Ordering & Borrowing

Our library and archive holdings are indexed in different databases and the terms of ordering and loan are also distinct. You will only be allowed consult archived materials in our reading room, while parts of the library holdings are available for external loan.

Ordering and Borrowing Items From the Library

You can explore our full library collection through the LIbrary Catalog, which is available for search without needing to register. However, to borrow materials, you must have a library card and an active account. If you don’t have a library card yet, you can register provisionally to pre-order media before finalizing your registration. For more details, visit the Registration & First Visit page.

Our collection is divided into two categories: the lending collection and the reference collection. The lending collection primarily includes books published since 1951.

You can see whether an item is part of the lending or reference collection directly in the catalog. If a book from the lending collection is in poor condition, we may restrict its use to library premises only.

The reference collection contains reference books and books published before 1951, journals, and special collections. These materials are only available for on-site viewing.

To place an order for items (for on-site use or borrowing), simply use the “Reserve/Order” function in your library account. This ensures the items will be ready for you when you arrive. You can also reserve materials currently checked out, and we will notify you when they are available for pickup. The requested titles will stay reserved for you at the information desk for 10 days. Generally, the period of loan is 30 calendar days and it can be extended twice if the items have not been pre-ordered by another user. You can renew the loan period yourself by accessing the user account.

Public lists in the library catalog also provide an overview of the BBF's monthly new acquisitions or special collections, such as e-journals or digitized GDR curricula for individual subjects. As a registered user, you can also create your own new lists. 

Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services

he BBF is connected to the regional, national, and international interlibrary loan networks. If you require literature that is not held in the BBF collection, you can place an interlibrary loan request at the information desk. Once the item arrives, you may view it on-site or borrow it. The fee for an interlibrary loan within Germany is €1.50 per title, in accordance with our Conditions of Use and Fees for Use and Expenditures Regulations (PDF).

Users of other libraries can also request items from the BBF through interlibrary loan. Depending on your home library, you may be able to order books and articles from the BBF directly via the Berlin-Brandenburg Cooperative Library Network (KOBV) portal. If needed, please consult your local library for details.

We also offer a fee-based direct ordering service for articles from our collection. Registered users can place orders directly through the library catalog and track their status in their status in their account. To do so, open the desired article, click the “Order article” link in the right-hand column under “Print,” and follow the instructions.

Please e-mail to ZmVybmxlaWhlLWJiZkBkaXBmLmRl or ask the staff at the information desk, if you have any respective questions.

For unregistered guest users, as well as for articles from our collection that are not listed in the library catalog, orders can also be placed by email at ZmVybmxlaWhlLWJiZkBkaXBmLmRl. IIf you have any questions, please also contact the interlibrary loan service by email (ZmVybmxlaWhlLWJiZkBkaXBmLmRl) or speak to our colleagues at the information desk (phone: +49 (0)30 293360 - 612).

Ordering Archival Materials

Archival materials are unique and they are irreplaceable cultural assets. Other than the books, we therefore only permit work with archived material in our reading room for special collections. You can use finding aids and the archive database for your thematic search of archived items (files, certificates, photographs and other documents).

Ordering Items From the Archive

You can place an order for archived items by or submit the order by filling in a respective order form, available at the information desk. Please make sure to fill out one order sheet per archived item, and enter the full shelfmark and stock id. What the shelfmarks look like, and how to cite from our stock, is documented in the guidelines “Zitierweise der Archivalien“.

The archive database indexes many of our archived items, and you will thus find the shelfmarks online. On site, we provide further finding aids and other resources for researching our archive stock not in the database. We are happy to assist you in searching for materials relevant for your topic of interest and help you find sources and use our finding aids.

For organizational reasons but also preservation purposes, we will generally hand out only up to ten archived items per user. The inspection of archived items might be refused if this deems necessary according to the stipulations of the Archive Law of Hesse and the BBF Archive Terms of Use.

Please place your order well ahead of your visit respectively bear in mind that the delivery of archived items to our special collection reading room might take up to three working days.

Working With Archived Materials

Archived items are highly delicate and they require air conditioned environments. Therefore, they can only be viewed in our reading room and you cannot take them home. The duration of remaining in the reading room should be kept as short as possible. Please let us know if you cannot keep a scheduled appointment or no longer need an ordered item.

You will find foamed cushions, small weights for balancing pages and stacking aids which will support you in carefully handling the archived materials. While working with the material, please take care not to sully it, write on it or mechanically damage it. Only pencils are allowed as writing utensils.

It is not allowed to copy or scan archived material. You will generally be able to order a reproduction. If you wish to take a photograph, you need a special permission from the archive and are not permitted to use a flashlight. For detailed information on reproduction services, please consult the paragraph on “Copying & Scanning”.

Other Collections on the History of Education in Berlin

For your research on the history of school and education, particularly regarding the regions of Berlin and early Prussia, we also recommend

Explantions of Archival Terms

In archival contexts, many terms are used which in many cases require explanations. The Archive School at Marburg has collated a helpful German glossary of archival terms.