The Educational Research Library in Frankfurt is the institute’s own library; it is responsible for providing employees in both Berlin and Frankfurt with the scientific literature and information they need. The Library is one of the major libraries with a special focus in Germany and is thus open to the public. For more than 60 years, the FFB has been an elementary part of the library landscape in the Rhine-Main region, thus contributing to guaranteed free access to scientific information in the fields of educational research and educational science for scientists and practitioners as well as anyone with a special interest in the field.

As it is responsible for the management of publications at the institute, the Educational Research Library Frankfurt (Frankfurter Forschungsbibliothek, FFB) runs the DIPF publications database and the institutional Open Access repository DIPFdocs. Furthermore, the Library acts as a partner for researchers in terms of information retrieval and information procurement, as well as the administration of publications; the Library counsels researchers concerning Open Access publishing.

Use and Services

We kindly ask users from outside to contact the information and loan desk.

The FFB reading room is equipped with 20 work stations, two computers for information research, one photocopying machine and a reading device for visually impaired persons. You can request WIFI access to the internet from the information and loan desk.

Registered users can access monographs for loan, while journals and special materials can only be viewed in the reading room. The reading room computers provide access to e-journals and other electronic resources.

The Library’s terms of use and service fees can be found in the respective code (Benutzungs- und Gebührenordnung, in German only).

Stock and Research

Since the Library was founded in 1952, media have continually been acquired pursuant to research priorities; currently the FFB holds more than 200,000 media units. The FFB is a hybrid library, therefore it provides users with printed monographs and periodicals as well as a comprehensive stock of e-journals, bibliographical and specialised databases.

Conducting research

You can access an online catalogue (OPAC), where monographs and journals are indexed as well as special materials, articles published in journals and collective works. References to older literature can be searched on conventional files. All of the e-journals are indexed in the electronic journals database (EZB), and the bibliographic respectively specialised databases are accessible via the database information system (DBIS).

Profile of stock

The Educational Research Library primarily shapes its profile according to the institute’s thematic research domains and priorities. The acquisition profile is concentrated on empirical and comparative educational research and educational science . In particular, the following topics are addressed:

  • Educational quality and evaluation;
  • Educational policy and development of educational systems;
  • Educational economy;
  • Educational legislation and educational administration;
  • Inter-cultural education;
  • Pedagogical psychology and developmental psychology;
  • Research methods in social science.

A main focus is placed on documentation of the pre-school and school domains in the German-speaking and European area (European Union). Media concerning international research and developments are collected on an exemplary basis (best practice). Another priority domain concerns information science, information literacy and media education.

Indexing

Content of the literature the Library acquires and formally indexes in the domains of educational research, educational science and media education is fully indexed by the Information Center for Education (keywords, abstracts). References are integrated into the databases German Education Index and Informationssystem Medienpädagogik.

Special Collections

Test library

More than 1,200 school tests, tests for giftedness and tests for the assessment of development are collected in the test library. Large parts of this collection date back to before 1995. Tests can only be inspected on site at the Library, subject to certified and justified research interest.

Index of newspaper articles on education.

ZeitDok is a collection of newspaper clips focusing on the topic of education, more than 150,000 articles from national and international newspaper sources are indexed. From 1985 onwawrds, articles are referenced in the Zeitungsdokumentation Bildungswesen, their content has been indexed and photocopies can be ordered.

Frankfurt Teachers' Library

The Frankfurt Teachers' Library (Frankfurter Lehrerbücherei, FLB) is part of the FFB offering practice oriented literature, informing students, teacher trainees, teachers and school leaders about new concepts and methods in school and instruction. The FLB fosters a linkage of educational research with educational practice.
To this end, journals cover a broad scope of subject didactics, instructional and school organisational topics. Monographs focus on general didactics, instructional practice and school organisation.

Services offered to DIPF employees

DIPF employees are offered an enhanced portfolio of services. DIPF employees can find relevant Information on the intranet, see Service / Bibliotheken.

Training / Internships

Subject to a close collaboration with the Information Center for Education at DIPF, the Library regularly trains information assistants (Fachangestellte für Medien und Informationsdienste). More information can be found here.
Each year, a limited number of internships is available for trainees and students seeking a placement. More information can be found here.

Contact

Information and loan: ZmZiQGRpcGYuZGU=

Online Resources

Catalogue of Educational Research Library and Frankfurt Teachers' Library

Staff

Opening Hours:

Monday to Thursday 9 am - 5 pm
Friday 9 am - 3.30 pm

Databases Educational Research Library:

Only in German