Development and history

From the seminar room library to the modern University Library - the development of the HSG Library from 1898 to today.

1898: Founding of the Trade Academy at Notkerstrasse 22 in the town of St.Gallen.

1931: The collections, previously maintained in various seminar rooms, are moved to a central location and made available to students.

1963: New construction of the University on the Rosenberg. The Library is given space in the two top floors and later becomes the central main Library.

1974: The Department of Linguistics and Literature is divested due to lack of space. The growing collection soon fills the open stacks as well as the cellar storage archives.

1980: In the early 80s, a concept for the new Library is developed. Plans are made for 350,000 books, 15 employees and 3,000 students.

1985: Approval of the new building by popular vote on the second attempt.

1986: Evaluation of automation: selection of the Dobis/Libis library system.

1987: Introduction of the user catalogue module (OPAC) / cataloguing / purchasing. The card catalogue is transferred to microfiche.

1989: Move to the new Library: all collections are gathered and made available to users in the open stacks area.
Introduction of electronic borrowing, online database services and expansion of the library network with institute libraries and external libraries.

1994: Re-cataloguing of all items older than 1987 is started.

1998: Introduction of the ALEPH library system. The IDS St. Gallen is part of the IDS (Informationsverbund Deutschschweiz, consisting of the Basel, Bern, Lucerne and Zurich university libraries as well as the Zurich ETH library).

2001: Opening of the lower level as an open stacks area.

2005: Establishing the University Archives Office.

2007: More than 70,000 e-books are available in the library catalogue.

2008: About 170,000 books published before 1987 are moved to a storage facility on Schuppistrasse in St.Gallen. The facility is managed in co-operation with the Canton Library and the St.Gallen State Archive. A daily courier service is initiated between the storage facility, the University Library and the St.Gallen Canton Library.

2009: Re-cataloguing work is completed. All available documents are listed in the Library catalogue.

2010: Introduction of RFID for self-service borrowing. Renovation of the information area.

The Library in figures