog or accessible via databases. In order to read them in full text, a connection to the university network is required. Current journals
Labels
- White label: the book is usually located in the reading room and must be returned after use.
- Blue label: basic literature on the 1st floor
- Yellow label: basic literature on the 2nd floor
- Red and yellow labels: Liber Amicorum, basic literature on the 2nd floor
All books with colored labels must be placed on the designated trolleys after use (blue: 1st floor; yellow and red: 2nd floor).
Legal databases The licensed legal databases are freely accessible to university members via the university network.
Lending The JF Library is a reference library. In-house borrowing is generally possible. The availability of media is shown in the catalog. Availability cannot be guaranteed at all times.
Liber Amicorum Liber Amicorum from 1994 onwards can be found in the basic literature on the 2nd floor in the gallery (red and yellow labels). Older commemorative publications are located in the respective departments in the reading rooms.
Library catalogs All JF Library media are listed in the swisscovery Basel library catalog.
Library introductions During the lecture period, monthly library tours and short introductions to electronic research take place. Library tours are held for first semester students at the beginning of the fall semester. Guided tours and training courses
Literature for the start of program A regularly updated list for the start of program - introductory study literature - can be downloaded from our website (see library catalogues/info box).
Lockers These are located on the ground floor and in the courtyard. They are available for provision and can be fitted with their own lock. A small number of locks are available at the information desk for a deposit of CHF 10. All lockers must be emptied at the end of the spring semester.
Master's theses Students writing a master's thesis can reserve a work space for a maximum of 3 months with a visa from the Office of the Dean of Studies. form
Mobile Printing (Mail2Print) Only for people with a unibas e-mail address. Mobile Printing or Mail-to-Print offers the possibility to send a PDF document to UNIprint from any computer (PC, notebook, tablet, smartphone, etc.). The print job can be picked up later at any UNIprint device. Send the e-mail from your unibas e-mail address to mobileprint@clutterunibas.ch. No special designation needs to be entered in the subject heading. Only a few individual print options can be set - e.g. only double-sided printing (front and back). Mobile printing
Opening hours The JF Library is open from Monday to Friday from 08:00 - 20:00; on Saturday from 08:00 - 18:00. Opening hours
PhD students can reserve a work space in the library with a confirmation from their first supervisor. The form
Printing Copying, printing, scanning and mobile printing
Questions Questions about using the library in general or about research in library catalogs and databases can be sent to us by e-mail.
Rara holdings with the RARA location are kept separately and are only accessible on request and to a limited extent.
Reading room collections Books from the reading rooms (with white book labels) can be collected from the shelf. After use, they should be returned to their place in the reading rooms.
Reference library The JF Library is a reference library. The holdings of the JF Library are generally only intended for use on its premises or partly for in-house lending by the professorships. In the case of examinations and other special cases, the library management may approve exceptions.
Reference works Dictionaries, legal encyclopedias, bibliographies etc. are located in the basic literature on the 2nd floor in the gallery.
ScanningCopying, printing, scanning and mobile printing
Stacks For books from the stacks, a corresponding order form must be filled out at the information desk. The ordered books can be picked up at the information desk three times a day.
Training courses The JF Library and the UBH offer training courses for researching in the library catalog and databases. You can find an overview on our website under Guided tours and training courses.
VPN (Virtual Private Network) VPN establishes a secure connection to the university network. To be able to use the Internet in the JF Library, you must have a VPN client installed on your notebook. You must also have a VPN facility installed on your computer if you want to access the university network from home. VPN
Work spaces The JF Library mandates around 300 work spaces, all with Internet access. Wireless LAN is available in all library rooms. Eight tables in the reading rooms are height-adjustable. Places can be reserved for doctoral and master's theses as well as moot courts. See work spaces and study rooms.