LIBRARY GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

University of Lodz Library is located on Matejki 32/38, Lodz (Google Map link)

INFORMATION CENTRE

The team at the Information Centre in the Main Library is happy to assist you if you have questions about using the library and will help you search for literature and information. You can also address your questions online to our Virtual Assistant.

SET UP A LIBRARY ACCOUNT

UL students with an electronic student ID (ELS) and USOSWeb account can activate their library card:

at the Main Library Lending Department – circulation desk is located on the ground floor of the Main Library building, it is open during library opening hours,
at the faculty lending departments of faculty libraries, opening hours are available on their websites,
by email: bul.wm@lib.uni.lodz.pl (you have to attach signed Users statement of the library and information).

If you want to obtain login and password to the UL systems please follow the Instruction

LOG IN TO A LIBRARY ACCOUNT

Use option: Log in which is located in the right top corner at our website and press the green button Login in library catalogue.
If you are a student or doctoral student, please use your ID UL0…@edu.uni.lodz.pl as a login and the same password as for the USOSWeb account.
If you do not manage to log in, please report this to the Lending Department - bul.wm@lib.uni.lodz.pl.
In your library account you can check a list of current loans, your requests, the due date of collecting items, payments, but alsoextend the return due date of borrowed items and change the contact details.

LOG IN TO BUL TERMINALS

Every student of Lodz University can gain access to the terminals available in UL Library.

LOG IN TO BUL Wi-Fi

Every student of Lodz University can gain access to the eduroam wireless network.

Wi-Fi network: eduroam
Login: UL0….@edu.uni.lodz.pl
Password: the same as for the USOSWeb account
Security type: WPA2 Enterprise
Authentication: PEAP
Authentication method (password transmission): MSCHAPv2

CATALOGUES

Most library books you can take home with you. You need a valid library card to borrow items from the library. Use the Main Catalogue to find thebooks and journal magazines: https://elibrary.lib.uni.lodz.pl/. Check the shelf marks to find out where the items are located.

Collection of Open Access Area – shelf marks consist of letter and numbers - browse items on the open shelves and borrow them at the self-lending machines.
Collection of Closed Stacks –shelf marks consist only of numbers - order through library catalogue because these are not accessible to visitors.

find a publication (by: title, author, subject, ect.),
choose the available item (please pay attention in what library it is placed),
click on ‘Place hold’ to make a request for books from closed stacks,
there is no ‘Place hold’ button – it means it is Open Access Collection,
log in to your account to make a request,
confirm your request,
ordered books are available after 30-40 minutes in the Lending Department, and should be picked up in 3 business days. Items that are not picked up are sent to the storage,
you can also create lists of favourite publications for later – Permanent Lists.

You can also use Multisearch Publication Finder – it is a multisearching device which gives the possibility of simultaneous searching of electronic, printed and open access resources.
If you don’t find the book in online catalogue you can check our Digital Card Catalogue which is available here. There are also available catalogues of our special collections.

CIRCULATION RULES

Every student of the University of Lodz can borrow 10 books - each for 2 months.
You can return your borrowed items in the Lending Department, in the returning machine “wrzutnia” or in Book locker.
We provide a courtesy email service to let you know when the due date is coming and when items are overdue. However, it is still your responsibility to know when the item is due, even if you have not received/read this email.
If you fail to return your book(s) on time, your library account will be blocked automatically. You will be charged a fine of 30 groszy for every day for each book. You can pay your fine at the Pay desk near the Lending Department or online by logging in into your user account (PayU).
The book rental period can be extended unless there are booking reservations waiting:

- twice on your own by logging into your library account (My account – Review My Account-Checkouts - select items to prolongate - Renew selected items).

- the third time by coming to the Lending Department with books.

In case you lose your book, you are obliged to buy it back or pay the value of its price which may represent the threefold value of a lost work.
You can make a booking reservation for a book borrowed by another reader by login in to the library catalogue and using Place Hold button. You will be announced by email when the item return to the library.

E-RESOURCES

Online e-resources may include e-journal, e-books, online academic databases, online magazines, online newspapers and others.The UL library enables the use of licensed electronic resources inside and outside the university network.
Using e-resourcesoutside the university network is available only for UL students, postgraduate students and UL employees who possess a valid library account.
To log in to e-resources enter the same data as for the USOSWeb account.
In case of any problems please check the validity of the library account (in order to update the account, please go to the Main Library's Lending Department: tel. 42 635 60 50, e-mail: bul.wm@lib.uni.lodz.pl)
Sharing the access is not allowed. Removing, modifying, systematic downloads or using web-crawling programs is strictly prohibited.

BOOK LOCKER

You can find the Book Locker in the older part of the Library building, near Narutowicza street. To use the Book Locker, you need to scan the student ID, which you should have previously registered as your library card. In the Book Locker, you can borrow books (you need to order them first) and return them. More information you will find here.

THE RETURNING MACHINE „Wrzutnia”

It is located on the ground floor near the elevators. Only books from the Open Access area can be returned there. Using the machine always wait for the green light on the display. In case of any problems with returned items please report it to the UŁ Main Library's Lending Department: tel. 42 635 60 50, e-mail: bul.wm@lib.uni.lodz.pl

READING ROOMS

We have two types of reading rooms at your disposal, both are located on the second floor.

