General Rules - Max Planck Institute for Private Law

I. General Rules

1. Prerequisites for Library Use

The Library is available for use by guests who have received authorization from the Library administration. Authorization must be obtained before the first use of the Library takes place. It is conditioned on:
a)     the existence of a significant scholarly interest that cannot be satisfied by other libraries;
b)     available space in the reading rooms;
c)     sufficient Library personnel for guest supervision;
d)     adherence to the subsequently set forth rules.

2. Registration

Guests wishing to use the Library for one week or longer should submit a written request in advance of their visit. This request must include (1) the status of the guest, i.e. professor, post-doc candidate (Habilitand) or doctoral candidate (2) the specific period of the visit, and (3) the topic of research for which the Institute’s Library is expected to be of assistance.

Doctoral candidates and post-doc candidates must include a written recommendation from their supervising professor which sets forth the intended research topic and the necessity of utilizing the Max Planck Institute Library. In the absence of such recommendation, Library authorization can only be granted on a day-to-day basis without access to the Library stacks. Additionally, doctoral candidates and junior faculty are expected to provide a detailed synopsis of their dissertation in addition to a task schedule. The intended stay of a doctoral candidate should not exceed one year.

Professors should submit a short CV and a concise description of their research topic as well as the specific period of their research stay.

In limited instances also professorial research assistants are permitted to use the Library if they could submit a letter from their responsible professor which precisely describes the task assigned to the assistant to be carried out in the library.

Fellowship holders of the Institute are permitted to use the Library without special recommendation. However, in order to better facilitate Library staffing and supervision, Institute fellows should also register with the Library in advance.

Other prospective Library users (not comprising professors, post-doc candidates, doctoral candidates or Institute fellows), who otherwise meet the prerequisites of use laid out in Paragraph 1, above, are generally limited to use of the Library as a day guest (without access to the Library stacks). In questionable cases, the Library also reserves the right to require a written recommendation from day guests.

3. Authorization

The decision to allow Library use will be determined by the Library administration based on the registration application; written confirmation will be provided in those cases where approval is granted. Library authorization is granted free of charge and is initially limited to a three month period. By arrangement with the Library administration, this period may be extended.

Authorized extended guests as well as day guests must report to the Head of Reader Services (Room 2) on the first day of Library use during the previously specified hours of guest registration. At that time, the guest will be officially registered with the Library, the terms and duration of the authorization will be clarified and the guest will receive a briefing on the use of the Library facilities.

The authorization generally allows use of the reading rooms and the multimedia room but does not permit access to the Library stacks or the periodicals room in the absence of explicit, written permission from the Library administration. These areas of the Library are subject to special rules of use. (Section II).

Day guests may use the Library without advance application on the condition that they identify themselves with the Head of Reader Services (Room 2) and register their address in the guest book.

Access to the library by German doctoral candidates during the months of July and August is limited as the infrastructure of the library is principally reserved for international visitors during these months.

4. Revocation of Authorization

Authorization to use the Library may be revoked due to a violation of these rules even in those instances where the guest cannot complete his research at another Library.

This applies particularly to the unauthorized use of the Library stacks, use of the Library outside of the established hours of operation, and providing unauthorized visitors access to the Institute, particularly outside of operating hours. The theft, attempted theft or deliberate damage of books or journals, the unauthorized removal of Library materials or the breach of conditions of use for electronic resources (see paragraph 7, below) and the manipulation of the computer catalogue system will result in an immediate revocation of Library authorization.

5. Opening times

Library services, i.e., registration on arrival or on departure, reference services and circulation of Library materials, are available from Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00 and on Friday from 10:00 to 12:00.

Authorized guests with limited access to the library stacks (see II.) may use the library stacks and the periodicals room Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 18:50 and the reading rooms from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 21:00 and on Saturday from 12:00 to 18:00.

Day guests may use the reading rooms after registering from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 19:00.

Library hours are subject to change. In special circumstances the Library may be closed.

6. Protection of Library Materials and Facilities

Coats, jackets, umbrellas, backpacks, briefcases (including large purses and laptop cases) are not allowed inside the Library and must be stored in the lockers found in the entry lobby adjoining the Library facilities. Overnight storage is not allowed.

The following activities are not permitted inside the Library:
-        conversation
-        mobile telephone use
-        smoking
-        eating
-        drinking (bottled water is permitted - empty bottles must be promptly disposed of)

Books, journals and computers must be handled with care - underlining or markings of any manner are strictly forbidden.

7. Conditions of use for electronic resources

The use of electronic journals, e-books, and databases made available by the library is subject to copyright licenses and terms-of-use agreements agreed upon with various publishers and providers.
The following terms of use apply:
The access to full-text articles and other data is restricted to staff members of the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law and to authorized Institute guests.
The authorized users may only download or print full-text articles and other data for their own personal use (research, teaching, private study). Transmitting, disseminating, or otherwise making this content available to unauthorized users –in electronic or print form – is not permitted.
The systematic downloading of full-text articles and other data is not permitted. Also the use of special software, in particular robots, is prohibited.
Additional restrictions may apply to the use of certain databases. In order to comply with these restrictions users have to consult the terms of use posted on the publishers’ Web sites and the “Read me” in the EZB (Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek).

