Basel University Library

The Basel University Library is one of the largest libraries in Switzerland. The library is located at the University of Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 18/20, 4056, Basel, Switzerland and is also Kantonsbibliothek of Basel-City.

The local name for the library is Universitätsbibliothek (literally translated: University Library). It contains more than 3,000,000 documents including 1,750 medieval manuscripts. Its collection includes numerous incunabula and manuscripts dating from the time of the Council of Basel (1431–87).

The majority of library resources are freely available to the public and most of the books can be electronically accessed and ordered.

The University Library of Basel (officially: Öffentliche Bibliothek der Universität Basel, "Public Library of the University of Basel") is the central library of the University of Basel.

The first written evidence of the library's existence dates from the year 1471; its early date makes it one of the most important libraries of the country. The library began compiling its catalogue in volumes from 1559 to 1889, when began organizing its material by a so-called „Zettelform“ (or, roughly, list form, where the items of the catalogue can be found by author name). This was later changed to a subject heading catalogue in 1939.

In 1886, ten years before the library was moved to its own building, the first curatorial librarian was employed. Between 1962 and 1968, the library's current location was found. The library of medicine was later founded, in 1978, as a subsidiary of the original library and which can now be found in the Basel University Hospital (earlier: Basel Cantonal Hospital).

Computer cataloguing and application was used from 1981 onwards and the first database was installed in 1985. In 1988 the OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue), the library of the Economics faculty (Wirtschaftswissenschaftliches Zentrum, WWZ,) and the business archive of Switzerland (Schweizerisches Wirtschaftsarchiv, SWA) were also put into service. In 1995 (and continuing to this day) electronic borrowing was activated and the open stacks were put into service. Popular, public access to the internet has been possible for the public since 1997.

The University Library collects various subject publications without restriction, but focuses on humanities, social and natural sciences, and medicine. If there is scientific interest in non-academic literature, it is included as well. The University Library (along with the departmental libraries) is responsible for the literary provision of research and teaching at the university. The University Library also contains the library of medicine and the library of the Centre for Economic Science (which includes the Swiss economic archive). Many of the departmental libraries are affiliated with the network of German-speaking Switzerland (Informationsverbund Deutschschweiz, IDS). At the same time the University Library serves as canton library for Basel City. In this role it collects all publications by residents of Basel, as well as everything about Basel and its inhabitants (these collected publications are called “Basiliensia”), as an informal dépot legal, a depository library.

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