Opening hours and rules

Note! This is an archival entry.
The latest news is available here.

General rules

  • The University of Warsaw Library, hereinafter referred to as BUW, in the organization of reader services during the COVID-19 epidemic, takes into account the recommendations of GIS (Chief Sanitary Inspectorate), the Ministry of Health, the National Library of Poland and IFLA (International Federation of Libraries’ Associations and Institutions), as well as the internal regulations of the University of Warsaw.
  • The overriding goal of the undertaken actions is to enable the use of BUW’s collections and services in a manner ensuring the safety of readers and employees.
  • Detailed rules of conduct at BUW are regulated by the Regulations for the Use of the University of Warsaw Library of September 30, 2020.

Safety of BUW readers

  • The readers are obliged to follow the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate recommendations and observe the following rules during their stay in BUW:
    • covering the nose and mouth,
    • observing the recommendations of the allowed number of people on the BUW premises,
    • complying with the obligation to disinfect your own workplace before and after use,
    • use disinfectants at the entrance to the building and at the reader’s service stations.
  • The following detailed rules are introduced while users are in the Library:
    • the simultaneous number of users shall not exceed 800;
    • users shall not be admitted to BUW if the simultaneous number of users is 800;
    • each reader’s entry to the Library shall be treated as a new entry;
    •  the current number of users in the Library is presented on BUW’s website and at the entrance to the Library;
    • only users with a valid library account may enter the Library;
    • Registration point is located in the passage on the ground floor, on the left side of the entrance from Lipowa Street.
  • BUW does not provide face masks. Disposable towels and liquids for disinfecting table tops and chairs are available in designated areas.

BUW operating principles

  • All services provided by the BUW are restored, except for:
    • trainings for students and other users on the Library premises,
    • conferences, meetings for external companies, etc.,
    • visits for groups of more than five people,
    • excursions,
    • rental of BUW rooms and premises,
    • cultural events, vernissages, concerts, etc.
  • Matters that do not require a stay in the Library and/or direct contact with BUW staff should be handled online or by phone.
  • It is recommended to use the return box and the SelfCheck kiosks to return books (payment of charged fines can be done in the SelfCheck kiosks).
Opening hours

The Library is open:

Monday – Saturday 8 am – 10 pm 
Sunday 3 pm – 8 pm (Information Desk is open)

Self-service mode hours:

  • Monday – Saturday between 8 am and 9 am, 9 pm and 10 pm,
  • Sunday between 3 pm and 8 pm.

In the self-service mode:

  • Only persons with a valid library card are allowed to use the library.
  • Registration and Information (ground floor), Information Desk, Main Reading Room and Circulation Desk are closed.
  • A library account cannot be set up or renewed.
  • Keys to study booths cannot be collected.
  • Books can be checked out and renewed only in SelfCheck kiosks.
  • Payment of charged fines can be done only in SelfCheck kiosks.
  • Books can be returned in the return box and SelfCheck kiosks.
  • Readers are free to use the Open Stacks area, the wireless network (BUW.Hotspot) and electronic resources.

 

Attention! Only one person may be present at the Information Desk.

Attention! Only one person may be present at the Registration desk (a maximum of 2 persons is allowed in the room)

  • Circulation Desk (level 1)
    • Monday – Saturday 9 am – 9 pm

Attention! Only one person may be present at the Circulation Desk.

  • SelfCheck kiosks (level 1)
    • Monday – Saturday 8 am – 10 pm
    • Sunday 3 pm – 8 pm

Attention! Only one person may be present at the SelfCheck station.

  • Return box – 24/7
  • Reading Room (level 2)
    • Monday – Saturday 9 am – 9 pm

Attention!

