1. General and Open Hours
1.1 The Library is open to all AWI employees and guests day and night, seven days a week.

Information and assistance is available during the service hours when the library is staffed. Visitors

are permitted to use the library during the service hours:
Monday - Thursday
9:00 - 15:00
Friday
9:00 - 13:00

1.2 The Library Collection (Books and Periodicals) can be searched online with the corresponding webpages. New Library acquistions are also listed.

1.3 General information and link refers are also to be found on the Library web pages.

1.4 Borrowing is permitted for all persons having their place of work at the AWI, except for student interns. A Library user account must be established whereby Name, Section / Working Group affiliation and telephone is to be given. Visiting scientists must supply host / sponsor or Section Head. Exceptions to this must consult the Library Head. (User Account Forms can be found in the Library or download from the Librar web pages. Other Library users may only borrow items through their respective sponsers or hosts.

1.5 Copying in moderation is possible within the Library. A page copy fee is required for visitors without AWI affiliation.

1.6 New acquistions will be kept on display for two weeks.

1.7 Reserve Collections in Bremerhaven  exist in the following Sections:
Physik I/Physik II (Geb. F, Bussestraße)
Biologie II (Geb. E, Am Handelshafen !2, R. 2125)
Rechenzentrum (Geb. E., Am Handelshafen 12)
Reponsible are the respective members of the Library Committee.
In the Friedrich-Hustedt-Arbeitsplatz can be found a large collection of Diatom literature. (Geb. A, Am Handelshafen 12, Reponsible: Dr. B. Beszteri )
Branch and Station Libraries are also to be found:
FS ”Polarstern” Shipboard Library
Helgoland
List / Sylt
Potsdam
The Stations: Neumayer, Koldewey, and Dallmann.

2.  Acquistions
2.1 Purchase requists for books, dvds and cds must be reviewed and signed by a member of the Library Committee responsible for the respective scientific discipline. Information about new acquistions will be posted on the Library web page. (s. 6. Online Reference)

2.2 Users may and should consider acquisitions for the Polarstern Shipboard Library. It is not permitted to borrow items to take on long expeditions.

2.3 Requests for new journal subscriptions must be made with a form available in the Library or on the Library web page. New journal subscriptions must be reviewed and sanctioned by the Library Committee.

3. Borrowing
3.1 All Library Media to be removed from the Library Collection / Stacks must be borrowed by filling out the appropriate form. These can be found in the Library, at the Information Desk and at the Return Books' Truck.

3.2 The loan period for books and reprints is two months.

3.3 The loan period for periodicals, maps, cds, dvds and video cassettes one month. Unbound periodicals must be, when requested, immediately returned to the Library for binding.

3.4 CDs, DVDs, and other older and rare items are held in locked shelving. They can be retrieved only by Library staff.

3.5 New books and Journals on display are non-circulating. The display period is two weeks. Holds may be placed on these items so that at the end of the display period they can be automatically lent to the resquetor by the Library staff.

3.6 A loan of library material for expedition purposes and wintering is not permitted. There is a Shipboard Libary and Station Library available..

3.7 Dictionaries, atlases, and encyclopedias are non-circulating.

3.8 Should particular items be necessary for a longer loan for use in laboratory or office (e.g. taxonomy, tables ie), a longer loan period for a year may be granted. At the end of the year a request for renewal must be made.

4. Returning Library Materials
4.1 Before leaving for a long research trip or extended vacation, items borrowed from the Library collection must be returned.

4.2 Borrowed items must be kept in the work space in open shelves are with special notification where they can be found. Should the borrowere not be present, Library staff may enter the borrower's work space remove required items belonging to  the Library collection.

4.3 Loss and damage must be reported to the Library and the respective representative on the Library Committee.

4.4 The Library sends periodic overdue notices. The borrower is required to respond to these notices.

4.5 Termination of AWI affiliation requires the return of all items to the Library. Sponsors and Hosts of respective visitors and students are responsible for the return of Library materials.

5. Interlibrary Loan
5.1 Requesting books and photocopies for material not in the Library collection is made by the Libary staff for users with AWI affiliation. Exceptions must contact the Library Headn.

5.2 Orders are to be made with the electronic order form on the Library web pages. Prior to sending a copy may be printed or copied for personal records.

5.3 For special needs an express document delivery can be made. These items can be received with 48 hours. This service is to be used sparingly as higher costs do incur.

6. Online Reference
6.1 For scientific research, users with AWI affiliation may use the services of the Online Reference (IVS). Fee based databases can be search by a trained librarian at no cost to AWI staff.

6.2. Online searches and profiles or alerts can be costly. Request for these services must be made with a form affailable in the Library or on the Library web pages. This online search request form must be signed by a section head or Librar head. Alerts are to be limited for a year.