Austrian National Library

The Austrian National Library is currently closed due to official requirements. This precaution in connection with the corona virus affects both the reading rooms of the Library at Heldenplatz, the departments and museums. We are very pleased to inform you, that all devisions of the Austrian National Library will be able to open again soon: On Friday, May 29, the State Hall and the Literature Museum will reopen, both are also open on Whit Monday, June 1, after which they are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. These new opening times also apply to the House of Austrian History and the Papyrus, Globe and Esperanto Museum which will  which open on Wednesday, July 1. From June 2, the reading rooms of the Library at Heldenplatz will be accessible to readers again. The new opening times are from Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The reading rooms of the collections will also be open from June 2 at their respective "summer opening times".

The safety of our visitors is our top priority. Therefore, hand disinfectants are available at all museums. We ask you to bring your own mouth and nose mask and to wear it during the entire stay (children under 6 years of age are exempt). Please keep distance of at least one meter (exception: people who live in the same household). We also ask for your understanding if there are short waiting times at some locations due to the prescribed personal limits.

The safety of our readers is our top priority. Therefore, hand disinfectants are available at all locations (Library at Heldenplatz, departments). We ask you to bring your own mouth and nose mask and to wear it as soon as you enter the building. Your mouth and nose mask may be removed at the reading area, since the safety distance of one meter is guaranteed by the distances between the armchairs. We also ask for your understanding if there are short waiting times at some locations due to the prescribed personal limits.

From May 15, 2020 up to ten media can be borrowed  by holders of a borrowing authorization. Books can be ordered from these people via the QuickSearch catalog from May 13, 2020, 9 a.m., the library is available for media collection and return from May 15, Monday-Friday open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. With the reopening of the reading rooms on June 2, the new opening hours will apply to the local loans: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Austrian National Library is a reference library, therefore borrowing rights are only granted under certain conditions. Find information » on our website.

All current borrowed works were kept until June 2. Affected are those who relate to it, and the borrowed media are managed. During the closing time, there are no reminders and exceeding payments. We have not asked to receive the media releases on time.

Since the reading rooms are still closed, the interlibrary loan service is limited to copies of the desired works from other libraries. For more information and ordering, please contact fernleihe@onb.ac.at.

• All inquiries remain reserved until one week after resumption of business.
• Online orders are not possible during the closing time for holders of an annual ticket, but research in QuickSearch and databases are available.
• Please do not return any books by post.
• All tours and training courses are omitted.

After reopening the library, the Austrian National Library automatically extends all currently valid annual tickets for the duration of the corona-dependent closing time free of charge. If an annual ticket has already expired or expires in the next few days, it can be extended as usual in the »Ticket Shop. A free extension until May 31 is also possible: Please write an e-mail stating your user ID to benuetzung@onb.ac.at.This service also applies to researcher annual tickets and the borrower's cards that cannot be extended in the ticket shop.

Despite the closing of the reading rooms, annual tickets entitle the user to numerous research and access options in the » Database Information System (DBIS)

After reopening the museums, the Austrian National Library extends all currently valid annual tickets for the museums automatically and free of charge for the duration of the corona-related closing time. Likewise, the validity of all Bundesmuseen Cards that were active when the Federal Museums and State Hall were closed will automatically be extended by the duration of the closing time.

The sending of scans ­– for example of essays from anthologies – is possible to a limited extent and according to the provisions of copyright law on the terms of the » price list When ordering, however, there may be somewhat longer waiting times.

The staff of the information services are happy to answer any questions: The e-mail information@onb.ac.at and the Live Chat on the homepage of the Austrian National Library are open from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.