8. Workstations

Subject to availability, authorized guests conducting research on a regular and daily basis are eligible to receive a personal, reading room workspace for the duration of their visit. Please note that guests are not guaranteed such a workstation, and its assignment may be cancelled if the prerequisites for a workstation are no longer met.

Guests with an assigned workspace may store borrowed materials on their desk but are asked to respect a limit of twenty (20) books at any one time and are further asked to return all materials in the event of prolonged absences of more than two weeks (see paragraph 9, below).

The Library reserves the right to set aside any workstation assignment that is unused for longer than one week (in the absence of prior notification from the guest).

Due to space limitations, the Library cannot provide an individual workspace to each and every guest. Pre-authorized guests not visiting the Library on a regular basis as well as day guests may use unassigned, vacant workspaces.

Guests without an assigned workspace are to return all borrowed materials daily (see paragraph 9, below) or may alternatively request that needed materials be set aside at the reference desk for not more than one week.

9(a). General Information on the Loan and Return of Materials

The primary responsibility of the Institute’s Library is supporting research undertaken by current members of the Institute. As such, these staff members and their needs must take priority. Circulation of Library materials outside of the Institute is not possible.

Library books and journals that are shelved in the stacks may be retrieved for guests without access to the stacks by submission of a blue request slip. (Note - rare books are excepted from this procedure).

A Library guest may submit up to 12 retrieval requests per day. However, the total number of materials loaned out to a guest (or kept at an individual workstation) is subject to a 20 item maximum. Retrieval request slips are available in the stacks, the multimedia room and at the reference desk and, once filled out completely, may be submitted at the reference desk. Retrieval and loan are generally completed on the same day as the request during hours of Library service. Library materials are available for use by guests only to the extent that these materials are not needed by Institute members. In periods of high demand, loan materials may be subject to a waiting period. The understanding of guests is appreciated

For German language materials which are not a part of the Library collection, the Library will provide, when possible, information on the availability of the item at either the State Library or the Zentralbibliothek Recht (Hamburg University Law Library).

Guests are requested to make their returns of loaned materials at the reading room to the book trolley at the reference desk.

In the interest of preserving one’s authorization to use the Library, guests are reminded that taking any material outside of the Institute at any time is strictly forbidden without the express agreement of the Library administration.

9(b). Loan and Return of Materials by Members of the Institute and Library Guests

Books on loan to members of the Institute or other Library guests may be requested at the reading room Reference Desk (self-retrieval of these books by guests is not allowed). In such situation, guests must completely fill out and submit the blue loan slips found in the stacks, the multimedia room and at the Reference Desk. Requested materials will be available for pick-up at the Reference Desk in one to two days. These materials must be personally returned to the Reference Desk at the end of a loan period which will be one week at most. The due-date for return as well as the name of the lender will be indicated on a post-it slip inside the book. The borrowing guest will receive back the completed blue loan slip as a receipt confirming the material’s return. The post-it slip with the loan information (see above) must remain in the book at all times.

10. Photocopying and Scanning of Materials

Photocopy machines with scan functionare available for guest use. Cashcards may be purchased from an automated dispenser.

11. Reading Room Materials

All books from the reading rooms (identified by the yellow or red stripes found on the spine of the book as well as a stamp on the page edges of the book) must be returned each day to their shelved location. This rule applies to all guests and all members of the Institute.

12. Display of New Acquisitions

During their first week as part of the Library collection, new books are displayed in a designated area and may not be checked out or removed for photocopying; advance reservation of these materials is not possible.

After a week’s stay in the new materials section, these items may be ordered on the subsequent Monday through the loan slip request (see paragraph 9, above).

13. Book Inspection, Telephone Conversations and Library Information Services

When leaving the building, all books in possession of guests are subject to inspection by the supervisory staff of the Library upon request.

Telephone conversations are not allowed inside the Library.

Subject to their availability and best knowledge, the Head of Reader Services (Room 2) and the Reference Desk attendants can provide Library related assistance. Please note that the Institute cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided to its guests.

Suggestions with regards to the Library are welcome at all times.

14. Conclusion of Library Visit

Registered guests who have completed their term of Library use are asked to notify the Head of Reader Services (Room 2) of their impending departure during the specified Library service hours and, in appropriate cases, settle any outstanding accounts (e.g., printed internet copies). Guests are asked to leave their workspaces empty of all materials.

The Library would appreciate guests providing a complementary copy of the text or publication researched at the Institute for the future use of Institute members and Library guests. Also welcomed is an acknowledgement of the Library in an appropriate text location.

15. Leaflet on Library Use

The most important points in these regulations are set out in a leaflet titled, Ten Basic Rules for Reading Room Users. The leaflet is a part of these rules.