As of September 16, 2025, the online library services will be operated via a modernized infrastructure. This update is part of a large-scale overhaul of systems aimed at keeping pace with the evolving needs of researchers and students.

Temporary Unavailability of Library Services

Due to this major renewal, a limited number of services will be temporarily unavailable.

• Between September 10 and 16, it will not be possible to request publications for loan or consultation via lib.ugent.be, to request scans of articles or book chapters or to request items via Interlibrary loan.
• During this period, the libraries will remain open during their regular hours. Items requested earlier can still be collected and/or consulted in the reading rooms. We advise you to request materials in advance to ensure their availability.
• As of September 16, library services will operate through the new system and a completely redesigned catalog available at lib.ugent.be.

New as of 16/09/2025

• On lib.ugent.be, you will be able to simultaneously search all library collections — including millions of online articles accessible to UGent students and researchers — from one central address.
• Logging in with your UGent account on lib.ugent.be is sufficient to gain access to UGent-only collections from home or on the go. Using a VPN is no longer necessary to consult library resources.
• The Lean Library browser extension helps you seamlessly access UGent-only resources when using tools such as Google Scholar or PubMed.

Phased Rollout

We ask for your patience as we fine-tune the new platform. Not all services and collections will be available from day one (September 16, 2025). Throughout the autumn, we will continue working on:

• Online access to master's theses
• Online access to digitized heritage collections
• Improved presentation of digitized heritage materials
• Online requests for high-resolution digitization of heritage items
•  ... (and more innovations to come)

If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact us at libservice@ugent.be