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The term “affiliation” describes your institutional affiliation in a publication. In short: you indicate exactly where your research was conducted. This may sound trivial, but it is crucial for the visibility of your work. Databases, rankings, and search engines use this information to assign publications to institutions and individuals. If the affiliation is missing or ambiguous, your work may be harder to find. In the worst case, it may not be attributed to OVGU at all. A correct affiliation therefore ensures that your research is visible where it belongs—with you and your institution.

The University Library is more than just a popular hub for exchange. As a social and cultural gathering space at OVGU, it provided the perfect setting for the participants of “Schwimm Kultur” on May 22nd to take part in a moving workshop on overcoming fear and mutual support. The project supports international students far beyond learning to swim as they settle into a new reality. Through conversations and creative workshop stations, exercises emerged from openness and trust. For initiatives like this, the University Library provides the ideal setting as an open meeting place that highlights diversity and fosters communities that strengthen integration, shared learning, and well-being.

In preparation for the exam period, the University Library is extending its opening hours from June 28th – July 19th 2026

Monday - Friday              08:00 a.m. - 09:00 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday         10:00 a.m. - 06:00 p.m.

We wish all students good luck during the exam period!

As of 22nd June 2026, there is a real spirit of change in the air at the University Library, as our flat roof is undergoing a complete renovation to make it fit for all weather conditions. Construction work will be well underway until presumably November, ensuring that we can continue to guarantee you a cozy and welcoming space to work in the future. Since true progress cannot always happen in complete silence, there may be occasional noise. However, the most noise-intensive work will be scheduled during off-peak hours as much as possible, so that your working and study time remains as relaxed as can be. Unfortunately, one minor inconvenience is unavoidable: the parking lot in front of the building will have to be closed. Please use alternative parking areas, or commute via public transport or by bicycle. We truly appreciate your understanding and flexibility during this renovation phase!

On May 18th 2026, the University Library opened its doors to “Studying over 50.” Organized by program coordinator Dr. Antonio Roselli, Carina Kröber and Stefanie Kutz guided the 31 participants through the University Library’s diverse offerings—from digital services to the quietest study areas in the building—and demonstrated that this popular study space offers room for all generations. The University Library creates space for interaction, education without age limits, and a lasting curiosity for knowledge, which harmonizes wonderfully with the “Studying over 50” concept which promotes exchange between younger and older students and brings new perspectives to university learning processes.

A physical inventory systematically records and checks all media in a university library to identify damaged, missing, or obsolete items and to fulfill documentation requirements. Trainees Bruno Kaufmann and Max Schäfer explored how this process could be reimagined. Since manual inventory takes a lot of time and is prone to errors, they developed an AI-supported workflow that captures shelf images via smartphone, automatically compares holdings and statistically evaluates results. In doing so, they combined image recognition, prompting, and data analysis into an innovative practical concept. Their presentation to colleagues impressively demonstrated how AI can make library routines more efficient, precise, and forward-looking.

The exhibition “The Rosenburg – The Federal Ministry of Justice in the Shadow of the Nazi Past” at the University Library will conclude with a special closing event on June 17th 2026. The event will feature opening remarks by Rector Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Strackeljan, Dean of the FHW Prof. Dr. Frank Bünning and Franziska Weidinger, Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection for the State of Saxony-Anhalt, as well as a speech by Federal Minister of Justice Dr. Stefanie Hubig. In addition to musical accompaniment, refreshments and snacks , the highlight will be a panel discussion with Dr. Hubig. The exhibition sheds light on the Nazi legacies within the early Federal Ministry of Justice and invites visitors to engage with the themes of democracy, remembrance culture, and responsibility. Those interested can register for the event here.

Effective immediately, OVGU has implemented a mandatory affiliation policy. It outlines how to correctly indicate your institutional affiliation in academic publications. This applies not only to traditional journal articles, but also to conference papers, preprints, repositories, and social media. The goal is to clearly attribute research to you and our university. We’ll explain why this is important and what exactly an “affiliation” is in the next parts of this series. Important to note upfront: The policy applies to all members and affiliates of OVGU—from students to professors—and must be followed for every publication.

The university library is more vibrant than ever: by the end of February 2026, it had already welcomed over 110.000 visitors. The busiest day so far was 10th of February 2026, with 3.545 users. So, anyone who thinks this is just a place for paper has clearly not been here for a long time. Ideas are born in state-of-the-art rooms, projects grow on swings, and thoughts mature through exchange. The former storage space has long since become a place for thinking, a favourite spot and a meeting place all at once. After a thorough spring clean with numerous small modernisations in March 2026, it is ready to be embraced by even more enthusiasts as the ‘place to be’ just in time for the start of the semester.

A new exhibition has opened at the University Library. “Schwimm Kultur” shows how (international) students can be supported in learning to swim whilst also helping them settle into everyday student life. Through insights into training sessions, personal stories and artistic works, one thing becomes clear: it is not “just” about swimming – the project fosters encounters, community and integration. Beyond the poolside, events on a wide range of topics are offered to the ever-growing community. The exhibition invites visitors to take a look behind the scenes, shift their perspectives and rediscover the power of connection and solidarity.

True to the motto ‘what is created here should be seen’, the University Library now offers you space to put your visions in the spotlight. A curated exhibition area is looking for people who want to make their research, projects or perspectives visible. Student initiatives are also welcome, as are contributions on current topics, interesting hobbies and talents. The aim is to provide insights, facilitate encounters and empower people with the topics close to their hearts. Whether creative, personal or scientific - the exhibition thrives on diversity. If you are interested, please contact Carina Kröber (carina.kroeber@ovgu.de) for further information.

Magdeburg University Library is offering new workshops and self-study courses for students who want to make their academic work more efficient. Discover AI-supported literature research with Undermind and ORKG Ask, get free access to DIN and VDI standards via Nautos, and learn how to use Citavi, Zotero and Word professionally. In addition, the interactive citation guide helps you to cite texts and images correctly. All offers are open to students from all faculties.

Find out more and register now:  Alle Kurse | E-Learning OvGU

Questions? ub.service@ovgu.de

As the year draws to a close, the University Library is significantly expanding its digital offerings for a licensing period of one year each: Starting 1st November 2025, numerous titles from Kohlhammer Publishing will be available, including literature in health, law, and social sciences. Beginning 1st December 2025, Wiley Publishing will enrich the portfolio with high-quality content from the humanities and natural sciences, medicine, and technology. To start the new year perfectly, the entire UTB Scholar catalog will be accessible from 1st January 2026, featuring comprehensive scholarly literature ranging from didactics and education to psychology and economics. Discover these new worlds of knowledge conveniently over the university's Wi-Fi network.

After the University Library was transformed on the inside, the exterior also shines in new splendour: the entrance door now adorns a festive look in the university's corporate design, like a familiar seal of community, openness, and knowledge. The logo shines in vivid colours, embedded in a harmonious, modern layout, as if to say, “Welcome, you've come to the right place.” The stands as a promise, the beginning of a journey where thoughts fly, knowledge shines, and curiosity is at home. One small step inside—and a whole world spreads out before you.