FAQs on bonnus

The bonnus search function searches the entire collection of materials (print and electronic) of USL (Main Library and MNL Branch Library) and of all departmental and institution libraries as well as open-access articles.

A few items may be displayed which are not available in Bonn and have to be ordered via Interlibrary Loan. This will particularly be the case when you expand your search using “Search in Full Text”. “Available in Bonn?” is now no longer shown as a status.

First log in with your user credentials. Now conduct a search as usual, looking for a journal. Once you have found the journal you are looking for, open the listed search hit under Detail view. Under “Availability on site” it specifies the library where the journal can be found. 

• Complete information on searching for journals

To save search hits to a favorites list, first log in to your account with your user credentials. Then click on the little pin shown in both the hit list and the detail view for the specific search hit.

You can checkmark and save multiple hits at the same time in your hit list.

First log in with your user credentials. Then enter your search terms (e.g. title, author).

You are now shown summary information under each hit in the hit list on how to obtain the media. Next open the desired search hit in Detail view. Under “Availability on site” it specifies the library where the book can be found. In some cases, your search hit will also be available online. 

• Complete information on searching for books

By default, bonnus automatically searches the entire collection of materials (print and electronic) of USL (Main Library and MNL Branch Library) and of all departmental and institution libraries as well as open-access articles.

The option “Search in Full Text” allows you to expand your search by searching for your search terms within full-text documents online. You thus additionally get hits for materials which you may have to order via interlibrary loan. 

We recommend using this option to expand your search results if the default search does not find what you are looking for.

University of Bonn staff and students are authorized to access e-media licensed by us from home.

For access, install the VPN client from the University IT website. Many providers also allow you alternatively to log in via “institutional access” (Shibboleth) using your Uni-ID.

• Complete information on using e-media

In bonnus, certain journals show specific icons indicating that they are peer-reviewed.  Peer review is a quality assurance system for research works; papers are independently reviewed by academic/scientific peers who are expert in the same field.

We cannot guarantee 100% that this designation is accurate because the status data stems from third-party providers (e.g. the publisher).

The records for certain media in bonnus show a special Open Access icon. Open Access is a status meaning that specific academic/scientific literature works or other materials are freely accessible on the internet.

We cannot guarantee 100% that this designation is accurate because the status data stems from third-party providers (e.g. the publisher). If this status/designation appears to be incorrect, please notify ebib@ulb.uni-bonn.de.

A list of all University of Bonn libraries with links is provided on the ULB website: Libraries A - Z (In German). Opening hours, locations and other relevant information on the individual libraries is provided in this list.

Notification of upcoming/recent changes is provided on the individual institute websites. Integration of this info within bonnus is in planning.

Yes, you will be reminded automatically by e-mail.

• Renewing a library card

Open the catalogue record for your desired media in Detail view. After logging in with your user credentials, the complete information on where individual copies of the media are respectively located and whether they can be borrowed is displayed under “Availability on site”.

If all copies borrowable by you are currently out on loan, a form titled “Request of a loanable item” opens.

In the new bonnus there is no distinction anymore between a reservation and an order.

When you have completed this form, your order (formerly ‘reservation’) appears in your account under “Requests + Reservations”, where you can view the processing status and cancel orders if necessary, among other things.

You receive a notification email when the media item comes available.

Open the record for your desired media in Detail view. After logging in with your user credentials, the complete information on where individual copies of the media are respectively located and whether they can be borrowed is displayed under “Availability on site”.

If the media are kept in a restricted stack room and therefore have to be ordered, the form Request of a loanable item is displayed.

In the new bonnus there is no distinction anymore between an order and a reservation. 

When you have completed this form, your order appears in your account under “Requests + Reservations”, where you can view the processing status and cancel orders if necessary, among other things.

You receive a notification email when the media item comes available.