FAQ swisscovery
For users
A.1. Overview
What is swisscovery?
swisscovery is a search interface managed by SLSP (Swiss Library Service Platform), which makes the collections of over 490 Swiss scientific libraries available to the public. Through swisscovery and its USI branch called Reperio, a vast amount of scientific documents can be consulted: over 40 million physical items (books, journals, documentary materials) and over 3 billion electronic articles.
What is SLSP?
SLSP (Swiss Library Service Platform) is a service provider launched in 2017 by 15 Swiss universities and colleges, including USI, with the aim of creating a national, collective and multilingual catalogue.
Who can help me?
In case of questions or doubts please contact [email protected].
A.2. Registration
Do I have to register?
Yes. You can already do it here: https://registration.slsp.ch/?iz=usi.
USI students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to begin by visiting the website www.desk.usi.ch to create a SWITCH edu-ID account or to check if the existing one is linked to USI.
Users not affiliated to USI can create a SWITCH edu-ID account during the registration process.
If you have an account in an existing library network (e.g. Sbt, NEBIS, etc.), you will still need a new registration.
To help you with the registration we produced instructions in pdf (Italian).
For additional questions please contact [email protected].
Can I still borrow books from libraries in the Sistema bibliotecario ticinese (Sbt) with my card?
Yes, but you need to be registered with the Sistema bibliotecario ticinese (Sbt).
How much does the registration cost if I am not affiliated to a university?
Registration is free of charge for everybody.
What do I need to do if I never had a library card?
First of all, you need to register (see Do I have to register?). With an active registration, you can come to one of the swisscovery libraries and request your user card.
Can I register if I live abroad? Do limitations apply?
Registration is also available from abroad. Foreign residents wishing to register to swisscovery must use a SWITCH edu-id account, just like Swiss residents (see Do I have to register?). For limitations, see Loan service > Which category of users exist, and what are their limitations?
A.3. Searching for books, journals, etc.
Where do I search for library documents?
Through Reperio, access to the collections of all swisscovery member libraries is guaranteed. Access to the search interface is integrated into the sites of the USI Libraries.
A.4. Loan service
Are there fee-based services? How much do they cost?
Fee-based services are limited to document requests from other libraries, depending on the user category you belong to.
Which categories of users exist, and what are their limitations?
Max. loans | Max. bookings and requests | Interlibrary loan | SLSP-Courier | |
Swiss resident, Student, Academic staff | 100 | 50 | Sì | Sì |
Foreign resident in the border area* | 100 | 50 | No | No |
Foreign resident | 5 | 5 | No | No |
* for Ticino: provinces of Como, Lecco, Varese and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.
If foreign residents are affiliated to a Swiss university, they belong to the "Student" or "Academic staff" category.
Which fines will be applied if I return items late?
|
Notification type |
Days (of library opening) |
Amount of the fine |
14- and 28-day loans |
Courtesy reminder |
1 day after the due date |
- |
1st warning |
6 days after the courtesy reminder |
CHF 5.00 per document |
|
2nd warning | 6 days after the 1st warning |
+ CHF 5.00 per document |
|
3rd warning |
6 days after the 2nd warning |
+ CHF 10.00 per document |
|
|
|
(TOTAL: CHF 20.00) |
|
7-days loans |
Courtesy reminder |
1 day after the due date |
- |
1st warning |
3 days after the courtesy reminder |
CHF 5.00 per document |
|
2nd warning | 3 days after the 1st warning |
+ CHF 5.00 per document |
|
3rd warning |
3 days after the 2nd warning |
+ CHF 10.00 per document |
|
|
|
(TOTAL: CHF 20.00) |
|
1-day loans |
Courtesy reminder |
1 day after the due date |
- |
1st warning |
1 day after the courtesy reminder |
CHF 5.00 per document |
|
2nd warning | 1 day after the 1st warning |
+ CHF 5.00 per document |
|
3rd warning |
1 day after the 2nd warning |
+ CHF 10.00 per document |
|
|
|
(TOTAL: CHF 20.00) |
|
"Same day" loans (until the end of the day) |
Courtesy reminder |
NO NOTIFICATION |
- |
1st warning |
1 day after the courtesy reminder |
CHF 5.00 per document |
|
2nd warning | 1 day after the 1st warning |
+ CHF 5.00 per document |
|
3rd warning |
1 day after the 2nd warning |
+ CHF 10.00 per document |
|
|
|
(TOTAL: CHF 20.00) |
How can I pay?
The Library of the Academy of architecture Mendrisio only accepts cash payments at the loan counter, while the University library Lugano accepts cash and all major credit and debit cards; Twint is not enabled.
A.5. Loans from other libraries (ILL)
How can I receive a book you do not own?
If the book you need is not in the library, Reperio displays a request button. In the interface, it is possible to choose a pick-up library or home postal delivery for a fee (for libraries that provide this service).
See also How does it work? (pdf in Italian)
If the book you are looking for is not available via SLSP-Courier or is not present in swisscovery, fill in the online Interlibrary loan form. Our libraries will locate a copy and order it for you.
How can I receive an article or an extract?
Also in Reperio, a digital reproduction of an article or extract can be requested for a fee from libraries that have activated this service.
If this service is not available in Reperio, fill in the online Interlibrary loan form. Our libraries will locate a copy and order it for you.
Which fines will be applied if I return items from other libraries late?
The same fines and notification method apply for our books and for books from other libraries. See Loan service > Which fines will be applied if I return items late?
For libraries
B.1. Registration
To profit from the interlibrary loan service with the USI libraries and with all other SLSP libraries, external libraries have to request an account by contacting SLSP directly.
- The first step is to register at: https://registration.slsp.ch/institutional-account/?lang=it. The registration produces a temporarily locked account that requires verification by the library from which you first want to borrow a document.
- You then need to access https://reperio.usi.ch/discovery/login?vid=41SLSP_USI:BiUSI&lang=it, choose the option "Without SWITCH edu-ID", then press "Reset password" to assign a password to your account.
- Finally, report at: [email protected] the creation of the account by indicating the user ID and requesting the activation of your user account. You will receive an e-mail confirming the activation.
B.2. ILL loan requests
We ask libraries to send their requests by e-mail to the library that owns the document:
-
University Library Lugano: [email protected]
-
Academy of architecture Library, Mendrisio: [email protected]