Starting August 10, 2026 | Construction work in the reading rooms

We're renovating

Starting August 10, the reading rooms on the first and second floor will be unavailable as study spaces due to extensive modernization work. The work is expected to take three months.

As part of the modernization, all floors will be replaced. We will also replace or reinstall the ceiling lighting and electrical wiring. The reading rooms will be equipped with new, larger work tables featuring acoustic partitions, power outlets, and integrated lighting—similar to what is already in place in Reading Room IV of the library.

 

Hours of operation during the renovation

• USB / Main Branch: Monday through Saturday | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., closed on Sundays
• Reading Room Circulation Desk: Monday through Saturday | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. 
• Info Point & Library Cards: Monday through Friday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Coffee Bar: Monday through Saturday | 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. The coffee bar is staffed until 2:30 p.m. After that, vending machines are available.

The HWA is not affected by the construction work and will remain open during its regular hours.

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Still available

• All materials can still be ordered through the university catalog.
• Ordered books will continue to be available for checkout on the pickup shelves. Returns can be made using the return machines on the ground floor.
• The textbook collection is accessible during all opening hours and can be checked out directly.
• The reading room circulation desk from Reading Room I is located in front of the pickup shelves on the first floor during the construction phase. 
• We’re happy to provide books from the reading room collection upon request. Please contact us at: ls(at)ub.uni-koeln(dot)de
• In the group study room on the ground floor, there are designated areas where you can use materials that are for on-site consultation only.
• Computer workstations for e-media are available in the Internet room on the first floor. 
• You can scan materials in the group study room on the ground floor.
• Special workstations, such as a microfilm and microfiche scanner and the Scan-Tent, are also located in the Internet room on the first floor.
• The Reading Room for Historical Collections is open during regular hours.

Temporarily unavailable

• There are no workstations in the reading rooms; therefore, seat reservations via the reservation system have been deactivated—the library operates solely as a lending library.
• The pay-per-use lockers and long-term lockers in the reading room are not available.
• The parent-child room is inaccessible during the renovation work.

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Alternative locations

We have reserved spaces near the USB alternative study areas. Here you can find out when and where you can work in peace. During the week, all alternative study buildings are open from 8.00 am to 9.30 pm. The rooms in the C2 container are also available at weekends from 9.00 am to 9.30 pm.

10. - 14. August

Datum	C2 Container	Philosophikum	Gebäude 107 (USB)	Hörsaalgebäude
Mo., 10. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S61 / S63 / S65	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI	Hörsaal F
Di., 11. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S61 / S63 / S65	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI	Hörsaal F
Mi., 12. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S61 / S63 / S65	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI	Hörsaal F
Do., 13. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S61 / S63 / S65	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI	Hörsaal F
Fr., 14. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S61 / S63 / S65	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI	Hörsaal F
Sa., 15. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215
So., 16. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215

17. - 21. August

Datum	C2 Container	Seminargebäude	Gebäude 107 (USB)
Mo., 17. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S14 / Piccolo	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI
Di., 18. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S14 / Piccolo	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI
Mi., 19. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S14 / Piccolo	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI
Do., 20. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S14 / Piccolo	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI
Fr., 21. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215	Raum: S14 / Piccolo	Raum: B I / B IV / B V / B VI
Sa., 22. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215
So., 23. August	Raum: S 212 / S 215

Cooperation

Contact