Library FAQs

The HSG Library is open to all. Here you can find informations about registering and borrowing.

Reservations and mail shipments can be deleted via your HSGswisscovery user account.

Once a mail shipment has been fulfilled and the shipping confirmation has been sent by email, it can no longer be canceled. The costs of CHF 12.- will be charged.

Cancellation of a courier document that has already been sent is technically possible via your swisscovery user account. The delivery costs of such a document (CHF 6.-) will nevertheless be charged to the user account of the library that was selected as pickup location.

Documents ordered through swisscovery via SLSP courier can also be returned by courier. The transfer slip, which is enclosed in the book when it is picked up, must be presented upon return. This service costs CHF 6.- per document for both transport routes.

HSG media can be returned free of charge to the Hauptpost library. The return transport takes two days at the most. To prevent costs for overdue notifications, these two days must be included in the loan period. In the Hauptpost libary, documents can be physically returned but the document is still on loan in the user account until it arrives at the HSG library.

Yes. You can return media by mail (address: Universität St. Gallen, Bibliothek, Dufourstr. 50, 9000 St. Gallen). The valid date of return is the day the books actually arrive at the library. The user will be responsible for any overdue returns, damages or lost documents. Please check the borrowing regulations.
Please note that, in case you are sending the books from abroad, you will have to tag the books as follows: Rücksendung Bibliotheksbücher, Warenwert = 5. If this is not done correctly, customs charges may result. Any such charges will be recouped from the user.

Documents with location "Speicherbibliothek" are not in the open stacks area and must be ordered . Please order the required media directly via HSGswisscovery. All ordered books are delivered to the HSG Library at no charge by a courier service (Monday to Friday). Delivery is within 2-3 working days. You will receive a pick-up invitation by e-mail. Please note that there is no courier service on Saturday.

More information about courier service

All information about due dates can be found in the Borrowing regulations.

Yes, borrowed documents that are not reserved and have not yet reached the maximum loan period can be manually renewed via the HSGswisscovery user account. However, a manual renewal is not necessary since the period is automatically extended by 28 days after the 28-day loan period has expired (if the document has not been reserved). The maximum loan period is 168 days (= 6 times 28 days).

More information: Borrowing regulations

Instructions for further steps to take, if you cannot find what you need in HSGswisscovery, can be found here: Inter-library loan.

Wi-Fi is available in the entire library. There are some limitations for external users. More information about Wi-Fi and using your own laptop can be found on our page Internet access. 

This is only possible for students and employees of the University of St.Gallen via VPN client. External users and alumni can only use databases from computers in the Library. 

Open fees can be checked in the HSGswisscovery user account. These can be paid in cash or by credit card at the lending desk.

You have the option of waiting for the invoice to be sent by e-mail. Fees already billed are no longer visible in the HSGswisscovery user account and can no longer be paid at the lending desk. These are paid by means of the payment slip sent by e-mail.

Please notify the HSG library of the loss or damage as soon as possible (mediareturn@unisg.ch).

Your user account will be re-activated as soon as all borrowed documents are returned and all fees are paid.

Items damaged due to normal wear and tear do not have to be replaced by users. This includes folded pages, loose or missing pages, damaged spines etc.

Please do not under any circumstances try to repair library books yourself. Inappropriate attempts can hinder or even render impossible adequate professional repair works.

Report damages of this kind before you borrow the book or at the latest upon return to the lending desk.