Library of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
The English translation of our Internet pages will be complemented in the near future
Library Usage
Due to building measures in our stacks beween January 15th to 26th parts of our holdings will not be available for use. If you plan to visit us in this period please order items you intend to work with via email prior to your visit.
Please switch to the German language version of this page to see more current news and information.
- Using the LibraryBild: von FES
As a reference library the FES Library is open to the general public. All library holdings can be used in the reading room, there are no access charges for using the general library services.
Due to extensive building measures in our premises we currently have only a limited number of workplaces available. Therefore, we ask you to contact us (, bibliothek(at)fes.de) if you have any questions in this context or if you would like to reserve a workplace for your stay in our library.
Selected reference works are available in the reading room on open shelves. Our main collection is stored in closed stacks. Items from this collection have to be ordered at the information desk. Books and other items can be deposited at the information desk for you if you wish to work with these titles for a longer period of time. This will enable you to access theses titles directly without having to re-order them form the library stacks.
You can find more information in the library regulations (in German language) of the FES Library.
Reading Room Loan Requests
Times for reading room loan requests
The following list shows all times for ordering items from the library stacks:
- 9:30 am
- 11:00 am
- 1:00 pm
- 2:30 pm
- 4:00 pm (not on Friday)
- 5:00 pm (only Tuesday and Thursday)
Approx. after 30 minutes the requested items will be available for use at the information desk.
Reservations / pre-ordering
You can reserve books and other items prior to your visit via telephone () or email.
Workplace reservation
Our library is a non-lending library, so all library items have to be consulted within our premises. Books, periodicals or other items you wish to work with for a longer period of time can be deposited at the information desk for you.
If you wish to work in our library for a longer period of time please also ask for a workplace reservation due to the limited number of workplaces in our reading room.Interlibrary Loan and Direct Ordering
Interlibrary loan
The FES Library participates in the national and international interlibrary loan system. Our Library's holdings can be requested by your local library using this system. If you want to do this, please inform your local library about the specific titles you wish to receive from us, indicating the unique identifier for our library (ISIL): DE-Bo133. The ordered volumes will then be lent to your local library.
Direct order of articles and publication copies
You can order copies of articles and other publications that do not exceed the number of 60 pages per copy. More information about this service (including charges) on the following page.
Services
Internet
In our reading room you will find laptop sockets and free WIFI access. Two workstations provide exclusive access to the Internet.
Copies
We provide a copier and a "book2net" scanner (storage on flash drive). Additionally, two reader printer (for microforms) for scanning directly to your flash drive are available at no charge.
The following charges apply for any copy or printout:- DIN A4: 0,10 €
- DIN A3: 0,15 €
- Printout reader printer, DIN A4: 0,15 €
- Printout reader printer, DIN A3: 0,20 €
Cafeteria
You can visit the FES Cafeteria at lunchtime. in addition, vending machines for soft drinks, coffee and snacks are available.
Reading room contact
Information / Reading room
bibliothek(at)fes.deFES Internal Services (in German language)
Bild: von geralt lizenziert unter Creative Commons CC0Als Mitarbeiter_in der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung erhalten Sie hier, teils passwortgeschützt, Zugang zu:
Aufsatzdatenbank (Recherche, Bestellung, Volltexte)
Bestellformular für Scans und Kopien (Blanko-Formular)
Info-Modul zur "Digitalen Bibliothek" für FES-Mitarbeiter_innen
Liste der im Zeitschrifteninhaltsdienst verfügbaren Zeitschriften (zugleich RSS-Feeds)
Entdecken Sie weitere Angebote und Hinweise im Intranet unter Abteilungen besuchen/Bibliothek:- Benutzerkonto, Ausleihe, Fernleihe, Anschaffungswünsche, Zeitschriften-Umläufe etc.
- Kurzinfo zum Zeitschrifteninhaltsdienst (ZID)
- Literaturlisten zu Ländern, Regionen und Themen sowie Literaurtipps zur Vorbereitung für den Auslandsaufenthalt und für Auslandsrückkehrer
- Organigramm und Vorstellung des Bibliotheksteams
- About the Library
About the Library
Bild: von FES Ownership mark ("Lilienstempel") of the historic SPD LibraryThe special collection of the Library of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung mainly comprises titles on the following subjects:
- History and present developments of German and international labour movement with main focus on German social democracy,
- German and international social and contemporary history,
- publications of political parties and trade unions from Germany and selected European countries,
- all publications of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung from Germany and abroad.
Of particular significance is the library's historic collection thoroughly documenting the history of the German social democratic movement. With this collection the FES Library maintains the printed memory of German social democracy, of its associated organisations and, of course, of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
The following page (in German language, English translation will follow soon) provides more information on our library
Catalogue
Search our main catalogue for any book, periodical or other media held by our library.
- Help Desk
Use our electronic information desk for any question concerning our library and our services. You will receive an answer as soon as possible.
- Contact
Opening Hours
Monday + Wednesday:
9am - 5pm
Tuesday + Thursday:
9am - 7pm
Friday:
9am - 4pm
The information desk is closed between 11:45 am and 12:15 pm (Monday - Thursday) and between 11:30 am and 12:00 pm (Friday)!
Digital Library of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Since 1998 the FES Library amends its collection of conventional material with digital publications. Today, a huge number of digital publications from different political parties and trade unions can be retrieved from our general catalogue.
Another important focus of our digital collection are born-digital FES publications that are thoroughly collected from all FES divisions in Germany and abroad. With this part of its Digital Library the FES Library maintains the general repository for all digital FES publications.
Besides this, other digital collections like retrospective digitized journals, magazines or press services complement the Library's stock development within its specialised subject collection. You will find more information on this collections in the following project listing.
Digitized Magazines and Newspapers
The FES Library organized different digitization projects for titles belonging to the cultural and political environment of German social democracy, with the digitization of the historic "Vorwärts" as the most recent and most important project.
Here you can find a selection of our projects of digitized periodicals.
SPD Press Services until 1998
The historic SPD press services that have been published with alternating titles between the years 1928 - 1933 and 1946 - 1998 are important sources for authentic social democratic thoughts and positions on different aspects of contemporary history.
As an information centre for political and historical research the FES Library focusses especially on the history and development of German social democracy. One of the important collections in this context is this compilation of programmatic SPD documents issued between 1949 and the present.
Learn more about SPD policy statements, government programmes and election manifestos (Only in German language)
As part of a project that aims at making available basic sources of the German social democratic movement the FES Library has published the minutes of SPD party conventions from 1890 to 1959.
Project pages (German)
Programmatic Documents of German Social Democracy
Minutes of SPD Party Conventions
Online Gallery
This online gallery documents exhibitions that have been compiled by our library during the last years. Additionally, you will find a selection of images presenting special items from our collection.
DBIS and EZB
The database information portal (DBIS) gives access to a comprehensive collection of databases available without futher access restrictions on the Internet. The collection comprises databases of different types and for different subjects.
The electronic library of periodicals (EZB) gathers Internet periodicals for many different subjects. Some of these titles are licensed by the FES Library and can be accessed directly. You will find access information within the respective title description.
Please note that both collections are presented in German language:
Online portal DBIS
Electronic periodicals library EZB
FES publications in our Digital Library
Learn about new born-digital FES publications, scan the listing of new publications and search our database of all digital FES titles on this page (currently only in German language).