Knowledge for the life sciences – available anytime, anywhere
The ZB MED Digital Library provides researchers, students, professionals, and interested members of the public with a central point of access to scientific literature and specialized information services in the life sciences. Whether you are working in medicine, healthcare, nursing, nutrition, environmental sciences, or agricultural sciences, our digital services support your research, studies, and scientific work.
To use the services of the ZB MED Digital Library, you need a virtual user card. You can apply for one using this online form. A residence in Germany is required. If you already have a physical ZB MED user card, you can continue to use it.
ZB MED remote access
Read e-books and e-journals free of charge with the remote access of ZB
With ZB MED Remote Access, registered users receive free access to more than 30,000 scientific e-books and e-journals from leading academic publishers. Access is available around the clock from any device - at home, on the go, or at work.
How does the remote access of ZB MED work?
There are several ways to find and use literature available through ZB MED Remote Access.
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Remote access free on the web via bookmarklet
Using the "ZB MED remote access" bookmarklet, you can check directly on external websites whether a publication is available through ZB MED Remote Access. If the title is licensed for remote access, you will be taken directly to the login page. After entering your user credentials, you can access the publication immediately.
to the bookmarklet -
LIVIVO:
You can also access full texts licensed by ZB MED through the LIVIVO search portal. The note “Accessible for users with ZB MED library card” in the search results indicates that a title is available via ZB MED remote access. After logging in with your remote access credentials, you can open and read the full text directly. -
Screencast on ZB MED remote access:
In our screencast, we explain in detail how to apply for a library card and subsequently use the remote access service.
go to screencast (in German, English subtitel avaliable)
Use the Embase and CINAHL databases free of charge with ZB MED remote access
With ZB MED Remote Access, you can use the specialist databases Embase and CINAHL free of charge.
The biomedical database Embase supports comprehensive literature searches in medicine, pharmacy, and evidence-based research, including clinical trials and conference proceedings. With your ZB MED library card, you can access Embase free of charge for up to one week after booking one of four available time slots.
CINAHL is a key database for nursing science and health professions. It provides access to specialist literature in nursing, biomedicine, health sciences, and related fields. With ZB MED Remote Access, you can also use this database free of charge for up to one week after booking one of five available time slots.
Order and receive literature
Our document delivery services allow you to obtain specialist literature through various channels.
Order Articles via the ZB MED inter-library loan service
You can order journal articles from the ZB MED collection and from the collections of other libraries. These are usually delivered digitally, typically as an email attachment.
How to order articles via ZB MED inter-library loan
- Submit your request through LIVIVO under the Order with fees tab using the option Inter-library loan to ZB MED, or directly through DigiBib.
- You will need the login credentials of your library card.
- The processing fee is €1.50 per order, regardless of whether the request can be fulfilled.
- Fees can be paid by bank transfer to:
ZB MED – Informationszentrum Lebenswissenschaften
Sparkasse Köln Bonn
IBAN DE89 3705 0198 1931 7797 12
BIC COLSDE33XXX
Please be sure to include your library card number in the following format as the payment reference: Library Card No.: 04005534xxx (your complete library card number)
Order Literature via subito
You can also obtain articles and monographs from the ZB MED collection through our partner subito. Documents from libraries. To use this service, register directly with subito. A ZB MED library card is not required. You may conduct your search either in subito or in LIVIVO. In LIVIVO search results, select the Order with fees tab and choose the option Order via subito with fees. Information on fees for orders placed through subito can be found here.
NLM Service – Order Articles from the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM)
If you require articles from the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, you can order them through ZB MED. The fee is €16 per article.
How to Order Articles from the NLM:
- Please send an e-mail to fernleihe@zbmed.de containing the following information:
Subject: NLM Service
Complete bibliographic details of the requested article
Confirmation that you will cover the applicable fee by bank transfer - If the requested article is not available in the ZB MED collection, we will order it from the NLM.
- The supplied article will be sent to you as a printed copy by post.
- Charges apply only if the article can be successfully obtained.
- Orders that include an article together with supplementary material are generally treated as multiple requests. In such cases, a separate fee is charged for each item ordered.
Inter-library loan service for libraries
If you require monographs from the ZB MED collection, you can request them through your local library. Our search portal LIVIVO allows you to check whether the literature you need is available in our holdings.
Libraries may also order articles from the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) for you through ZB MED. This service is available only to libraries in Germany.
To place an order, the requesting library should send an email to fernleihe@zbmed.de containing:
- Subject: NLM Service
- Complete bibliographic details of the requested article
- Confirmation that the applicable fee will be covered (currently 2 IFLA Vouchers or €16 against invoice)
Articles supplied by the NLM are checked for completeness and quality before being forwarded to the requesting library. Users can then collect their order from their library.
No charges are incurred if the requested document cannot be obtained. In such cases, notification will be provided by email.
Search
LIVIVO – The ZB MED Search Portal for Life Sciences
LIVIVO is Europe’s largest search engine for literature and information in the life sciences. Based on nearly 80 million records, it brings together the disciplines of medicine and healthcare, nutrition, environmental sciences, and agricultural sciences in a single platform, thereby supporting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research.
DBIS – Database Information System
With DBIS, you can search specifically within scientific databases, including both ZB MED-licensed resources and freely available subject-specific resources. Subject categories and advanced search functions help you identify the most suitable databases for your research.
- to DBIS
Access to additional literature via ZB MED
Digital Collections
The ZB MED Digital Collections provide online access to historical and scientific works in medicine, nutrition, environmental sciences, and agricultural sciences. These digitized holdings are freely accessible, searchable, and continuously expanded.
Repository for Life Sciences
The PUBLISSO - Repository for Life Sciences (FRL) contains published works and research data from a wide range of disciplines within the life sciences.
- to FRL
