University Library

Open Access Area

Directly borrowing items

To borrow items from the library, you need a library card. If you are a TU Berlin student, your student ID serves as your library card. UdK students use their campus card as library card. It needs to be activated at the Circulation Department. All other users must request a library card.

Further information about the library card

You may take items from the Open Access Area and borrow them using the self-issue machines on the ground floor or on the second floor. Alternatively, you can order items for collection conveniently from home via the Knowledge Portal Primo. Items which cannot be checked out have a red dot on the book spine. CDs and DVDs can be borrowed from the information desks on each floor.

Shelving classification in the Central Library

Holdings of the TU Berlin Central Library can be found on the ground floor to the third floor. On the fourth floor you can find the Berlin University of the Arts Library (UdK). Each floor is designed in a different color to help orient you.

Refer to the floor plans to find out where holdings are specifically located. If you are looking for a specific subject or already know the identifier for a location found in the Knowledge Portal Primo, refer to our convenient alphabetical overviews. Central Library holdings are arranged according to the Regensburger Association Classification (RVK), those of the German Horticultural Library according to their own local classification.

Floor plans

Ground floor: TU textbook collection

  • The Textbook Collection on the ground floor has multiple copies of the most important textbooks for TU Berlin lectures. If all the textbooks here have been borrowed, you can find both a reference copy as well as an additional borrowable copy on the shelves where the book would normally be found based on its call number.
  • You must be a member of TU Berlin (student or staff) to borrow items from the textbook collection.
  • QR codes are available on the textbook shelves whenever a book is also available as an e-book .
  • If you would like to only search for textbooks, go to the Knowledge Portal Primo and select “TU Lehrbuchsammlungen” from the filter “Library/Collection” on the right hand side. 
  • The Architecture Department Library also has a textbook collection.

1st floor: General Interest, Conservation and Environmental Protection, Mathematics/Computer Science, Economics, German Horticultural Library

2nd floor: Natural Sciences and Technology

3rd floor: Humanities and Social Sciences

4th floor: UdK

Alphabetical overview of shelving classification in the Central Library

Classification alphabetically by subject

SubjectAbbreviationLocation
Agriculture and ForestryZA - ZE2nd floor
Applied ChemistryVN2nd floor
ArchitectureZH2nd floor
Art StudiesLH - LO3rd floor
Assorted TechnologiesZS2nd floor
Automation TechnologyZQ2nd floor
BiologyW2nd floor
ChemistryV2nd floor
Civil EngineeringZI2nd floor
Classical ArcheologyLD - LG3rd floor
Classical PhilologyF3rd floor
CommunicationsAP1st floor
Computer ScienceSQ - SU1st floor
ConservationAR1st floor
Control TechnologyZQ2nd floor
Crafts and TradesZS2nd floor
DictionariesAH1st floor
Dutch StudiesGU3rd floor
EconomicsQ1st floor
EducationD3rd floor
Electronics, Electrical EngineeringZN2nd floor
EncyclopediasAE1st floor
Energy EngineeringZP2nd floor
English Language and LiteratureH3rd floor
Environmental ProtectionAR1st floor
EthnologyLA - LC3rd floor
General and Comparative Literary StudiesE3rd floor
General and Comparative Literary StudiesE3rd floor
General InformationA1st floor
General Natural ScienceTA - TD2nd floor
General TechnologyZG2nd floor
GeographyR1st floor
GeologyTE - TZ2nd floor
German Language and LiteratureG3rd floor
HistoryN3rd floor
Home EconomicsZA - ZE2nd floor
HorticultureZA - ZE2nd floor
Landscape Architecture/PlanningZH2nd floor
LawP1st floor
Manufacturing ProcessesZM2nd floor
Material ScienceZM2nd floor
MathematicsSA - SP1st floor
Mechanical EngineeringZL2nd floor
MechatronicsZQ2nd floor
Media StudiesAP1st floor
MedicineWW - YV2nd floor
MetallurgyZK2nd floor
MetrologyZQ2nd floor
Military ScienceMX - MZ3rd floor
MiningZK2nd floor
MusicologyLP - LY3rd floor
PaleontologyTE - TZ2nd floor
PharmacyV2nd floor
PhilosophyCA - CI3rd floor
PhysicsU2nd floor
Political ScienceMA-ML3rd floor
PsychologyCL - CZ3rd floor
Regulation TechnologyZQ2nd floor
Religious StudiesB3rd floor
Romance StudiesI3rd floor
Scandinavian StudiesGW - GZ3rd floor
Slavic StudiesKW3rd floor
SociologyMN - MW3rd floor
Sports and RecreationZX - ZY2nd floor
Technical ChemistryVN2nd floor
TelecommunicationsZN2nd floor
TheologyB3rd floor
TrafficZO2nd floor
TransportZO2nd floor
Urban PlanningZH2nd floor

Shelving by subject abbreviation (RVK identifier)

AbbreviationSubjectLocation
AGeneral Works1st floor
AEEncyclopedias1st floor
AHDictionaries1st floor
APMedia and Communication Science1st floor
ARConservation and Environmental Protection1st floor
BTheology and Religious Studies3rd floor
CA-CIPhilosophy3rd floor
CL-CZPsychology3rd floor
DEducation3rd floor
EGeneral and Comparative Linguistics and Literary Studies3rd floor
FClassical Philology3rd floor
GGerman, Dutch, and Scandinavian Studies3rd floor
HEnglish Language and Literature3rd floor
IRomance Studies3rd floor
KSlavic Studies3rd floor
LA-LCEthnology3rd floor
LD-LGClassical Archeology3rd floor
LH-LOArt History3rd floor
LP-LYMusicology3rd floor
MA-MLPolitical Science3rd floor
MN-MWSociology3rd floor
MX-MZMilitary Science3rd floor
NHistory3rd floor
PLaw1st floor
QEconomics1st floor
RGeography1st floor
SA-SPMathematics1st floor
SQ-SUComputer Science1st floor
TA-TDGeneral Natural Science2nd floor
TE-TZGeology and Paleontology2nd floor
UPhysics2nd floor
VChemistry and Pharmacy2nd floor
VNApplied and Technical Chemistry2nd floor
WBiology2nd floor
WW-YVMedicine2nd floor
ZA-ZEAgriculture and Forestry, Horticulture, Home Economics2nd floor
ZGGeneral Technology2nd floor
ZHArchitecture, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Planning2nd floor
ZICivil Engineering2nd floor
ZKMining and Metallurgy2nd floor
ZLMechanical Engineering2nd floor
ZMMaterial Science, Manufacturing Processes, Manufacturing2nd floor
ZNElectrical Engineering, Electronics, Telecommunications2nd floor
ZOTraffic, Transport2nd floor
ZPEnergy Engineering2nd floor
ZQMetrology, Control and Regulation Technology, Automation Technology, Mechatronics2nd floor
ZSCrafts and Trades, Various Technologies2nd floor
ZX-ZYSports and Recreation2nd floor

Shelving German Horticultural Library, 1st floor

Department library shelving plans

Below are links to the shelving plans of the department libraries:

Architecture Department Library

Physics Department Library

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