The Main Reading Room offers access to:

current magazines and newspapers
various types of dictionaries, encyclopaedias et al.
publications issue by the University of Lodz Publishing House
computer station with access to Academica (Interlibrary loan system of books and scientific publications) where you can gain access to licensed or public domain publications but also publications under copyright law
computer station with access to Eurostat statistics
computer station with access to doctoral thesis
microfilms reader

Reading Room of Historical Collection offers access to:

Open Access Collection in the field of history and auxiliary sciences of history
journals
self-service scanner
microfilms reader
Academica (computer station)

OPEN ACCESS AREA

The library provides open access to a part of collections - books and periodicals, arranged according to the Classification of the Library of Congress (KBK).

There you can find books which in the library catalogue have a call number consisting of letters and figures, e.g.: BF31.C65165 2009E1. The first letter of the call number directs you to the appropriate part of the Open Access area.

Distribution of Open Access collections in the UŁ Main Library

Materials labelled with a blue sticker can be taken outside, with the red striper you can use only on site – in Open Access area or reading rooms. Collections located in the areas of Open Access cannot be ordered via a computer library system.

LIBRARY TRAINING FOR NEW STUDENTS

University of Lodz Library offers Library Training in English for the first-year students. The training is available on the Remote Educational Platform of the University of Lodz. It aims to make it easier for new readers to use the services and collections of the University of Lodz Library.

To join the library training, students need to log in to the university educational platform: https://moodle.uni.lodz.pl

Students of the University of Lodz can log in to the Library Training via the Central Authentication System - the same way as for the USOSWeb account.

You can sign up to the UL Library regardless of whether you have completed the training or not. If you have any IT problems or need to restart the test, you can write to the administrator of the platform: helpdesk@uni.lodz.pl

PRINTING, COPING & SCANNING

If you want to print something from your USB flash drive you can turn to our staff at the Library Information Desk on the ground floor (print in black & white only). There is a computer station where you can release and pick up your printings (payment at the Pay desk). You can also release your printing from computers located in Open Access area.

Requests on papercopies can be placed in both reading rooms. You can pick them up the following day in the Lending Department.

We offer also an electronic delivery of copies (scans) - here you will find some basic rules and instruction for ordering copies.

In the library you can also use self-service scanning machines available on the first floor in Open Access area and in the Historical Reading Room. You need to have your own flash drive or there is an option to send your scans to email.

Price list is available here.

STUDY PLACES

The University Library offers a variety of study places. Sometimes you are looking for a quiet place to study and other times you want to hold meetings or discussions in a group. The library has over 300 study places available in different locations. In our offer you will find study places with computers, individual study rooms as well as group study rooms.

Rooms for individual work

If you want to study in individual study rooms, it is highly recommended to reserve a seat in advance. Here you will find instruction how to do it.

Group rooms

If you want to work in a group, you do not need any reservation. Group study rooms are freely accessible to everyone.

The Coworking zone is a unique, collaborative learning space that is open to everyone during the Library's opening hours. It is a multipurpose flexible space for students and staff, located on the ground floor of BUŁ on the left side of the Lending Department.

Study room for a parent with a child can be found in the hall on the second floor of BUŁ. There are specially adapted furniture, books and educational toys there. It has two workplaces for parents. You don't need to book the place in advance. Ask for the key on the second floor in Open Access Area.

FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED

If you are a student at Lodz University with a disability, using the library should be as accessible as possible. As part of the "(Disabled) UŁ Student" project, the UŁ Library is providing new improvements and services:

Supply and installation of an induction loop in the conference room of the UŁ Library.

An induction loop has been installed in the conference room of the UŁ Library to enable deaf and hard-of-hearing people to actively participate in workshops or conferences held in the Library. The advantage of the system is that there are no additional receivers. The signal is transmitted directly to the hearing aid. By installing the induction loop, the sound quality can be significantly improved by eliminating background noise and people with hearing impairments will gain comfort in their work.

Access to an online service providing fiction publications in the form of ebooks, audiobooks and synchrobooks.

As of November 2020, access to the LEGIMI service providing access mainly to fiction publications in the form of ebooks, audiobooks and synchrobooks was launched. As part of the task, the Library's offer has been extended to include the possibility of using electronic versions of fiction books supporting the educational process (the University of Łódź also offers courses in the humanities in addition to sciences), but also contributing to the development of universal readership with equal access to bestsellers. Access to the service with a wide selection of fiction in various formats complements the Library's traditional offer. During the subscription period, a special pool of codes is provided for people whose disability prevents them from using standard printed materials.

Digitisation and accessibility of library resources in the UŁ Digital Library

In the Digital Library of the University of Lodz we offer a special collection of publications in formats suitable for people whose disabilities prevent them from using standard teaching materials, in particular publications for classes or research and teaching work, as well as other printed materials. The selection of materials is closely linked to the demand expressed by the persons concerned. The digitised materials in electronic form will be collected and made available here.

Other Facilities for the Handicapped, the Blind and the Visually Impaired you will find here.

USEFUL INFO ABOUT UL AND CITY OF LODZ

If you need more info about studying at UL and the city of Lodz you can get acquainted with University of Lodz Students Guide available here.