Research Library and Archive for the Rhoen Biosphere Reserve
The Rhoen Biosphere Reserve is located in the middle of Germany. As one of Germany’s largest biosphere reserves, it stretches across the federal states Bavaria, Hesse and Thuringia and exhibits different landscapes and economic structures due to respectively different historical developments. A multitude of publications and grey literature points out the wide span of research activities and documents an increasing interdisciplinary scientific interest in the Rhoen Biosphere Reserve.
Approach
Founded in the course of the German reunification, the involved
federal states have been establishing individual administrative
structures and agencies for each part of the biosphere reserve. Each
unit of the Rhoen Biosphere Reserve administration found its own,
single way on how to document publications, research results, papers or
diploma theses. Accordingly, the accessibility and usability of the
stocks varied significantly. The main barrier for using the collections
consisted of the lack of online research possibilities and insufficient
indexing.
Recognizing the gap between increasing research demand and the thus-far
existing academic literature infrastructure, the “Research Library and
Archive for the Rhoen Biosphere Reserve” (in short: Rhoen Collection)
has been established since spring 2004 as a project at the Fulda
University of Applied Sciences, in close collaboration with the
administrative agencies of the Rhoen Biosphere Reserve.
Aims
Primary goal is to make available all relevant scientific literature
and documents on sustainable regional development in the Rhoen
Biosphere Reserve since its foundation in 1991 in a central institution
and to build up a database for online research purposes.
Furthermore, the projects intends to develop and workout a model for a
possible documentary infrastructure for biosphere reserves with special
regard to comprehensive indexing and usability for research purposes.
Procedure
At first, the literature collections in the different Rhoen
Biosphere Reserve administrative units were reviewed systematically,
complying with qualitative principles such as research focus or
relevance of results as well as formal criteria like privacy issues or
material condition, followed by choosing relevant titles for the
library’s base stock. Gradually, these titles were catalogued and
indexed in detail, according to standardised librarian methods and
tools. Emphasis is put on subject indexing such as assigning of subject
headings (controlled vocabulary) and classifying by using an in
the German language area wide-spread universal library classification.
The archival stock mainly consists of files originating from different
provenances, e.g. remains from scientists or institutions. As result of
comprehensive archivist indexing work, the Rhoen Collection publishes
online finding aids.
The library’s and archive’s core collection is at first the result of
the conflation of the individual literature collections in the
different administrative agencies. Stockbuilding continues, including
regular review of new accessions in the biosphere administration units,
revising relevant bibliographies, catalogues, appropriate information
media and newsletter and other. Location of the Rhoen Collection is the
University and State Library Fulda.
Online Catalogue
The Rhoen Collection is associated with the university library’s
online catalogue. The online catalogue is accessible via Internet and
offers comprehensive research opportunities, e.g. keyword-,
subject heading-, proper name- or free search.
Each title, including journal articles and other bibliographically
dependant literature, is listed in the online catalogue, including
subject indexing. Via the online catalogue’s integration into the
Hessian Library Network and whose inter-linkage to other German library
consortia, the bibliographic data of the Rhoen Collection can easily be
researched and titles may be ordered by using the inter-library-loan.
Please click
here to visit the Rhoen Collection online catalogue (available only
in German).
Collection Characteristics
- Specialised literature on the UNESCO programme “Man and the Biosphere” and on the international debate on sustainable development
- Scientific publications and unpublished work on the Rhoen Biosphere Reserve
- Publications and documents on the Rhoen as landscape, region, culture-, nature- and living space, commerce, traffic and leisure area
- Journals, series, yearbooks, annuals and other periodicals
- Diploma theses, doctoral dissertations, theses for qualification as university teacher
- Project proposals and reports
- Expertises, evaluations etc.
- Literary remains
- Press reports, booklets, brochures, folder, maps, charts, poster displays, images and other non-book-materials, including new media
Reader Services
We welcome researchers, students and the interested public with a
need to use our collection.
Basic conceptual design of the Rhoen Collection is open-access shelving
so that readers may browse unhamperedly through the collection. Main
part of the collection is destined for immediate, extra-mural loan,
normally four weeks. A smaller part of the collection, e.g. valuable
issues or items out of print, is forming the reading room collection.
Usage of the Rhoen Collection is free of charge. Professional advice
and workplaces with computer and copying opportunities are available.
Opening Hours
|
|
Location |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
|
Open-access holding |
University and State Library Fulda |
9.30-17.00 |
9.30-17.00 |
9.30-17.00 |
9.30-17.00 |
9.30-18.00 |
9.30-12.30 |
|
Reading room |
Building LS, Room 205 |
closed |
9.00-12.00, 13.00-17.00 |
9.00-12.00, 13.00-17.00 |
9.00-12.00, 13.00-17.00 |
9.00-12.00, 13.00-16.00 |
closed |
Staff
Prof. Dr. Erich Ott (Head)
Dr. Dieter Wittmann (Research associate)
Sabine Schaefer M.A. (Research associate)
For enquiries and more information please contact:
Ms. Sabine Schaefer
Fulda University of Applied Sciences
Wissenschaftliche Sammlung Rhön – Rhoen Collection
Dept. of Social and Cultural Studies
Marquardstr. 35
36039 Fulda
Phone: 0049 +661 9640-563
Fax: 0049 +661 9640-568
E-Mail: Sabine.Schaefer@sk.fh-fulda.de
Internet: www.rhoenprojekt.de
