UB Social Sciences
Upcoming Opening of the New UB Social Sciences
Over the past three months, a major relocation took place in Oerlikon. As of Monday, 14 September 2026, the collections from the following four UB locations can be found in the BIM building:
In addition, items from UB Psychology that focus on the following subject area can now be found in the UB Social Sciences:
Social and organizational psychology (with psychoanalytic elements), i.e., emotion, cognition, and behavior with a focus on the social context
The focus of the items that remain in UB Psychology is on the individual: general and differential psychology, as well as clinical psychology
Where to Find What?
What Study Spaces are Available?
Study Spaces
- There are 80 study spaces, whereof 4 with screen (see devices).
- UZH members can book 39 of these study spaces online via booked-UB.
- Vacant study spaces can be used at any time, but reservations take priority.
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There are 4 work booths.
Group Study Rooms
- 5 group study rooms (BIM 1-002, BIM 1-003, BIM 1-004, BIM 1-005, BIM 1-037) for a min. 2 to max. 8 people. For details see Group Study Rooms.
- UZH members can book the group study rooms online via booked-UB, max. 4 hours and 7 days in advance.
The group study rooms serve as a learning and working space, e.g. for cooperative group work, exam simulations and discussions. Please respect the rules of use:
- During use, please ensure that conversations are conducted at low volume and that other library users are not disturbed. Otherwise, you will be asked to leave the room.
- Cleanliness must be ensured when leaving the room. Eating and the use of cell phones are not permitted. As a beverage only water from drinking bottles is allowed.
- For security reasons, it is recommended that valuables not be left unattended in the group study room. The library is not liable for items brought into its premises.
- The room must be vacated 5 minutes before the end of the booking time or, if necessary, must be extended at the counter if there are no reservations.
- During use, the instructions of the library staff must be followed and access to the study room must be guaranteed to them in any case.
What Infrastructure Can I Use Here?
Borrow and Return
- Self-checkout station
- Returns within the library: Drop-off slot on the right side of the information desk
Devices
- 4 study spaces with external screen (USB-C)
- 3 portable screens can be borrowed at the information desk.
- Printer (UZH Print Plus instructions)
Lockers
- Day lockers (free of charge, 1 day loan)
- Lockers available for borrowing at the UB Psycholgy (BIN):
90 lockers (free of charge, 28 days loan, reservation possible via swisscovery)
Additional Services
- some relaxation zones
- Quiet and conversation zone
- Protective cases with a card yo-yo for the UZH Card can be purchased at the information desk (3.50 CHF per case).
- Merchandise can be purchased at the information desk.
Information about the Location and Collection
The collection consists of curated holdings in the following disciplines: social and cultural anthropology, film studies, communication science, political science, popular culture studies, psychology, sociology, and comparative language science. It includes:
- about 32'000 items on the first floor in the open stacks
- additional 100'000 items can be ordered from the closed stacks via swisscovery
- course reserves and reference collection, Department of Informatics
- psychological tests (see Test Archive Psycholgy)
- various e-journals, e-books, and databases (online access available only via University network)
The collection is organized by subject and is freely accessible. In addition to the collection available for borrowing, reference materials such as handbooks and journals are available. These are marked with a red dot and may be consulted on site.
Special Collections
- Special Collection Psychology: Psychological tests: Test Archive
- Special Collection Film Studies (Affolternstrasse, AFL): Information concerning the collection, the catalog, and the use of viewing stations can be found at Video Library (AFL-G-233).