As an academic library affiliated to the nationwide library system swisscovery, we acquire, catalogue and make available printed and electronic documents in the agricultural, forest and food sciences.
use the swisscovery search platform to search nationwide in Switzerland
Mon–Fri
9am–6pm
for HAFL members with BFHcard around the clock
Our print holdings comprise around 16,000 monographs and 200 specialist journals in German, French and English. They are fully indexed on the search platform swisscovery.
BFH members and library visitors can also access 70 specialist databases, 12,000 scientific online journals, 17,000 other journals and newspapers and 100,000 e-books.
You can borrow documents from our library directly on site at the library counter during our opening hours. You can also reserve them in advance via swisscovery.
Further information on borrowing terms for BFH staff and students, and for external users, is available here.
The BFH libraries have produced a Moodle course that provides a step-by-step introduction to the principles of literature research.
These and other questions are answered in the Moodle course Literature research at the BFH with videos, graphics and a quiz. The Moodle course can be used flexibly – as a self-study course or to accompany teaching events. It is available to all BFH students and staff and provides basic, subject-independent material for all disciplines. For subject-specific queries, users are referred to the relevant specialist library at the BFH. The course is currently available in German; French and English versions will follow shortly.
The browser extension Lean Library leads you directly to electronic full-text content offered by your BFH library
For best results, always activate the VPN.
Lean Library is available for
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
Lean Library enables you to initiate a search on the swisscovery search platform from any website:
If you have any questions, please contact your BFH library.
As a learning and information center, we offer assistance in searching for, acquiring and processing specialized information. We regularly offer courses for members of BFH.
We also teach scientific methods, information literacy, literature search and reference management on bachelor and on master level.
You can also contact us if you have any questions regarding the reference and information management tool Citavi at BFH: citavi.hafl@bfh.ch.
Members of BFH will find direct links to our search tools and online resources as well as abundant information about literature research and reference management on our Intranet site and on the learning platform Moodle.
The following terms of use apply to the following libraries of the BFH 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.
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).
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.
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.).
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).
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).
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 with TWINT if an invoice has not yet been issued.
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.
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.
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; updated Oktober 2022: cash payment of overdue fees no longer possible]
