The Specialised Information Service supports mid-level researchers with fixed-term project positions and doctoral students in the ethnological disciplines by providing so-called research kits—small literature collections that can be borrowed for a long period of time within Germany.
The research kits are compiled from printed literature and sent to researchers' places of residence upon request. Please note that some literature may need to be purchased. In this case, we are dependent on delivery times or the end of the annual billing cycle for the provision of these collections. We offer generous loan periods for this literature, which exceed the usual loan periods of libraries.
The following conditions apply for the use of this service:
You are
- a doctoral student in the ethnological disciplines and can provide a valid certificate of enrollment at a German university, or
- an employee in an ethnological (partial) research project and can present an employment contract at a German institution.
Please contact us to find out whether you are eligible and attach one or both documents. We will check as soon as possible whether you can use the service. Once your eligibility has been verified, you must register for a HU library account using the registration form – unless you are a doctoral student or employee at HU Berlin. After registering using the registration form, you can authenticate yourself either on site at the HU Berlin University Library (in the Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm Zentrum) or via online consultation hours.
What can you put in your research kit or borrow, and what are the borrowing terms?
- Maximum of 20 titles (print, no journals/volumes)
- Loan period: 6 months
- Renewal: possible for a further 6 months, please enquire in good time.
- Maximum term: term of the FID SKA (currently until the end of 2027).
- Shipping: Shipping is carried out by the HU to your home address, return shipping at your own expense to the following address:
University Library of Humboldt University Berlin
SG Ausleihe – Grimm-Zentrum
‘Forschungsapparat FID SKA’
Unter den Linden 6
10099 Berlin
- Cost limit per title: 200 euros; the FID SKA reserves the right to decide whether to purchase/borrow any titles.
- Fees: If the loan period is exceeded (including late renewal or return), the fee schedule of the Humboldt University Library applies.
Registration for a Humboldt University library account (non-HU members or students from other universities)
- Registration form
- Online consultation hours (for authentication and questions about registration)
How can you order a research kit?
After registering and authenticating yourself, fill out the order form using your valid HU library account and send it to info[ at ]evifa.de with the subject line ‘Forschungsapparat’ (research kit).
You will receive confirmation of your order within two weeks.
The available titles will be sent to your home address (please indicate this on the form) as soon as possible.
To the order form (PDF - German only)
If you have any questions about the research apparatus, please contact:
Matthias Harbeck: matthias.harbeck[ at ]ub.hu-berlin.de (Subject: Research kits)