Readers wishing to know which works - including electronic resources - are available in the General Reading Rooms can consult the relevant subject classification via the the online catalogue (StaBiKat). The abbreviations HA and HB refer to the reference collections at the sites of Potsdamer Straße and Unter den Linden respectively. The classification scheme is roughly the same at both sites.
The Reading Room at Haus Unter den Linden has a reference collection which includes general works, reference works, editions etc. with a specialization on historical (i.e. 19th century and earlier) topics/authors etc. (a reference collection focusing on 20th century and 21st century topics can be found at our Potsdamer Straße Reading Room).
Currently there are around 125,000 freely accessible publications which can be consulted in the reading rooms.
- 250 reader places
- among these: 140 reservable reader places for researchers
- 28 carrels and 1 carrel with special equipment for the blind
The works in the reading rooms of the Staatsbibliothek provide basic information on all fields of knowledge and cannot be borrowed.
For questions regarding publications available in the reading room and their precise location on the shelves, please contact the information desk on the main level of the reading room (2nd floor) or use our contact form.
Classification scheme of the reference collections
- HA 1 Bibliographies
- HA 2 General Works, Encyclopedias, Library and Information Science, Media Studies
- HA 3 Philosophy, Religion, Theology
- HA 4 Psychology, Education
- HA 5 Language and Literature
- HA 6 Art, Prehistory, Archaeology, Music
- HA 7 History, Ethnology
- HA 8 Social Sciences, Public Administration and Political Science.
- HA 9 Economy
- HA 10 Law
- HA 12 Mathematics, Natural Sciences (general)
- HA 13 Physics, Astronomy, Chemistry
- HA 14 Geosciences
- HA 15 Biology, Agriculture
- HA 16 Medicine, Sports and Games
- HA 17 Technology
Journals
The current journals of HA 2 to HA 17 are separately shelved on the main level (2nd floor) of the open access stacks. Available are the current two years of ca. 650 history-related journals.
Barrier-free reader place
On the main level of the reading room (2nd floor) in the last row of tables there is a height-adjustable table for wheelchair users. In the reading room one carrell offers a study place for the blind.
Please observe:
When you have consulted works from the reading room please put them back on the respective shelf, it helps to keep study places available for other readers.
Unfortunately we cannot allow you to bring food and drinks into the controlled area. It is, however, allowed to bring water in clear and closed bottles into the reading room. We kindly ask you to place these bottles under the tables.
Please do not bring any scissors, text markers and adhesives into the reading room and turn your mobile phone to silent.
The library offers a number of different services to help you with your studies in the reading room.
