FAQ
1. I want to register…
Online registration can be done here. If you prefer an in-person registration, please contact our staff at Reference Desk located in Library Services Hall on the ground floor in the main library building on Hlavná 10.
2. I want to renew my library card…
a) Send an e-mail to the address:
or
b) Make a phone call on tel. no. +421918245877 or +421918245878. State your library ID number Sxxxxxx and e-mail address you provided when registering for the library membership. You can pay your registration fee through your library account after log-in into our online library catalog. Use the “Fees” section in the menu. You can use the library services immediately after paying the registration fee.
or
c) In person at Circulation Desk in the Library Services Hall (Hlavná 10). You can pay the registration fee by credit card or in cash.
3. I want to order and borrow a document…
Please, visit our online catalogue here.
4. I want to extend the loan period of the borrowed document…
Our library system will automatically extend a loan period for you. The loan period of documents will be prolonged on the second day after the due day, but only if the documents are not requested by other applicants and if your library membership is currently valid. The library system will extend the loan period by a maximum of 5 times.
5. What does it mean if the book says "Absenčne " and "Prezenčne"?
“Absenčne” (absence loan) - the document is allowed to be borrowed off-site outside the library, and taken home. If a document record indicates a date “Požičané do - lent until…” , the book has already been borrowed by another patron and the date indicated in the record is the nearest due date for the document. “Prezenčne” (presence loan) - you may study a document only on-site in the library, it is not allowed to be borrowed home.
6. What does it mean if a book record reads: "Príručka" and "Povinný výtlačok"?
“Príručka” (hanbook, guide) - a document is part of a reference collection and it is available for on-site study only in the library (see also “Location”). The document is not available for ordering through the online catalog either. “Povinný výtlačok” (Mandatory Copy) - the document is available for an off-site loan.
7. What shall I understand by “Voľný výber”?
You can pick up a document yourself from a freely accessible collection without the assistance of a librarian, for example, in the Main Reading Room, in the American Center Košice or in the German Library GI.
8. What should I do if I forgot my password?
Simply click here.
9. Who may collect books which are ready to be borrowed for me?
You, yourself in person or any pre-authorized family member.
10. How can I return a book?
Borrowed books can be returned by anyone at Circulation Desk, in a return box outside the library at Hlavná 10 (24/7) or, in exceptional cases, as an insured packet by post or delivery company.
11. What should I do if I am not able or do not have time to pick up books which are ready to be borrowed for me?
Please request an extension of the deadline for picking up the ordered document by 3 working days by e-mail at
12. When can I expect a book to be ready for my picking up after ordering?
It depends on location of the library storage. Usual time is within 45 minutes of ordering. If the book is in one of the external storages and the order was placed on a working day by 2:30 pm, the book will be ready on the same day within 3 hours. If the order was placed after 14:30, the book will not be available until the next working day. We recommend that you monitor the status of requests on your patron account.
13. What should I do if I lose or accidentally damage a book?
Please, contact our staff at Reference Desk by e-mail at
14. Can I borrow a book from a reference collection or a reading room?
You may borrow some books home for the weekend. The weekend loan period starts on the last working day of the week, 2 hours before the closing of the reading room at the earliest and ends on the first working day following the weekend. Please pay attention to the timely return of these books, as the penalty fees for their late return are higher.
15. I want to study / borrow the standards. How shall I proceed?
According to a Slovak legislation, we cannot lend you standards for off-site use. You may study them only in our library or online in digital form accessible on the selected computer in our library.
16. How can I copy a document?
a) you may use your own camera or mobile phone,
b) you may use our self-service scanner and download a scanned document to your USB memory stick (free of charge),
c) you can ask our library staff to make a photocopy (this service is chargeable).
Please note that, according to our copyright law, we are allowed to copy for you a maximum of 20% of the contents of the requested document.
17. I need a list of resources on a specific topic for my school project/work.
Do you provide search consultations/information retrieval services for patrons? If you are interested, please fill in the application here. The service is charged according to the price list, which you can find on our website in the Services section.
18. How long does it take to complete such a list of available resources?
Delivery time depends on the total number of requests and the complexity of your request. It usually takes 1 – 2 weeks from providing all relevant parameters to process it. If you are interested in an urgent searching, we provide a service where the list will be made within 24 hours for an additional fee of €20.
19. What is the price of a search consultation/information retrieval service?
See the price list of fines and fees at our website. The final price consists of a fixed fee of €10 (for a search of up to 50 records), or €14 (for a search over 50 records) and a fee of €0.05 for each recommended resource on the final list.
20. I need a document that is not in this library. Can you assist me anyway?
Yes, if a document is not in our collection, we can assist you with the interlibrary loan service (ILL). However, you must be our registered patron. You can find more information about ILL on our website under the Services section.
21. How long does it take to wait for a book through the interlibrary loan service?
Delivery depends on the lending library. The loan period is also set by the library that lends the document.
22. Who handles financial compensation for lost books?
If you are not able to return a borrowed document, our staff at Reference Desk will guide you through a process of a book replacement or will assist you with a financial compensation procedure. Please contact them by e-mail at
23. Can I use the library only occasionally without registering for the whole year?
Yes, it is possible to register and access reading rooms and take advantage of the on-site book loans (in the library, not at home) for 1 day, or 90 days.
24. Where can I find information about my orders and loans?
This information is available after logging in to your patron account – please look for a bar on the right.
25. May I use a free internet access?
In the Library Services Hall and in all the reading rooms, wifi connection is available.
26. Are there public computers in the library that I could use?
A total of 30 public workstations are available to users in the Library Services Hall and other reading rooms.