Training courses and guided tours
Zentralbibliothek Zürich training courses and guided tours offer an insight into the multifaceted resources of one of Switzerland’s biggest libraries. They cover everything from search tips to presentations of valuable objects from our holdings. Take your pick. We will be happy to help.
On-site training courses
General offering
Is this your first visit to the ZB, or have you just been away for a while? In either case, you are welcome to attend one of our introductory events.
Current dates can be found here.
We present helpful information and research sources, offer an insight into special collections, and answer questions about research methods.
- Who’s afraid of old scripts? – learning to read 18th- and 19th-century manuscripts
- Using manuscripts and archival materials for study purposes
- A journey through time – introduction to the ZB for children
We offer individual introductions to our library for groups by prior appointment.
For schools
The Zentralbibliothek Zürich offers introductions to literature research and using libraries specially for school groups by appointment. Please complete the form. The tour lasts around 90 minutes and encourages students to become actively involved. Participants learn how to use the library for research using an app which guides them around the ZB.
The tours are aimed in particular at upper secondary schools and vocational colleges, as the ZB does not have children’s and young people’s literature available for loan. There is no lower age limit for borrowing from the library.
Guided tours are conducted only by ZB library staff. Please note that for scheduling and operational reasons we are unable to accommodate groups that have not made an appointment.
For university students
A seminar offers an initial introduction to literature research and our library for students in many humanities and social science subjects. At the beginning of the semester we also offer generalist introductions to research that all interested students are welcome to attend.
A reference management program allows you to create standardised reference lists in a flash. If you need to search simultaneously in library catalogues and specialist databases and manage the references for your academic dissertation, we will show you how to do it.
- Working with manuscripts
-
Expand your knowledge with a specialist workshop:
Individual advice
Looking for something specific? We will be happy to advise you. Simply make an appointment with us. Our research experts will offer you around an hour of individual support with your research questions.
For groups, we offer guided tours and training courses on specific topics or holdings by appointment.
Virtual training courses (e-learning)
ZB.fit: e-learning course for school leaving exam students
If you are a teacher at a cantonal school, upper secondary school or vocational diploma school wishing to prepare your students for their school-leaving exam, our ZB.fit e-learning courses offer a fun introduction to using the Zentralbibliothek Zürich and researching in our holdings. It uses a gamification approach and is an entertaining way to acquire information skills.
In it, you will learn:
- what the Zentralbibliothek Zürich can offer your students
- whether you will benefit from visiting us
- how you can use our library
- how to find literature in our catalogue
- various research tips
- how to use Google and Wikipedia
You can use an app in class or with individual students. Simply download the free Actionbound app from the App Store or Google Play and scan the QR code.
https://actionbound.com/bound/ZBfitUpdate
If you have any questions, we will be happy to help: fuehrungen@zb.uzh.ch.
If you are planning a visit to the Zentralbibliothek Zürich, please come alone or in small groups (max. 5 people). This will enable us to keep the library running smoothly. Thank you for your understanding.
We welcome your feedback or suggestions: fuehrungen@zb.uzh.ch.
Recherche.fit: e-learning course for universities and institutes of further education
Never written an academic paper before? Need to find academic literature for your further education course with little time to spare and without a University of Zurich VPN? Then start our online course Recherche.fit today.
What will you learn in Recherche.fit?
- Identifying academic texts
- Finding academic literature on your topic
- Understanding the differences between academic books and magazine articles and how to use them
- The best ways to prepare for your research
- The most important functions of the Zentralbibliothek Zürich’s Rechercheportal
-
The course is completely online. Seven compact modules can be taken individually or one after the other. Each module takes around 10–15 minutes to complete.
Recherche.fit is free of charge. Register on Recherche.fit using your e-mail address and a password that you create for yourself. Information on data protection and rights can be found here.
Recherche.fit is still in the beta version. We therefore welcome comments and suggestions for improvements: feedback@zb.uzh.ch.
Studi.fit: e-learning course for students at the University of Zurich (beta version)
If you are just starting out on your course at the University of Zurich and need an introduction to researching literature, our Studi.fit online course will teach you more about the basics of research in our library catalogue and other sources of information. Get your course off to the best possible start!
What will you learn in Studi.fit?
- The most important functions of the Zentralbibliothek Zürich’s Rechercheportal
- How to use electronic resources (e-books and e-papers) and specialist databases
- Understanding the differences between academic books and magazine articles and how to use them
- Academic search engines as an alternative to the Rechercheportal
- Important libraries in the Zurich area
- Various research tips
-
The course is entirely online and consists of 11 sections with exercises. You should allow around 60–90 minutes to complete the course.
Studi.fit is free of charge and can be used without registering.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions for improving the beta version, please contact fuehrungen@zb.uzh.ch.
