Library profile

Lib4RI is the joint «Library for the Research Institutes within the ETH Domain: Eawag, Empa, PSI & WSL». As a scientific library, we provide all affiliates of the four institutes at their 11 research sites with extensive access to literature and technical information for research, teaching, and consulting. Furthermore, we offer a broad range of services surrounding the publication process.

Our focus

Lib4RI's focus is to ensure a comprehensive range of electronic media and web-based, customer-friendly services. Both are constantly being further developed and adapted to the changing needs of our users. As the transition from print to online media has largely been completed, there is now an increasing shift in focus «from content to services».

Openness – with regards to access, science, data, or source – is thereby an important concern for Lib4RI and its team. We are committed to offering a range of Open Access services, have taken several actions to increase the percentage of freely accessible research from the four research institutes, opted for the Open Source CMS Drupal for our website, and make our code available on GitHub and Codeberg. This strong commitment to Openness is both reflected in our services and way of working, as well as in the personnel development of the Lib4RI staff. We actively encourage our team to engage in this topic, get further training, and deepen their awareness and knowledge.

Teamwork, meaningful connections and having fun is very important to us as well: we have regular get-togethers beyond the locations, share lunch, or go on a yearly excursion to get inspired and keep in touch. A good example of our great team spirit is also the video we produced for our 10-year anniversary. It gives a humorous insight into all our developments and achievements over the past ten years - plus, it also explains how to pronounce "Lib4RI". Enjoy!

Functional cookies have to be allowed to watch the video.

  • Organisational structure ETH domain

    Lib4RI was established on 1 January 2011, merging the individual libraries of the four federally funded research institutes of the ETH domain. The institutes conduct basic and applied research in science and engineering – as ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne – at the highest international level.

    Lib4RI has three staffed, main locations: Eawag-Empa Dübendorf, PSI Villigen, and WSL Birmensdorf. Each location provides site- and institute-specific user services through site-independent services and workflows. Funded by all four research institutes, Lib4RI is organisationally and administratively associated with Eawag.

  • Lib4RI’s steering committee comprises 9 members: one directorial board member of each research institute (decision-making), one additional scientist of each research institute (advisory) and the head of the library (advisory).

  • Open Library Badge

    We are committed to Openness. And our commitment is now certified with the Open Library Badge!

    The Open Library Badge initiative creates an incentive system for libraries that pursue the concept of openness, by making their activities and offers visible to the public and the library‘s users. The Badge shows the library‘s commitment to more openness in science and society and it is awarded by a jury.

    To be awarded the Open Library Badge, Lib4RI meets the following criteria:

    • Developing and sharing Open Source software
    • Promoting Openness as an important part of personnel development
    • Transparency with regards to purchasing costs
    • Promoting and uncovering Open Access potential
    • Making teaching and learning materials available under an open license
    • Own publications published only Open Access

    Find out more about the criteria here.

Terms of Use & fees

terms-of-use-fees