Training courses and guided tours

• Guided tours

• On-site training courses

• Virtual training courses (ZB.fit und Studi.fit)

• Individual research consultation

Guided tours 

Would you like to get to know the Zentralbibliothek Zürich better on a guided tour? We offer " traditional" tours as well as tours with thematic focuses. We will gladly listen to your request by e-mail and invite you to get to know our library.

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. 

An overview of the offers from the special collections can be found here. 

We offer individual introductions to our library for groups by prior appointment.

For schools (Gymnasiums and vocational schools)

The Zentralbibliothek Zürich offers introductions to literature research and using libraries specially for school groups by appointment. Please book an appointment . 

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. Please note that for scheduling and operational reasons we are unable to accommodate groups that have not made an appointment.

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. 

For university students

For many topics in the humanities and social sciences, you will receive an initial introduction to literature research and our library as part of a course. Expand your knowledge with a specialist workshop:

• Philosophy research 
• Psychology research
• Theology and religious studies research
• Economics research

All current dates can be found here.

Virtual training courses (e-learning)

ZB.fit: e-learning course for school leaving exam students

Our e-learning service ZB.fit offers a playful introduction to using the Zentralbibliothek Zürich and researching our collections. 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: kundenservice@zb.uzh.ch. 

Studi.fit: e-learning course for students at the University of Zurich

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 swisscovery
• 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
• 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 please contact fuehrungen@zb.uzh.ch.

Individual research consultation 

Do you have a specific request? We will be happy to advise you personally. Simply make an appointment with us. Our academic experts will take time to support you with your research questions for about one hour.