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Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Universitätsbibliothek


The library system of the University of Heidelberg in numbers

Last updated: January 2024

Number of libraries
(incl. the University Library and all branch libraries)		 37
The University Library and eight branch and institutional libraries hold over 100,000 volumes.
Staff 178 positions

University Library holdings in numbers

Last updated: January 2024

University Library 3.2 million
Branch and institute libraries 2.9 million
Total: 6.1 million
Print journal and newspaper subscriptions 5,806
Online journals in the university network 155,502
Databases in the university network 3,885
E-books in the university network 920,168
Documents offered on the university’s open access servers 270,042
Open access digital reproductions 9,675,931 pages online
Object and multimedia database 854,386 digitized objects

University Library’s structural data

Holdings
(01.01.2024)		 3.2 million volumes, including:
  • approx. 980,000 printed volumes (approx. 350,000 titles)
    as part of the library’s historical collection until 1900,
  • approx. 501,000 nonbook materials,
  • additionally approx. 6,900 manuscripts,
  • approx. 1,800 incunabula,
  • 110,600 autographs; collections of old maps, prints, drawings and photographs;
  • 2,849 print journals and newspaper subscriptions,
  • 155,502 e-journals,
  • 3,885 databases and
  • 920,168 e-books on the campus network
2023 acquisitions
  • approx. 30,000 books and journal volumes,
  • approx. 400 nonbook media,
  • approx. 113,000 digital media
Work and study spaces
  • 1,118 seats in the main library of which 131 are EDP stations equipped with PCs to work or conduct research.
  • 320 seats in the main branch library of which 35 are EDP stations equipped with PCs to work or conduct research;
  • University WIFI network
Number of active users
of the libraries’ print and electronic holdings
(last updated 01.01.2024)		 approx. 44,800
Items circulated
(in 2023)		 approx. 691,000
Visitors
(in 2023)		 approx. 1.74 million
Number of times
the e-library was accessed
(in 2023)		 approx. 26.4 million times, including 16.9 million accesses to open access resources on the in-house servers
DFG-supported publishing fund funding for 941 Heidelberg publications in open access journals

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