Communication, Information and Media Center (KIM)

Central Library

The Central Library is located at Garbenstraße 15.

  • Individual places
  • Group rooms
  • Computer work stations
  • Computers (without login, for the licensed media offer)
  • Work station for the visually impaired

For students with children, a breastfeeding and diaper-changing room is provided .

 Opening hours for the Central Library

Study places

Individual study places

Spread over three floors you can find study places with various quiet zones:

  • Silent zone (no conversations): all reading rooms on the first floor (Periodicals reading room, reading room 3a+3b)
  • Silent zone with limitations (e.g. located in passageways): Reading room 1 on the ground floor, computer work places on the ground floor
  • Quiet zone (low conversations, studying in groups possible): basement, corridor on the first floor, newspaper lounge

Group study rooms

For group learning, the Central Library offers a total of 7 group rooms:

Foyer: Group room 1- 4 (for up to 8 persons)
Upper floor (accessible via the staircase behind the circulation counter): Group room 6 - 8 (for up to 6 persons)

Group rooms 1 and 6 are equipped with large wall monitors (with HDMI cable connection). If your laptop does not have an HDMI output, you can borrow various converters at the circulation counter for a deposit.

It is not possible to book these rooms. If the rooms are occupied by an individual, a group will have priority.

Group room 5

Group Room 5 is located on the 1st upper level and is the largest group room in the Central Library at just under 35 square meters. It is equipped with moveable furniture. Thus, it can be used by several small groups as well as by a large group (8-14 people) in different settings (e.g., for standup meetings).

In the room there are:

2 electrical height-adjustable tables, whose table surface can also be used as a whiteboard (also foldable)
12 trapezoidal tables
12 height-adjustable swivel chairs, 4 height-adjustable stools, 4 high chairs
1 moveable TFT monitor
3 acoustic partitions

Group study areas

At the foyer, the corridor on the first floor and in the basement you can work in groups as well as on your own. Because of the group work a certain level of noise is unavoidable.

Workstation for Visually Impaired Users

In the Central Library a workplace for visually impaired people is available with the following equipment:

  •     Computer with the magnifying software ZoomText including audio output,
  •     a 27" monitor
  •     a high-visibility keyboard
  •     a reading-glass
  •     a video magnifier (borowable at the circulation desk against a deposit)


The workplace is located in the computer room on the ground floor.
For further information, contact the circulation desk or the reference desk.

Computers and Internet

Computer workstations + lending of headphones

Computer workstations and print/copy/scan stations are located on the first floor and in the basement.

Available at the circulation counter (you must leave a deposit):

  • Headphones,
  • Ethernet cable,
  • Adapters for the use of monitors in the group rooms.

Notebooks (and other mobile devices) in the library

All areas of the library are equipped with WiFi (Eduroam and HoWLAN2). From many desks that are located next to the windows you can also connect to the internet via LAN cable. Further information can be found here

Learning environment

Top-up station for student IDs / canteen cards

In the room with the vending machines you can also find an EC top-up station for student IDs and canteen cards.

Validation machine for Student IDs

In the room with the vending machines you can also find a validation machine for student IDs.

Snacks and beverages

On the right side of the foyer (just before the entrance to the circulation counter) there is a room with snack and drink vending machines (hot and cold drinks).
On the right in the foyer is the FAIR-o-mat with fair trade snacks.

Breastfeeding and diaper changing facilities

There is a facility for breastfeeding and diapering children in the Central Library.

Please contact the circulation desk.

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