As far as possible, not all areas of the UNIGE Library close at the same time. Consult the Opening hours page or the UNIGE mobile app to search for open areas and check their occupancy rates.

No. Buildings may be open when the Library is closed, or vice versa. You can consult the opening hours of the UNIGE buildings here.

Yes, you can return UNIGE documents at any open UNIGE Library desk (e.g. return a Uni CMU document borrowed from Uni CMU to Uni Mail). In some buildings, you'll also find book return boxes when library areas are closed, notably at Uni Mail and at Uni CMU (in front of the Library entrance).

Exception: for documents borrowed via interlibrary loan (and SLSP shuttle service), it is preferable to wait until the desk where the document was borrowed reopens before returning it.

No. As soon as a library is closed, all due dates for documents borrowed in that area are automatically postponed until at least the date when the area reopens. This also applies to interlibrary loan (or SLSP loans) documents picked up in this area.

This shouldn't happen, but if it does, please contact us (see on the right) so that we can review your situation and, if necessary, cancel any undue charges.

No, it is not recommended to extend your documents manually in swisscovery. Renewals take place automatically when documents reach their expiry date. During closing periods, deadlines are postponed and renewals (if possible) are carried out when the deadlines are reached.

No. Even if you have received a pick-up notification, it is not possible to pick up documents at a desk if the space is closed. We will extend the pick-up deadline, and you will be able to pick up your documents as soon as the library reopens.

Please note that if you have ordered a document on interlibrary loan (or SLSP shuttle service) and are no longer interested, please let us know to avoid any charges for documents not collected.

It depends on the case:

• In principle, the collections in closed areas are always inaccessible: it is therefore not possible to request documents to another UNIGE Library site for consultation, to request digitizations or to request documents in closed stacks ("magasins").
• Documents currently borrowed by other users can be requested at any time. However, they will not be available until the space selected at the time of reservation reopens.
• For document requests at the DBU (University Library depot) or outside Geneva (interlibrary loan or SLSP shuttle), it is possible to place an order and choose another open site as the pick-up location. In this case, pick-up and return must take place at the desk chosen when the order was placed, even if your usual space has reopened in the meantime.
• Documents ordered before the closure of a site and not yet collected can be collected at the desk chosen when the order was placed, when the site reopens.

In principle, no. When a space is closed, its collections are inaccessible, and it is generally no longer possible to request digitization of its collections.

On this page you'll find practical information about working remotely, especially when our facilities are closed. Much of the documentation provided by the UNIGE Library is online, so it remains accessible to the UNIGE/HUG community when the library is closed.