Frequently Asked Questions

Search

How do I search the Digital Collections?

You can search the Digital Collections using the simple and advanced search functions. The simple search automatically searches all fields of the title data, the recorded structural data, and—for works with text recognition—the full text. With the advanced search, you can specify exactly which (title) fields you want to search (author, year, etc.) and combine them in a targeted manner to refine the search results.

Why is the box “Search book” not always available?

The “Search book” option is only available if Optical Character Recognition (OCR) has been applied.

What does the note “Available in the digital reading room” mean?

You can view digitized copies marked “Available in the digital reading room” at the electronic reading station, a computer workstation set up specifically for this purpose. These are works whose originals are excluded from use due to their poor condition and whose digitized copies may not be freely displayed.

The electronic reading station is located in the special reading room on reading floor O1. Please note the special opening hours of the special reading room.

Navigation

How can I enlarge an image?

You can use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out of the view.

How can I rotate a page?

Go to the desired page. There you will find a bar with various functions on the left side of the screen. The third icon from the top contains the image editing functions. When you click on this icon, a menu will open. On the far left of the menu, you will now find the option to move the images to the left or right.

What does the category “Contents” contain?

When you click on “Contents” the structure of the book will be displayed. It is a list of the parts of the book which includes the chapter headings, but also information like front cover, back cover etc.

Technical questions

How can I download images or print them?

You can download images from the digital collections individually as JPEG files in various resolutions. To do so, open the image you want.

On the left side of the image, you will see a black bar with various symbols. Click on the second symbol from the bottom and select the desired image size for download in the window that opens. “JPEG original” corresponds to the original resolution at which the image was scanned.

Depending on your browser and settings, the image will then be downloaded automatically or you will be asked where you want to save the image. You can then print the saved image using the respective printer menu.

If you need reproduction-quality scans as TIFF files (e.g., for publications), we offer you the option of digitizing copyright-free works from our collection for a fee. Please place a reproduction order with us for this purpose.

Proposals for digitization/ Use in a publication

I would like to make a proposal for digitization. Is that possible?

All persons with a membership card from the ULB may send us their proposals for the scanning of books via e-mail. Digitization is possible under the following conditions:

  • the author has been dead for at least 70 years,

  • the books are in the holdings of the ULB and were published before 1910,

  • the condition of the book allows a digitization.

After you have submitted your suggestion, we will check whether digitization is possible and you will receive our response. Please kindly note that the time required to scan the books varies.

If you need scans in reproduction quality (e.g. for publications), we offer you the option of digitizing copyright-free works from our holdings for a fee. To do so, please place a reproduction order.

If you have any questions about reproduction orders, please send us an e-mail.

I would like to use images from your website for a publication. What do I have to consider?

In case of duplication or utilization of the images from the "Digital Collections", we ask you within the scope of the usual scientific practices to inform us and/or to send us a specimen copy and/or to inform us about the internet address of your digital offer, in which you have integrated our digital copies (ULB-digi-vorschlag@ulb.hhu.de).

If you want to use our images, please refer to the web pages of the ULB Düsseldorf using the URN. Cite us as follows: University and State Library Düsseldorf, URN.

  • Example: Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Düsseldorf, urn:nbn:de:hbz:061:1-535970

The URN can always be found on in the "Title" tab under the title record of the respective work.

You can use only the URN for the citation or, if you consider it easier for the reader to understand, you can also indicate the URN together with the resolver. In combination with the resolver, which converts the urn into a link that can be understood by a web browser, it then reads like this: https://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:hbz:061:1-535970.

The images offered in the Digital Collections are slightly compressed JPEG. If you need reproduction quality scans as TIFF files (e.g. for publications), we offer you the possibility to place a reproduction order for a fee. If you have any questions concerning reproduction, please contact us via e-mail.

Miscellaneous

How do I know what’s new in the Digital Collections?

Our RSS feed keeps you up to date on new additions to the digital collections. You can find it at: https://digital.ulb.hhu.de/rss.

I would like to assess the value of a book. Who can I contact?

A local antiquarian bookshop can help you with valuations, or you can use online services such as the "Zentrale Verzeichnis Antiquarischer Bücher" (www.zvab.com). If you have any questions about the significance, condition, and approximate value of your books, the Historical Collections Department offers regular book consultation hours, or you can contact the department directly by email (sonderlesesaal@ulb.hhu.de).

What can I do if my questions are not answered here?

Just send us an e-mail at ULB-digi-vorschlag@ulb.hhu.de. We will be pleased to answer your questions.