Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering Library Biel/Bienne
The Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering Library in Biel/Bienne is a specialised academic library in the field of wood engineering. It is a member of the SLSP network and open to the public. A library ID is required to borrow media. We are happy to advise you on any questions regarding research, media acquisition and the use of the research platform swisscovery and its electronic resources.
swisscovery
use the swisscovery search platform to search nationwide in Switzerland
Opening hours
next special opening hours
Summer closure from Monday, 18 Juli to Sunday, 7 August 2022 : closed
regular opening hours
Monday 09:30 – 12:30 14:00 – 17:00
Tuesday 09:30 – 12:30 14:00 – 17:00
Wednesday – 14:00 – 17:00
Thursday 09:30 – 12:30 14:00 – 17:00
Friday 09:30 – 12:30 –
News
NEW: Online short trainings research platform swisscovery
Please view this page in German or French language.
NEW: Test access - Platform CAIRN Sciences (in French)
The BFH is offering test access to the entire Cairn STM (science and technology) collection until the end of June 2022.
On Cairn Sciences you can find the full text of more than a thousand books and manuals in science and technology. Consult them online, browse and print them, create your own reading lists.
Cairn is a French-speaking platform that also and mainly offers humanities and social sciences journals.
Special opening hours 2021-2022
Christmas/New Year |
Friday, 24 December 2021 – Sunday, 9 January 2022 |
Lecture-free period |
Monday, 14 – Friday, 18 February 2022 |
Easter Week |
Thursday, 14 April 2022 Friday, 15 – Monday, 18 April 2022 |
Ascension |
Thursday, 26 Mai – Friday, 27 Mai 2022 |
Whit Monday |
Monday, 6 June 2022 |
Summer closure |
Monday, 18 Juli – Sunday, 7 August 2022 |
Summer hours in August |
Monday, 8 August – Friday, 2 September |
Collections focus
Everything about wood in German, plus some French and English materials.
Our stock is freely accessible. All media except reference holdings can be borrowed.
Access to E-resources licensed by the BFH.
Facilities and services
- Loan and information counter
- Research advice
- 28 workstations
- 7 research stations
- Wi-Fi access (bfh-open for external users)
- Daily newspapers, weekly press for use inside the library
Using our resources
Lean Library – find scientific literature faster
The browser extension Lean Library leads you directly to electronic full-text content offered by your BFH library
Download Lean Library
- leanlibrary.com/download
- Install browser extension
- Select the library: Berner Fachhochschule
- Begin your search for academic literature. The Lean Library pop-ups lead directly to the full-text.
For best results, always activate the VPN.
Lean Library is available for
- Firefox
- Chrome
- Safari
- Opera
- Microsoft Edge
For Internet Explorer, only a limited version is available. The download for Internet Explorer requires administrator rights.
Use on mobile devices:
iOS operating system from Apple: Academic Browser
Android from Google: under development
Try Lean Library after download
- If the article you are looking for can be found on different platforms, Lean Library will take you to where you have direct access. >> test link
- If the e-book you are looking for is offered by the BFH libraries, Lean Library will take you directly to the free download. >> test link
- If you need a password to access a source, Lean Library will inform you accordingly. >> test link
- If you wish to search the swisscovery library system using a specific search term, click on the desired search term with the right mouse button on any website and select "search@BFH".
Highlight and Search
Lean Library enables you to initiate a search on the swisscovery search platform from any website:
- highlight one or more terms
- right-click with your mouse
- choose “Search@BFH” in the drop-down menu
- proceed to search in swisscovery
If you have any questions, please contact your BFH library.
swisscovery search platform
swisscovery search platform
The collections of the BFH Library (books, periodicals, DVDs, etc.; except for the library of the Abegg Foundation) can be searched using the swisscovery search platform: swisscovery.bfh.ch
swisscovery is operated by the Swiss Library Service Platform (SLSP).
Diploma works/Bachelor theses/Master theses
- Only works with a grade of 4 or higher are kept in paper form in the library.
- The works that currently have an embargo period are not yet integrated in the open stacks and in the research platform BFH swisscovery.
- Consult the annual collection of diploma papers written by technicians from 2006 (incl. abstract).
- Works from before 2006 should be requested from the librarians.
- Works from 2021 (except Master thesis) are only available in electronic form and are administered by the AHB Biel/Bienne student secretariat. They are not referenced in swisscovery. Contact: studadmin.ahb@bfh.ch
How to search these works in the BFH research platform swisscovery ?
