FOLIO Migration: Bayreuth University Library is Getting a New Library System

News

From 19 September to 4th October 2026: No new user registrations possible
From 19 September to 30 September 2026: No interlibrary loan of articles/copies possible
From 19 September to 28 September 2026: No lending of items and no access to your library account
From 18th September 2026: Deactivation of the Payment Function for Library Fees at the Payment Machine ("Baraufwerter")
From 14 September to 28 September 2026: No orders from the closed stacks possible
From 9th September to 28th September 2026: No media orders to or from external locations possible
UB catalogue: Secure your lists by 18th September
From 27th July to 30th September 2026: No interlibrary loan orders of monographs possible

(As of 18th September 2026)

At the end of September, Bayreuth University Library will also be updating its library system: the modern open-source system FOLIO (an abbreviation for “The Future Of Libraries Is Open”) will replace the old library system. In addition, the modern discovery system “VuFind” will replace the current library catalogue in the upcoming months.

While the preparatory work carried out so far has primarily involved internal processes, the upcoming migration is now becoming increasingly noticeable to library users as well.

Available without restriction throughout the entire migration phase:

Search in the Online Library Catalogue
Access to electronic resources (electronic journals, databases, e-books, etc.)
Use of the reading rooms in the libraries (libraries remain open)
Use of open-shelf collections in the libraries
Return of items at the circulation desks of the libraries

Restrictions are expected in the following areas:

27 July–30 September: No interlibrary loan of monographs possible
- Items received by 31 August can still be collected (fixed, in some cases shortened loan periods, no renewal possible)
- Items received from 1 September–16 September can be consulted in the reading room of the Main Library
3 September–28 September: No acquisition/cataloguing of items possible (affects printed and electronic materials)
9 September–28 September: No ordering of items from/to external locations possible
14 September–28 September: No orders from the closed stacks possible
19 September–28 September: No lending of items possible
19 September–30 September: No interlibrary loan of articles/copies possible
19 September–28 September: No access to your library account
19 September–04 October: No new user registrations possible.

We are making every effort to minimize the impact on our patrons during the migration phase, but unfortunately, we cannot avoid all inconveniences entirely.

Thank you for understanding!

Over the coming months, this page will provide you with all the background information and updates regarding the Bayreuth University Library’s migration to FOLIO. The content will be updated regularly and expanded on an ongoing basis.

Migration Schedule

Monday, 27th July .2026: Pausing of interlibrary loans of monographs (requests for articles probably still possible)
Thursday, 3rd September 2026: Start of the migration (no new acquisitions possible)
Saturday, 19th September 2026: Loan service paused (returning media is still possible)
Tuesday, 29th September 2026: Launch of the new library system

What Can I Expect as a Patron During Migration?

Borrowing and Returning Media

Media from the open stacks of the library can be checked out until Friday, 18th September 2026. From 19th September 2026 to 28th September 2026, no items from Bayreuth University Library’s holdings can be checked out. From 9th September 2026 it is not possible to order media from the closed stacks; during this time, you will also not be able to access your library account.

These restrictions have already been taken into account in the loan periods for items, so you will not be disadvantaged in any way (e.g., reminder fees).

Items can be returned at the circulation desks throughout the entire migration phase.

The reading rooms remain open and the media from the open stacks remain available for use on-site within the library.

Electronic-media (e-books, electronic journals, databases) are not affected and will remain available as per usual throughout the entire process.

Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary loan requests for monographs will not be possible from 27th July 2026 until 30th September2026. However, interlibrary loans that have already been requested beforehand can still be picked up and items on loan can still be returned. Please note that items received after 27th July 2026 will be subject to a fixed and, in some cases, shortened loan period. Renewal is not possible in this case.

Unfortunately, interlibrary loan of articles/copies is not available from 19th September to 30th September.

Purchase Suggestions

Purchase suggestions can be submitted to the library throughout the entire migration period. However, between 3rd September 2026 and 29th September 2026 (approximate dates), the library will not be able to place orders with its suppliers; this restriction also applies to the purchase of electronic media. Media cannot be added to the collection and catalogue during this period either.

What Can I Expect from FOLIO as a Patron in the Future?

Library Catalogue: New Search Interface VuFind

The most noticeable change will probably be the replacement of the current library catalogue with the discovery system VuFind, which goes hand in hand with the transition to FOLIO. VuFind is a modern online catalogue offering numerous functionalities that will make searching for literature and interlibrary loan even more convenient in the future.

How Does the Process Take Place?

Preparatory Work

Such a colossal project requires a great deal of preparation: Bayreuth University Library has been preparing for the transition to the new library system for several years now – functionalities in FOLIO are being developed and tested, workflows and configurations are being adjusted, and errors that have crept into the data over the years are being identified and corrected. All of this is not happening at Bayreuth University Library alone, but in many cases also in collaboration with the Bavarian and German library community. (Background information can be found in issue 1/2024 of the library’s newsletter (available in German only)).

