Function, collections, statistics

The ETH-Bibliothek, established in 1855, is the largest public library in Switzerland and has a major influence on technical developments in Swiss libraries in general.

  • Function

    • Central university library for ETH Zurich
    • Swiss centre for technical and scientific information
    • Provides information for employees and students at ETH Zurich, for members of the public with an interest in technology and science and for companies working in research and development
  • Task

    • To provide electronic information for members of ETH Zurich
    • To enable access to information and media from other service providers
    • To obtain, make available and collect academic literature
    • To develop and provide innovative services
    • To manage the ETH Zurich Institute Archives and the ETH Board Archives
    • To coordinate the maintenance and further development of the culturally and historically important collections at ETH Zurich
  • Collections

    • Architecture
    • Civil Engineering
    • Engineering Sciences
    • Natural Sciences and Mathematics
    • System-oriented Natural Sciences
    • Management and Social Sciences

Statistics (as of the end of 2011)

Holdings   7,692,000
Electronic resources   296,000
Journals electronic journals (licensed or freely accessible)
current printed journals
13,900
5,330
Databases   149
Books, reference works e-books
printed papers (monographs and bound volumes)
86,000
2,838,000
Dissertations, reports documents ETH E-Collection
reports and microfiches
25,800
2,213,000
Maps maps and plans 402,000
Images, audiovisual media electronic images
image documents
audiovisual media
169,000
1,787,000
6,500
Archive material, documentation manuscripts
contents of the archive (boxes)
medals
261,000
23,000
2,241
Other statistics abstracts and indices
new acquisitions
ETH E-Citations
DOI registration (Digital Object Identifier)
144,000
150,000
9,900
406,000
Usage loans (printed documents)
online renewals
loans to other libraries (printed documents)
number of journal articles (document delivery)
289,000
154,000
64,000
94,000
Number of accesses to library website (visits)
licensed electronic journals (pdf downloads)
e-books (pdf downloads)
ETH E-Collection (pdf downloads)
databases (visits)
910,000
3,646,000
883,000
3,032,000
910,000


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