- Select the Advanced Search mode of BFH swisscovery
- Fill in the search mask according to the template below
- Evaluate results and select relevant records for your research
- To find works in the library from the description, note the course of study, the year of publication and the author's name
Electronic version
Currently there is no database containing a digital version of the works.
Standards
e-Norm (Schweizerische Normen-Vereinigung SNV)
Citations for 2.1 million standards from the SIA (only standards, neither Merkblatt/cahier technique, nor Dokumentation/documentation), SN (INB/SWISSMEM), ISO and Electrosuisse collections. Full-text access to tens of thousands of standards.
Access from within the BFH network or via a VPN. An additional login is required.
Information on logins for students and employees of the AHB and IT departments can be found on the BFH Intranet.
If the databank locks up, please wait 5–10 minutes and it will automatically unlock.
E-resources
Lean Library - Find scientific literature more easily and faster
The browser extension Lean Library leads you directly to the full texts offered by your BFH library.
For BFH members only.
FH/BFH e-resources
Most of the bibliographic databases and other online resources offered by the BFH libraries are accessible to BFH students and staff via the BFH network (WLAN or VPN), while other library users can access them at the library's research stations.
Arbor
To support the green path of Open Access the BFH has set up an institutional repository called ARBOR (Applied Research Bern Open Repository).
A repository is a publicly accessible document server for all types of publications. ARBOR promotes free access to BFH research findings and increases visibility and citeability.
E-Periodica
E-Periodica is the platform for Swiss journals online and is a service of the ETH Library. Subjects range from the natural sciences through architecture, mathematics, history, geography, art and culture to the environment and social policies. At E-Periodica you'll find freely accessible journals from the 18th century through to the present. Resources are being continually expanded and supplemented by current editions.
Examples of architecture and civil engineering journals: Tec21, Werk, Bauen & Wohnen, Hochparterre.
INFORMATIONSDIENST HOLZ
Almost all INFORMATIONSDIENST HOLZ publications are available here free of charge in PDF format, including the "holzbau handbuch" and "spezial" series. In total, more than 70 publications on design and construction, structural planning, building materials and building physics or on award-winning timber construction architecture.
Schreinerzeitung (only in German)
As a weekly trade journal, the Schreinerzeitung highlights all new developments in the industry. In addition, it provides its readers with key information for their daily work, such as details of suppliers and their products, important dates for carpenters and an extensive job market. In addition, the Schreinerzeitung supplies all apprentices 12 times a year with the special pages "Lehrziit".
A login is required. Details of the logins for students and staff of the departments AHB can be found on the BFH intranet.
Internet links
Bauinventar
Building inventory of the city of Bern, freely accessible district inventories of the municipal office for the preservation of historical monuments (Städtische Denkmalpflege) of Bern, published in full in PDF format (excludes the old town).
Digibern
DigiBern is an online portal by the University Library of Bern containing graphical maps and digital texts about the history and culture of the city and canton of Bern:
DigiBern was launched in 2002.
Archinform
An architectural Wiki containing basic knowledge
Terms of use
Terms of use BFH Library
1. Scope
The following terms of use apply to the following libraries of the BFH Library:
- Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering Library Biel/Bienne
- AHB/TI Library Burgdorf
- Health Library
- HAFL Library
- Swiss Literature Institute Library
- Social Work Library
- Engineering and Information Technology Library Biel/Bienne
- Business Library
- HKB Media Library
- HKB Music Library
The EHSM Sport media Library HSM, Magglingen has its own terms of use.
All these libraries are part of the Swiss Library Service Platform (SLSP) and accessible with search platform swisscovery, which is operated by SLSP.
2. User authorisation
The BFH Library provides information and literature for BFH students and employees. These are also available to other interested parties. Use of BFH libraries is free, although there are charges for specific services (see Fee table in FAQ about swisscovery).
3. Registration
By registering, the user accepts the present terms of use.
Registration (free of charge) on the swisscovery research platform is required for borrowing media and using other services. Therefore, a SWITCH edu-ID account is necessary and may be created during the registration process if it does not already exist.
The users are responsible for ensuring that the personal details they provide are correct and up-to-date (see SLSP General Privacy Statement). They must update their personal details (such as address) themselves in their SWITCH edu-ID account.
Employees of the BFH Library cannot make any changes to personal data.
