Bestseller:
We provide you with the latest non-fiction and fiction books taken from popular top 10 lists  - as for example Der Standard (Austrian daily newspaper) – in the reading room on the ground floor. Thus you are given a quick and up to date overview of the most read and discussed literature. Since the demand for these books is great, we recommend you to reserve the book if borrowed.  

Catalogue (OPAC):
The catalogue (OPAC) will provide you with information on availability and conditions for borrowing for all parts of our collection. Several search masks offer a specified retrieval, especially the option Index-Suche (Index-search) is very helpful as it enables you to search with the help of keywords in alphabetic order. We regret that our entry masks are currently only available in German.

CD-ROM Databases:
The Vorarlberg State Library offers a variety of CD-ROM databases. Access is restricted to the facilities at the State Library or the State Library’s network.

Tours:
We are happy to offer guided tours of the Vorarlberg State Library. They will give you a professional introduction on about the diverse collection and on the procedures of the Library. Please contact Mrs. Melitta Schwarzmann for further information or an appointment (0043/ 5574 511 44020).

Information desk:
The information desk is the central information and service point located in the foyer. Services available are:

• Providing information on circulation status
• Registration and issue of library cards (VLB-Card)
• Reservations
• Ordering and providing items from proprietary locked or outsourced depots
• Sale of souvenirs and/or copy cards
• Handling of services that require payment
• Money exchange

Interlibrary Loan/ Document Delivery:
Literature that is not part of our collection may be obtained via interlibrary loan or document delivery (mail order). This service is open to all users and items may be ordered within Austria’s library network and from abroad. Please contact the office for interlibrary loan for further information: 0043/ 0)5574 / 511 – 44110.  

Journals:
The State Library offers a wide collection of journals beyond the depository copies for the libraries. The collection is retrievable in the catalogue via “Titelsuche” (title search). A range of current journals are displayed according to their subject area in the reading room on the ground floor. Journals and bound, older volumes cannot be borrowed, nevertheless it is possible to copy them at one of our in-house copier.

Loan period:
The regular loan period is four weeks (please consider: not all items are available for loan). A book may be renewed for four times when no reservations are made. Renewing an item may be done in the library or from home via internet or phone (0043/ (0)5574 511-44100). Unfortunately it is impossible to renew via E-mail.

Borrowing Entitlements:
People with residence in the area around Lake Constance are authorized to access the services of the State Library. Admission requires a valid library card (VLB-Card) that is issued at the Information Desk. In order to receive the VLB-Card you must provide a valid passport or ID card. Borrowing is for free, but an annual fee for the VLB-Card is charged:
·        5€ for pupils, students, retirees, persons doing military or community service
·        10€ for employed persons
Children under the age of 14 are obliged to bring a permission and liability form signed by their parent or legal guardian.

Media Centre:
The Media Centre comprises a collection of television and radio programmes as well as video and audio productions (for example privately financed television etc.) from or about Vorarlberg. There are various criteria (keyword, person, date, etc.) for research and it is possible to view or listen to the above mentioned at the Media Centre. Since they are protected by copyright it is not possible to borrow or copy them.

Newspapers:
The Vorarlberg State Library obtains and offers a wide range of regional, national and international daily and weekly newspapers. The most frequented ones (regional and national) are available at the cafeteria in the basement. Further newspapers including foreign ones such as Le Monde, El País, Independent, Carriere della Sera are on display in the reading room on the ground floor.

Non-Books (CD’s, video tapes, DVD, etc.):
The Vorarlberg State Library holds not only a book collection but also a wide-ranging collection of audio CDs and sound recordings featuring classical and local music, videos and DVDs of educational films, documentaries and audio books complete the collection. All forms of other media are situated on the ground floor and may be borrowed for four weeks. For a specified search choose your desired form of media with the help of the field Medienart (type of media) in the catalogue.

Access to the collection:
The majority of the book and media collection of the State Library is freely accessible and available for loan. The access to our collection is arranged systematically, each subject area has its own shelfmark conform to the information given in the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). All books dealing with a specific topic are therefore located close to each other. Library floor plans and shelf-labelling help you to find the desired literature. As mentioned above the explicit location of a book is given by the shelf mark and available for research in the OPAC. The shelfmark consists of a letter and number combination that refers to the subject field and is attached to each item.

Postal Address:
Vorarlberger Landesbibliothek
Fluherstr.4
A-6900 Bregenz

Reading Room:
A reading room with sixteen desks is located on the ground floor. Daily and weekly newspapers and a representative range of journals are near at hand. Further reading desks are available on each floor, in the gateway to and into the Kuppelsaal (Dome Hall of the former Abbey Church) as well as in the former sanctuary and on the balcony. We provide two carrels with writing desks and lockers for longer research studies.

Shelf mark:
All parts of our collection are arranged by shelf marks. The shelf mark is the exact location of an item in the library shelving. It consists of a letter and number combination and is attached to each item. The letter combination refers to the scientific class. For example: ERZ stands for Erziehungswissenschaft (paedagogy), MAT for Mathematik (Mathematics), and POL for Politikwissenschaften (political science). The items are shelved ascendant in number and letter according to their shelfmark.

Stiftsbibliothek (Abbey Library):
The former library of the Benedictine Monastery ‘St. Gallusstift’ was carefully renovated keeping its former, original appearance. Today, the Abbey Library comprises our most precious and rare items such as autographs, incunabula, early and old printings.

Telefax: 0043 5574 511-44095

Telephone: 0043 7754 511-44100

Vorarlbergensien:
A collection of items about or from the region. The complete collection is stored in the western part of the first floor. All shelfmarks of this collection start with “VOR”.