Special Collections

Here you will find all information about the locations, conditions of use and, if necessary, ordering options for our special collections.

Overview by shelfmark
  • ERN: Bibliothek Ernst, reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required
  • FI: Micro roll films, reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • YBA – YBD: Library Ferguson, reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • YCC – YCD: Computer-related materials, e.g. CD-ROM or DVD supplements to books/magazines, can be borrowed and are available at Floor 0, information service desk

  • YGA – YGE: Protected monographs, reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • YIB – YID: audiovisual media, on loan, order required via RUB Primo catalogue

  • YKA: Maps and plans, reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • YMB: microfiches, Reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • YPA – YPB: Scores, available to borrow, order required via RUB Primo catalogue

  • YSC: Scientific estate of the theologian and medievalist Johann Baptist Schneyer, reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • YVA – YVD: Library Hügel, reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • YXA – YXD: Monographs not suitable for open-air display, available for loan, order required via RUB Primo catalogue

  • YYA – YYE: Rara: Monographs, reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • ZGE, ZME, ZRE, ZSE: Journals: large formats, reference collection, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • ZYA – ZYE: Rara: Periodicals, use only in the closed reading room, order required

  • ZTG: newspapers: older paper versions, Use only in the closed reading room, order required

Directly accessible special collections
  • Allied Intelligence Reports on War-Time Germany compiled 1944 to 1947 (BIOS | CIOS | FIAT)

Various Allied intelligence services (BIOS = British Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee / CIOS = Combined Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee / FIAT = Field Information Agency, Technical / Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency) produced reports on the state of development of German industry and research, particularly in areas vital to the war effort, from the time of the Allied landings in Normandy onwards. We have an extensive collection of reports from these institutions.

The holdings are available on request in the University Library. Please contact: Michaela Donaj, per e-Mail or telephone.: +49 234 32 26461

  • Supplement CD-ROMs and DVDs

These are CD-ROMs and DVDs that are enclosed with books or journals. Such supplements are given the same basic shelfmark as the associated main title (example: WWB34670-YCD).

Location: Floor 0, information service desk
Conditions of use: The holdings can be borrowed.

  • Current loose-leaf editions

Location: Ebene 0, Floor 0, information service desk, partially closed magazine
Conditions of use: The holdings can't be borrowed.

  • Marie Jahoda Collection on Gender Studies

The Marie Jahoda Collection, a microfiche collection for the promotion of social science and interdisciplinary gender research, is being established in cooperation with the professorships for gender research at the Ruhr University. It consists of parts of the edition "Historische Quellen zur Frauenbewegung und Geschlechterproblematik" published by Harald Fischer Verlag. The collection consists of films of monographs, small publications and journals.

Location: Ebene 0, Floor 0, information service desk
Conditions of use: The holdings cannot be borrowed. By appointment you can create Scans of microfiches.

  • Microfiches belonging to the bibliographic reference library

This collection group includes filmed library catalogs and biographical archives from the Saur publishing house.

Location: Ebene 0, Floor 0, information service desk
Conditions of use: The holdings can't be borrowed. By appointment you can create Scans of microfiches.

  • Standards

The University Library obtained new and revised standards in printed form, but no draft standards. Outdated editions of standards were not kept. To facilitate research in the collection of printed standards, the "DIN catalog for technical rules" is available; in addition to the currently valid DIN standards and draft standards, this catalog also lists publications of other rule makers as well as legal regulations of the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union.
From 2001, only DIN standards with VDE classification will be supplied in printed form.

Location of the printed standards: Floor 3, area 4, adjacent to the Bibliographic Reference Library
Conditions of use: The holdings cannot be borrowed. Members of the RUB may scan the standard sheets (exception: DIN-VDE standards).

Current DIN standards in full text can be found in the Nautos database.
Current VDE standards in full text can be found in the VDE Standards Library database.

Special collections only accessible with pre-order
  • Media available for borrowing from the closed stacks

Order:

    • You can order books from the shelfmark groups GKE, SP, UA-UD, YI, YP and YX from the RUB Primo catalogue with a mouse click.
    • Please log in to your library account first.
    • Click on the "Request" link in the full display of the desired title.

Delivery time / collection period:

    • Delivery takes place Monday to Friday from 8 am to 3.30 pm. Exception: Books ordered at the weekend can only be made available on Monday.
    • You will be notified by e-mail.
    • The collection period is 8 days. You will find the exact date in the e-mail ("bereitgestellt bis ...").

Use:

    • You will find the books you have ordered organized by signature on the collection shelf next to the information/service desk.
    • You still need to borrow the book from one of our self-checkout machines.
    • The usual borrowing conditions apply.
  • Media from the closed stacks that cannot be borrowed

Order:

    • Please order the desired media using the form.
    • If you do not yet have a LoginID, you can also order works from the closed stacks by e-mail.

Delivery time / collection period:

Order Earliest delivery date
Monday to Friday until 12 pm on the same day from 1 pm
Monday to Friday between 12 and 3 pm on the same day from 4 pm
Monday to Thursday after 3 pm the following day from 1 pm
between Friday 3 pm and Monday 12 pm Monday from 1 pm
    • Please note: The ordered media will be available for you at the information/service desk for 3 working days. You can also arrange an individual date for the first use with us (see field "Available from..." below). The titles will then also be available for 3 days from this agreed date.

Use:

    • The books will be handed out at the information/service desk. For this we need the signature of the ordered book!
    • You can work with the media for a deposit in the reading room at the information/service desk.
    • When you have finished reading, please let the staff at the information/service desk know whether the book can be returned to the closed stacks or whether you would like to continue working with the book.
    • Our staff will decide whether to authorize scanning based on the state of preservation and the value of the work.
  • Media from the off-site storage

    • Some older and rarely used journals have been moved to a off-site storage and must be ordered. Before ordering, please check whether the required journal volume is available in electronic form (via the Electronic Journals Library (EZB)) or in a RUB departmental library (via the RUB Primo catalogue).

Order:

    • Due to relocation of the stock, ordering is currently not possible! Please check whether the desired journal title is available in a departmental library of the RUB. If this is not the case, please order the desired article via interlibrary loan. Here you can use the so-called "free order".