The extension to the Swiss National Museum houses a reading room with pleasant workstations as well as copying and scanning facilities. In summer, there is access to a balcony overlooking the river Limmat. Two workstations allow access to the object database of the Swiss National Museum, the recordings of the Swiss National Sound Archive, and the Memoriav Plus database.
The library’s monographs and journals are listed in the swisscovery interlibrary system catalogue through which they can be reserved. Use of the library and its holdings is free of charge.

The library at the Swiss National Museum is a research library and offers 14 days borrowing for books and brochures. Periodical resources, historical collections as well as special collections are to be consulted in the reading room and will not be borrowed outside the library. Items requested before 8:00 a.m. via swisscovery catalogue, e-mail or telephone will be available on the same day from 10:00 a.m. during opening hours.

The swisscovery catalogue indicates where items are stored. The locations "Nachschlagewerke" and "Freihand Lesesaal" are freely accessible in the reading room. For items stored in all other locations reservations are essential (via swisscovery catalogue or e-mail 1 day in advance). Some locations outside Zurich have longer delivery times, which are noted in the online catalogue.

Historical journals without specific copies can also be ordered online by using the general order form. The volume and year must be indicated under "Comment".

Items are issued free of charge. For overdue reminders, SLSP charges apply. Pre-orders remain available to users for one week.

DVDs/videos cannot be viewed in the library. They may be reserved online at swisscovery catalogue, collected from the library, and borrowed for 14 days.

Items are made available for interlibrary loan solely upon request by another library. Requests via mail. Lending period is usually four weeks.

Interlibrary loans may not be obtained for external customers – i.e. publications are only dispatched following interlibrary loan requests from other libraries. 
Photocopy orders placed by private individuals are subject to a fee.

Schedule of fees currently under revision.

Long-term readers and researchers are free to compile their personal collection of reference books on condition that items are always available to other interested readers.

A4 and A3 photocopies and printouts in b/w or colour can be made at the library. Subject to a fee, photocopies or PDF files may also be requested by email to (bibliothek@nationalmuseum.ch).

An A2 book scanner is available for use. Scans may be downloaded free of charge onto a USB stick or stored on a mobile phone by means of a QR code.

The copying or scanning of facsimiles, or of other items from the collection of graphic art and historic photographs, is not permitted. Moreover, librarians may use their discretionary power to restrict a user’s photocopying or scanning rights if they consider a document to be at risk.

In the case of documents protected by third party intellectual property rights, especially copyright, users are obliged to obtain the necessary rights themselves. In particular, scans and copies may be made for personal use only. The complete or almost complete duplication of works that are available to buy commercially is not permitted. The SNM library can assume no liability for the use of documents by its users or third parties.

The library maintains a publication exchange scheme. Institutions or libraries interested in receiving SNM publications in return for their own publications should contact the library by email: bibliothek@nationalmuseum.ch. This scheme is not open to private individuals.

The library has a large collection of auction catalogues from the 19th century to the present day, and actively continues to expand its collection. Various auction houses from Switzerland (Zurich, Berne, Basel, etc.), Europe (Munich, Paris, Berlin, etc.), and further afield are represented.

The SNM library holds a large, historically complete collection of Swiss almanacs, which are catalogued and may be reserved via swisscovery catalogue (shelf numbers are prefixed ‘Kal’).

The Swiss National Museum’s unique collection of facsimiles includes lavishly illustrated manuscripts from the 8th to the 16th century; new editions are added as they are published.

All facsimiles are listed in the swisscovery catalogue and may be reserved in advance for study in the library’s reading room.

In collaboration with e-rara.ch, the platform for digitized prints of the 15th-20th centuries from Swiss libraries, the library of the Swiss National Museum offers various old publications fully digitized (More information)

All publications on e-rara.ch are freely accessible in full text, available long-term as high-quality and high-resolution digitized copies, and can be used without copyright restrictions thanks to a "Public Domain Mark" license.

An important part of the SNM library on e-rara.ch are the guides and contemporary writings about the museum and its opening in 1898, besides old works in different languages up to the beginning of the 20th century.

More publications are added every year, and the digital offering of the SNM library on e-rara.ch is continuously being expanded.

The SNM library’s book holdings are catalogued on swisscovery, which is used for reservations. Journal titles are also included there, some records only in summary form. In such cases, please reserve items by email or phone, and provide details of the issue or volume you require.

KVK – Karlsruher Virtueller Katalog Book search engine that provides details of several millions of items in library catalogues worldwide.

Codices.ch Ancient and medieval manuscripts in Switzerland
E-Codices Switzerland’s virtual manuscript library
E-Rara Digitized rare books from Swiss libraries

e-periodica Full texts of Swiss journals online
CH-newspaper archives
Electronic journals library EZB Electronic journals in the field of science

Propylaeum Virtual library classical studies
Archaeological literature – digitized Collection of digitized archaeological literature from the 16th to the early 20th century held by Heidelberg University Library
Archäologie Online News service on all aspects of archaeological sciences
ZENON DAI Central online catalogue of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut
Conference of Swiss Cantonal archaeologists
Portal classical studies in Switzerland

Infoclio Portal for history and related disciplines in Switzerland
Bibliography on Swiss history
Historicum Historical sciences online – topics, countries, research, teaching and learning
Clio online Portal for history and related disciplines
Systematic overview of the Swiss Federal Archives

SIKART Online information system on historical and contemporary art in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, hosted by the Swiss Institute for Art Research
arthistoricum.net Virtual specialist library for art
artdiscovery.net Virtual catalogue for art history
artcyclopedia Online reference source on international artists, artworks and museums of art
sciences-arts.ch Portal for art, music and theatre in Switzerland
https://www.graphikportal.org/ Collections of graphic art online
Auction catalogues Complete online versions of German, Swiss and Austrian auction catalogues from 1930 – 1945.
Literature on theory and history of Art – digitized

HLS Historical Dictionary of Switzerland
Zedler Encyclopaedia by Johann Heinrich Zedler 1731-1754
DWB German dictionary by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Middle High German dictionary
ZVDD Reference of digital versions of print works in Germany from the 15th century to the present day

museums.ch Platform of Swiss museums
ICOM International Council of Museums