As the largest music library in the canton of Bern, the HKB Music Library focuses on collections relating to performance and interpretative practice of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Urtext editions, contemporary music, as well as repertoire guides and reference works.
Mon–Fri
10am – 6pm
10 August – 4 September
Mon–Fri
10am – 3pm
In the concert series "Mittagskonzerte in der Musikbibliothek" students from the Department of Music will perform selected treasures from the holdings from the library's holdings. From classical to contemporary, the 30-minute concerts invite you to enjoy a lunchtime treat for the ears and mind.
HKB Music Library, Papiermühlestrasse 13j, Bern
The collection of the HKB Music Library is mainly oriented towards the needs of the Music Faculty, with an emphasis on performance and interpretation practices of the 19th and early 20th centuries: Urtext editions, contemporary music and guides to repertoire as well as research works.
CDs and DVDs can be borrowed but must be collected on site; postal delivery is not possible.
The sheet music of the HKB Music Library can be found in the HKB Sheet Music Catalogue or in swisscovery.
The German Music Information Centre (miz) provides the tutorial Research Tips that gives research tips and link-lists for online resources regarding music-related writings, digitised sheets and music manuscripts as well as streaming offers. In addition, indispensable print materials are still taken into account.
Are you looking for information on a specific topic? Do you need help with your research? Please get in touch!
The ForumMusikDiversität Schweiz (FMD) was established in 2012 by members of the FrauenMusikForum (FMF), which dates back to 1982 and the era of second-wave feminism. FMD is a competence centre for music, gender and diversity. Its stated purpose is to facilitate the transfer of knowledge in its subject areas. The centrepiece of the association – its collection of sheet music, books and CDs – has been deposited with the Music Library of Bern University of the Arts since 2007. In 2026, ownership of the collection was transferred to Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH).
The collection focuses on compositions by Swiss female composers, songs by female composers, Miriam Marbe and monographic concerts of the FMF (Mel Bonis, Bernese female composers, Dora Pejacevic, Louise Farrenc, Caroline Charrière, Iris Szeghy, Jacqueline Fontyn).
All media have been indexed in full at the BFH swisscovery. The accession system for the sheet music holdings is based on volume and instrumentation – searchable in swisscovery or the HKB catalogue of printed music. You can use their classmarks as search terms.
Some musical materials are reference works for consultation in the reading room only. They are not available for loan. You can order photocopies of printed works within the scope permitted by copyright law (cost: see fee table).
The collections of the FMD are protected by copyright law. If you wish to use reproductions of images or sheet music from the FMD collection for a publication, please contact the FMD at info@musicdiversity.ch. Cite the title, purpose and print run of the publication and the size of the image.
The FMD is grateful to the Bern Lottery Fund for its financial support and to the Mariann Steegmann Foundation for its long-standing generosity towards the collection work of the FMD.
The holdings of the former church music library of the Reformed Churches of Bern-Jura-Solothurn were transferred to HKB in 2002. The collection is growing continuously.
Its books and organ sheet music are fully indexed in BFH swisscovery. You can also search them in the HKB Sheet Music Catalogue. The sheet music can also be queried via the HKB sheet music catalogue.
To search the stock of the church music library only, enter the classmark ‘KMB’ when doing a keyword search.
Rare holdings (autographs, manuscripts, old prints from the 18th/19th century) are indexed in the card catalogue.
The estates of the Swiss composers Richard Sturzenegger (1905–1976), Adolf Reichel (1816–1896) and Hans Studer (1911–1984) are indexed in the database of RISM Switzerland (Répertoire International des Sources Musicales).
Estates and rarities are not available for loan. They can be consulted in the reading room. They are stored externally and must be ordered one week in advance.
Unfortunately, at the moment we can not accept any more donations.
The first points of contact for students and staff at the HKB’s Music Division are the liaison librarians Andrea Grandjean and Othmar Wüthrich.