The user can set the preferred address (home or work) in the swisscovery account and add or remove library cards: swisscovery – Library Card Management and Settings.
The library card is required for on-site borrowing. It is personal and therefor non-transferable. The library card may be purchased at any swisscovery library. BFH students and employees can use their BFHcard as a library card. Library cards issued by other swisscovery libraries are also recognised.
Further information: see User account section in FAQ about swisscovery.
4. Borrowing
Library items are generally available for borrowing. However, certain designated items can only be used on site. Special loan conditions may apply to individual media or media groups. A maximum of 100 items can be borrowed per user.
The standard loan period is 28 days for most media. Unless the borrowed item is requested elsewhere, it is automatically extended for a further loan period of 28 days (up to five times). The deadline is displayed in the swisscovery user account.
When the maximum loan period expires, the item must be returned. If the item has not been reserved, you can borrow it again from the lending desk.
Items should be returned prior to absences longer than the loan periods of the borrowed items (military service, holidays, study abroad etc.).
5. Courier service and postal delivery
Media can be ordered for collection at a charge from all BFH libraries participating in the SLSP Courier service. The terms of use of the supplying library apply. The University library pays the courier fees for BFH members, provided that the pick-up location is a BFH library. Requested media must picked-up within 6 library working days. Courier media that are not picket-up will be returned. The delivery fees must also be paid in the event of non-collection (see Borrowing + Courier section in FAQ about swisscovery).
For a fee, BFH libraries can send out items from their own inventories (see Costs section in FAQ about swisscovery).
6. Liability
Media should be handled with care, protected from damage and returned in an undamaged and complete condition. Notes and marks shall also be deemed to be damage. Any cost of repairs or replacement shall be assumed by the responsible party.
The user is fully liable for any damage or loss of borrowed documents. Existing damage or missing inserts (data carriers, cards, parts etc.) must be reported immediately, or at the latest upon the return of the material.
For damaged or lost media, the University library charges repair or replacement costs as well as handling fees (see Fee table in FAQ about swisscovery).
7. Costs
The user is responsible for adhering to loan periods. Reminders that are not received are not accepted as grounds for late returns. No correspondence will be entered into in this regard.
After the loan period has expired, an "Overdue items - Reminder" (free of charge) is sent from <noreply@slsp.ch>. Subsequent reminders are subject to a fee.
The third reminder also results in the blocking of the swisscovery user account. If the item is not returned it is entered as lost. The replacement costs and administrative fee are charged to the responsible party (see Fee Table in FAQ about swisscovery).
Overdue fees can be paid at the lending desk in cash or with TWINT if an invoice has not yet been issued.
8. Copyright issues and further use of media
Use of library media is governed by the Swiss copyright guidelines and is intended exclusively for personal use. Transfer to third parties and commercial use are prohibited.
Chamber music scores and scores for solo instrument with (piano) accompaniment may be given to third parties under the following conditions: The borrowing person is responsible for ensuring that all parts and possible supplements are returned on time, complete and in perfect condition (without annotations). If the music sheet or parts of it are returned too late or with annotations, the borrowing person is liable and will be charged the corresponding fees. Commercial use is also excluded.
Users are responsible for informing themselves about any copyright issues. The BFH declines all liability in the case of copyright infringement.
9. Using online resources and internet
For information about Conditions for access and use of online resources, see FAQ online resources.
Public workstations in the BFH libraries are primarily provided for information on online offerings and research for scientific, specialist, professional or educational purposes.
All users are required to observe legal provisions with regard to Internet use. With respect to liability, misuse and the consequences of misuse, we refer users to the Guidelines on the use of IT resources at BFH.
10. Conduct within the library
The conduct of users within the library areas must not impinge upon the rights of other persons, impact library operations or cause damage to equipment, facilities etc.
Users are obliged to comply with the instructions of library staff. Failure to do so can result in the user being asked to leave. Repeated or severe infringements of the terms of use can result in exclusion from library use.
[January 2022]
Contact
Individual advice – we’re here for you.
If you need help with your research, please tell us your reason for contacting us and state the topic of your work in progress.
Links
For information about literature research, please take the Moodle course ‘Literary research BFH’
To access the Moodle courses, you need to be logged into the BFH network or accessing it via a VPN.
To log in (click ‘Login with Switch-aai’), you need to use your BFH code and password.
You do not need a registration key.