service restrictions due to maintenance and repair work from 15/08/2020 to 26/08/2020

As you may have already learned, technical maintenance and repair services will be soon taking place in the SLUB. This work will cause restrictions in both digital and analogue offers/services. We have included all the important information regarding this situation here.

What is being done?

From 15/08/2020 to 26/08/2020, comprehensive maintenance and repair services - especially on the technical systems - will be taking place in the SLUB that will have a major impact on our digital infrastructure. A substantial part of this is required by law.

The Central Library must remain closed for the duration of the work on the technical systems. Many services will also be mostly discontinued as a result. All of the SLUB’s websites and portals, including the online catalogue, will not be accessible.

Is it really necessary?

The maintenance work is mandatory. As a user, you will not notice any visible differences afterwards, but the work is of pivotal importance in making the basic technical areas of the SLUB futureproof. After considering all possible implementation scenarios and taking detailed advice from technical experts, a decision was made in favour of a temporary closure for security reasons. The SLUB has a highly complex IT landscape and infrastructure. During the course of the work, a total of 40 technical systems and 100 sub-distribution cabinets will be serviced. 30 companies that will invest 940 working hours will be involved.

What support can you expect?

Of course, the SLUB will do everything to keep the consequences of this unusual closure as low as possible and to offer the best possible service in this situation.

For example, from now on until 14/08/2020 many reference items can be borrowed once for four weeks. You can get detailed information on which reference items are available at our service counters. No items will be due back during the closure. You can, however, still return your items at all open locations during opening hours at the service counters. The branch libraries will continue to be available as places to learn and work. The SLUB will also offer additional courses and advisory services there. For example, the team at the Open Science Lab offers lectures and workshops on research data management and Open-Access-Publishing. The SLUB TextLab includes open writing workshops as well as workshops for creative writing and blogging. An overview of all special services and events can be found here.

The licensed electronic resources from external providers, such as specialist databases, electronic books and periodicals, will still be mostly usable, but a direct link to said resource from the external provider will be required.

Please check out www.slubdd.de/maintenance to find out more about the services before and during the closure and how you can prepare for it.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the SLUB via contact form, SLUBChat, by phone or on social media.