Regensburg's library is revolutionizing lending with the FOLIO system!

Regensburg's library is revolutionizing lending with the FOLIO system!

On July 1, 2025, the Regensburg University Library will switch to a new library management system called FOLIO. The full name, “The Future of Libraries is Open”, illustrates the innovative strength and open source nature of the system. Over the years, FOLIO has been developed through international collaboration within the library community. The change affects almost all areas of the university library and includes both digitization and optimization of the user interface.

The advantages of the new system include a redesigned search interface that is more user-friendly and offers practical filtering options. FOLIO is also optimized for use on smartphones and tablets. The change will be a significant step into the future of university libraries, especially in the context of digital change uni-regensburg.de reported.

Introduction and pilot phase

The introduction of FOLIO was driven forward by the collaboration of the Regensburg University Library with the East Bavarian Technical University of Regensburg, the Technical University of Munich and the Würzburg-Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences. These institutions acted as pilot libraries. They prepared real operations in all university libraries in Bavaria to ensure a smooth transition. The first symbolic loan process with FOLIO was initiated by University President Prof. Dr. Udo Hebel, which underlines the importance of the system.

In addition to the introduction of FOLIO, the Regensburg University Library already used RFID technology on May 13, 2025. This technological modernization underpins the drive to make library services more efficient. The change was supported by the central office of the Bavarian Library Association and the Leibniz Computing Center (LRZ). oth-regensburg.de reported.

User-friendly features

The redesigned library catalog will offer numerous practical features, including an improved results view and integrated interlibrary loan options. The existing media data, library accounts and loan data were completely migrated to the new system. In order to accommodate users, the loan conditions have also been revised, setting the maximum loan periods to up to 20 weeks. In addition, loans are automatically extended up to four times if there are no reservations. This eliminates the need for a large number of manual extensions.

The Regensburg University Library plans to offer corresponding courses on the new Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) from May 27, 2025, both in person and online. This is intended to help users quickly and comprehensively familiarize themselves with the new system.

IT and the future of libraries

The introduction of FOLIO reflects not only technological progress, but also the growing importance of IT in libraries. Almost all tasks in library operations are supported by IT. This growing complexity requires increased knowledge to overcome the challenges of digitizing various assets, such as it-in-bibliotheken.de is explained. Given the diversity of technical infrastructure and the requirements for IT management, the new library management system will become the basis for the development of future services and offerings in university libraries.

The switch to FOLIO is therefore not just a question of modern technology, but also an important step in the development of university libraries in Bavaria and beyond. Digital change demands and promotes innovative solutions, and FOLIO represents a decisive step in this direction.