    • Only one person may be present at the Reading Room desk.
    • No more than 10 people are allowed in the Reading Room at the same time.
    • Materials ordered from the closed stacks should be returned no later than 30 minutes before the closing time of the Library.
    • Microfiches are temporarily unavailable due to a reader failure.
  • Special Collection Departments – individually set, during office hours.
    • Please, arrange the date of visit in the Special Collections Reading Rooms at least one day in advance by e-mail or telephone (Opening hours).
    • Users of the Special Collections Departments are obliged to have valid library cards. Number of visitors to the Special Collection Departments is included into the general limit of readers in the Library.
Library account and registration
  • Library accounts of readers who use BUW as part of the BiblioWawa program are updated according to the rules given on the website.
  • The University of Warsaw Students and Employees who have got their ELS/ELD/ELP/ELN (Electronic Student/Employee ID) and have not registered yet, can register online.
    • Please check out information and registration link in the Registration section;
    • Please note! The procedure of remote registration and / or updating of the reader’s account is available only to students, doctoral students and employees of the University of Warsaw with a complete set of data entered into USOS.
    • The password to the library account can be recovered through the option “Forgot your password” available on the login page.
  • The University of Warsaw students who have only e-ID cards, and would like to use BUW on site, should show up at the Registration point in order to obtain a library card in a physical form.
  • Students, postgraduate students, PhD students and employees of the University of Warsaw, who do not have ELS / ELD / ELP / ELN cards and people from outside the University of Warsaw, can set up a library account at BUW in the Registration Point (ground floor, on the left side of the entrance by the intersection of Lipowa and Dobra Streets).
  • Requests regarding opening deposit accounts should be sent to the e-mail address: reklamacje.buw@uw.edu.pl
  • Members of the UW Alumni Club can activate their membership card as a library card remotely (detailed information and activation link in the Registration section at https://www.buw.uw.edu.pl/en/practical-information/how-to-use/) or in the Registration Point (ground floor, on the left side of the entrance by the intersection of Lipowa and Dobra Streets)
  • One-day tickets are not issued.

More information about Registration to BUW.

Request and borrowing
  • Books can be checked-out in the SelfCheck kiosks or at the Circulation Desk (level 1).
  • Borrowing limits:
    • 20 books for up to 90 days – UW employees, doctoral students;
    • 15 books for up to 60 days – independent researchers from outside UW who are holders of an ID card issued in Poland;
    • 10 books for up to 30 days – UW Students of all undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate programmes;
    • 3 books for up to 30 days – other individual readers with borrowing rights.
  • Orders for books from the closed stacks can be placed after logging into the online catalogue of UW libraries:
    • to log in use the library card number, ELS / ELD / ELP number (placed under the barcode) and the password.
    • Order processing:
      • orders placed from Monday to Saturday by 8 pm – are carried out on the same day,
      • orders placed from Monday to Friday after 8 pm – are carried out on the next day,
      • orders placed on Saturdays after 8 pm and Sundays – are carried out on Monday.
    • Order completion time – about 1 hour.
    • Books ordered from closed stacks shall be collected from the Circulation Desk and the Reading Room within 5 days since placing an order.
    • Materials ordered from closed stacks to the Reading Room should be returned no later than 30 minutes before the closing of the Library.
Renewals
  • Renewal of a borrowed book is possible no earlier than 14 days before the due date and provided that an item has not gone overdue, it has not been previously reserved by another reader or there are no any charged fines to be paid.
  • Renewal can be done online after logging into the library account, using the SelfCheck kiosk or in person at the Circulation Desk.
  • There are five possible renewals each time for 30 days except for books for chich the lending period is 14 days.
Book returns

Note!

  • Book returns:
    • to the return box (in the passage in front of the entrance to the Library) – do not put books from faculty libraries,
    • at the SelfCheck kiosks on level 1,
    • at the Circulation Desk,
  • Kindle readers should be returned to the Circulation Desk.

Attention! Returned books are not quarantined.

Overdue items
  • Any borrower who fails to return an item or a Kindle reader on time will have their library account blocked.
  • Until you settle your obligations with the library, you won’t be able to borrow any more items, renew or reserve any other items.
  • Fines:
    • PLN 0.40 for each day of failing to return an item in time since 1.02.2015,
    • PLN 0.25 for each day of failing to return an item in time before 31.01.2015,
    • PLN 1.00 for each day of failing to return a Kindle reader in time
    • PLN 5.00 for each day of failing to return a key to a self-service locker at the cloakroom

Please note! A fine is automatically charged for each day that elapses before the item is returned.

