Library information in English

If you are enrolled as a student at Fachhochschule Dortmund, you don't need to register.

FH Dortmund staff, TU Dortmund students and external users can fill in our online registration form which you can access using this link (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) . You can pick up your library card within one week after registration. The form is in German, but you can always ask our staff for help (see contact details above).

Exchange students please be aware that, depending on your enrolment status, you might be considered an external user (e. g. if you don't have an FHCard). In this case, you need to register by filling in the form.

For certain library services (e. g. accessing your online library account), you need to log in using your general FH ID (FHKennung) and your password.

In order to use our self-service issue machines (Selbstverbucher) you need a four-digit PIN of your choice. Please set your PIN in your online library account by clicking "Menu" and "Library card". If you need any help with this, please let us know.

You can browse our (electronic and printed) media using our RiO search engine (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) . The language can be set by clicking "Sprache" in the top right corner of the RiO homepage. RiO can be accessed from mobile devices as well as using one of the public computers in the library.

If during your search you come across a printed book that you would like to read or check out, you can find it on the shelf using the book code (Signatur) that is provided in RiO. The books are sorted alphabetically according to their book codes. E-books and other electronic content can also be found and accessed via RiO. You can usually read or even download them from the library computers. If you have any questions concerning finding books in RiO or on the shelves, our library staff will be happy to help.

In order to access our electronic media at home or using your mobile device, you need to install VPN. In case you need help with that, please contact supportfh-dortmundde 

We kindly ask you to preferably use our self-service issue machines (Selbstverbucher) for checking out and returning media. In our Emil-Figge-Str. 44 library please use our self-service return machine (Rückgabeautomat) for returns. This machine is also accessible during library closing times.

If you would like to return books during our closing time in our Sonnenstraße and Max-Ophüls-Platz libraries, you can use the return boxes (Rückgabeboxen). They are located outside the library: Next to the lockers in the hallway (Sonnenstraße) / in room E38 (Max-Ophüls-Platz).

The lending period (Leihfrist) for our books is 90 days. In case another patron places a reservation on a book you have checked out, the lending period is shortened and you will be informed about the new due date.

The lending period for bound journal volumes (Zeitschriftenbände) and DVDs is 2 weeks.

Lending periods can generally not be renewed.

A reservation (Vormerkung) can only be made in case a book is currently checked out by another user. As soon as the user returns the book you will be notified via e-mail. After that, you can collect it from the pick-up shelf/area (Abholregal/-bereich) within 7 days after receiving the notification.

In order to place a reservation on a certain book, please proceed as follows:

• find the book in our RiO search engine (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) 
• click "vormerken/zum eigenen Standort bestellen"
• select the library you would like to pick up the book from and click "Auswahl übernehmen" to confirm your choice
• click the link "entliehen bis ..." next to the book code and library location
• enter your user number and password (see above) and click "bestätigen"

Yes. We offer notebooks (DELL Latitude 3510/3520 with Windows 10) for students enrolled at FH Dortmund. These can be borrowed for 120 days. Notebooks can only be checked out and returned at Emil-Figge-Str. 44 and Sonnenstraße libraries. Each notebook comes with a mouse, power supply, network cable and notebook bag.

In order to check out a notebook, you need to fill out and hand in a form to agree to the lending conditions PDF-Datei 117,19 kB . Please check RiO (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab)  beforehand to find out whether there are notebooks available at the moment.

At the Emil-Figge-Str. 44 library we offer a lot of individual workstations (Einzelarbeitsplätze). You can also book rooms for group work (Gruppenarbeitsraum) in groups of 3 to 8 students. In order to book a room, please use our online booking tool (Öffnet in einem neuen Tab) .

Our Sonnenstraße and Max-Ophüls-Platz libraries also offer workstations which you can use either individually or in groups.

For environmental reasons we no longer offer printing, but you can scan in all our libraries. Using our book scanners is free, all you need is a USB stick. The user interface language can be set to English as well as various other languages.

You can either bring your own mobile device and access the WiFi via eduroam just like anywhere else in the Fachhochschule. Or else you can use one of our library PCs. In this case, you need to log in with your user number and password (see above).

• Emil-Figge-Str. 44: cash or cash card/debit card - please use the pay machine in the library foyer
• Sonnenstraße: cash card/debit card
• Max-Ophüls-Platz: cash card/debit card

Fines and fees that amount to a sum of at least 10 Euros can also be transferred to our bank account. If you would like to transfer money please contact us for bank details.

Please be aware that your library account will be blocked as soon as the amount due has exceeded 30 Euros (for FH students and employees) or 10 Euros (for external users). No books can be checked out with a blocked account. Please contact us for more information on how to have your account unblocked.

Unfortunately we do not offer any specific language courses. Please ask International Office for further help.

You can browse the LinkedIn Learning video library for tutorials on lots of different topics such as IT, marketing, photography, software and many more. There are videos in both English and German. For registration you will need an e-mail address connected to the Fachhochschule (…@fh-dortmund.de or …@stud.fh-dortmund.de). Please register here: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/activate

If you have any questions concerning LinkedIn Learning, please don't hesitate to ask us.

• ... general library use (e. g. checking out and returning books, loan periods, services etc.)?
  • During our service times feel free to ask our staff at the issue desk. As long as the library is open you can also give us a call. And of course you can always send us an e-mail.
• ... how to find literature?
  • Feel free to ask us for support, preferably via e-mail.

Please find all the contact details for the library at the top of this page.