First Test Migration

In March 2026 – about six months prior to the actual migration – the first test migration will begin, lasting approximately three weeks. The data from the old library system will be transferred to FOLIO to check whether all data has been transferred correctly and can be found in the correct place in the new system. Should this not be the case, the reason for the error must be identified and corrected. Patrons of Bayreuth University Library will not be affected by this first migration test – the current systems will remain in operation as usual during this time.

Second Test Migration

The second test migration will show how well the library has worked on correcting the errors identified during the first test migration. This process will begin at Bayreuth University Library at the beginning of July. The process is similar to that of the first test migration; the difference is that the data is now being imported into a clone of the actual future FOLIO system. If everything works smoothly, then everything should already be in order. If not, the data must be reviewed again and corrected if necessary. This phase will also not be noticeable to the public.

Actual Migration

Things are getting serious: the transition to the FOLIO system is about to begin. For the first time, patrons will be affected by the changes as well. The first visible change will be the temporary suspension of the interlibrary loan service, which will begin approximately two months before the actual transition and during which it will not be possible to request monographs via interlibrary loan.

The actual migration will begin in early September: the old systems will be frozen and the data will then be transferred to FOLIO step by step. The first step will be to migrate the catalogue and acquisition data, which means that it will temporarily not be possible to purchase or catalogue media. In order to minimise the inconvenience for researchers and students, data concerning loans will only be migrated at the very end. Unfortunately, this part cannot be done without any restrictions: no items can be checked out between 21st September 2026. and 29th September 2026.

Go Live

On 29th September 2026, we will (hopefully) have reason to celebrate: the migration will be complete and the new library system will go live.

What Is the FOLIO Project?

The Project “FOLIO”

FOLIO is an open-source library management system developed by the Open Library Foundation (OLF). It controls core library processes such as media acquisition and lending, interlibrary loans, statistics, and the management of metadata. Unlike commercial library management systems, which are offered by paid providers, FOLIO is developed by a growing international community working in close collaboration. The modular structure and continuous development of FOLIO enable the library management system to meet the current needs of a modern library while also allowing for quick adaption to future requirements.

The International FOLIO Community

Since 2016, the development of FOLIO has been driven by a growing international FOLIO community, which includes institutions such as the Library of Congress, Stanford University, the University of Chicago, and the National Library of Australia (an overview of the members of the international FOLIO community can be found here). Librarians are primarily involved in “Special Interest Groups” (SIGs), in which they describe their workflows and the resulting software requirements. They also support the technical development of the software, for example by writing scripts or by testing functionalities for errors and usability.

An overview of the FOLIO project on an international level can be found here.

The Bavarian FOLIO Community

The Bavarian Library Network (BVB) began its journey towards FOLIO in 2020 when a task force (“Task Force FOLIO,” TFF) was established to evaluate the use of FOLIO as a new library management system in Bavarian libraries. Following a positive evaluation of FOLIO by the TFF, the BVB network council – a committee comprising the library directors of both Bavarian university libraries and Bavarian university of applied sciences libraries as well as of the Bavarian State Library – decided in 2022 to prepare for the use of FOLIO in Bavarian libraries.

In the first phase of the project, four “pilot” libraries—the libraries of the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, the Technical University of Munich, the University of Regensburg, and the East Bavarian Technical University of Applied Sciences in Regensburg—made the transition to FOLIO first. In the second phase of the project, which began in 2025, the remaining 25 university libraries and university of applied sciences libraries belonging to the BVB will now be migrated to FOLIO. The project has been receiving financial support from the Bavarian State Ministry for Science and the Arts (StMWK) since 2022.

The Head Office of the Bavarian Library Network in Munich is leading the transition of Bavarian libraries to FOLIO. The staff there are supported by the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) and librarians at the individual institutions, who are working together to advance the FOLIO project through their expertise and commitment in working groups at the network level.

Further information on the FOLIO project in the Bavarian Library Network can be found here (German only).

FOLIO at Bayreuth University Library

Bayreuth University Library has been preparing for the upcoming system change for some time now. As an organisational framework, an interdepartmental working group was initially set up, which was expanded to the in-house project “FOLIO Migration” in the summer of 2024. Within the project, colleagues from all departments of the library are preparing for the transition to ensure that the change of systems will go about smoothly and that the library’s services can resume immediately after the migration.

Employees of Bayreuth University Library are also involved in Bavarian and nationwide FOLIO working groups. In doing so, they support the development of the project within the community and at the same time can benefit from the experience and knowledge of other colleagues, which will help them when migrating their own library.

Further information on the FOLIO project at Bayreuth University Library can be found here (German only).

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact our information team (auskunft.ub@uni-bayreuth.de).