  • A fine for an overdue item, after returning the item, may be paid:
    • at the Circulation Desk (only by card) or
    • by a money transfer to a bank account (only in case of books borrowed from BUW):
    • Uniwersytet Warszawski Bank Millennium S. A. – 69 11602202 0000 0000 6085 0087 (and in case of transfers from abroad: BIC/S.W.I.F.T.: BIGBPLPWXXX
      IBAN: P L 6 9 1 1 6 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 6 0 8 5 0 08 7) with a title „Opłata za przetrzymanie książek z BUW” (“Fine for overdue BUW items”).

Please note! The information about your outstanding payments shall be removed from your library account after receiving the information about the payment (money transfer) made from the UW Bursar’s Office, which takes a few days.
Please note! Fines for overdue items borrowed from other UW faculty libraries are paid solely to the bank accounts given on the faculty websites!

Complaints
  • Complaints should be reported by phone (phone 22 55 25 384) or by e-mail to: reklamacje.buw@uw.edu.pl
    • complaints and requests regarding the availability of collections and user service,
    • complaints about borrowing and returns,
    • entries of lost and damaged books.
  • In case of matters requiring personal contact a visit should be arranged in advance by phone or email.
  • Matters regarding lost or damaged books are resolved within 14 days, whereas complaints about loans, claims and requests within 30 days.
Interlibrary Loan
  • The Interlibrary Loan is available to students, PhD students and employees of the University of Warsaw who have a valid library account without arrears payment.
  • Requests for books and articles not available in BUW not in any other library in Warsaw should be placed:
    • by using the application,
    • 5 publications can be ordered at a time,
    • the user is notified by e-mail about the implementation or the inability to fulfill the order.
  • Use of the ordered materials will be possible in the Reading Room after prior booking of a visit on a selected date.
    • the day before the planned visit to BUW at the latest, the user must report the visit by phone (phone 55 25 209) or to the email address: wyp.buw@uw.edu.pl,
    • after entering BUW, the user should report his visit to the security staff and wait for an employee of the Interlibrary Loan.
Copying
  • The usual rules of providing reprographic services are restored. These services should be ordered by online (reprobuw@uw.edu.pl) on the appropriate form. For more information, see: https://www.buw.uw.edu.pl/en/practical-information/services/
  • Employees and doctoral students of the University of Warsaw can order free scans:
    • If there are no overdue library (BUW) materials and with no fees charged by the University of Warsaw Library. Readers with accrued fees in faculty libraries can order scans in BUW;
    • Only completed order form should be sent from an e-mail address existing in the domain uw.edu.pl to the address: informacja.buw@uw.edu.pl.
    • One person may place maximum one order per week.
    • All library materials, with the exception of non-scientific current magazines can be scanned.
    • Up to 50 pages of original text (not scans) can be ordered. The scans will be saved to black and white TIFF files or PDF (no OCR).
    • Orders will be processed in order of application.
    • Due to the provisions of the GDPR, orders placed by persons using other than their personal data will not be processed.
Cloakroom
  • It is recommended to use the self-service lockers.
    • Keys to lockers can be borrowed at the entrance security stand during the library opening times.
    • Keys to lockers can be borrowed for one day and returned to the security staff without the possibility of prolonging their return date or reserving them.
  • The cloakroom is self-service. The Library takes no responsibility for items left in the cloakroom.
Open Stacks
  • Selected places located close to the workstations of BUW employees and along communication routes are inaccessible for users.
  • In the Open Stacks area silence should be maintained.
Electronic resources
  • Students, PhD students and employees of the University of Warsaw can remotely access electronic resources (books and journals) subscribed to by the University of Warsaw, available from the BUW website in the “Online resources” tab https://www.buw.uw.edu.pl/en/online-resources/
  • Account arrears (penalties, overdue books) are not an obstacle in accessing electronic resources.

UW Faculty Libraries

Please be advised that the authorities of a given Faculty of the University of Warsaw decide about the opening of individual faculty libraries. Information on the functioning of these libraries is available on BUW website in the UW Faculty Libraries tab, but we also recommend checking the latest updates on the individual websites of specific libraries.
We also inform you that it is not possible to order or return books from faculty libraries at BUW.
Note!
• Books borrowed from faculty libraries should not be put into the return box!
• Please do not order books from faculty libraries to BUW!

Icons: Freepik (www.freepik.com) from www.flaticon.com, Retina Display Icons (www.iconfinder.com/iconsets/TWG_Retina_Icons) from The Working Group (blog.twg.ca).