The Swiss National Library is moving!
Starting November 30, 2026, the Swiss National Library will welcome you at Monbijoustrasse 74 in Bern while renovation work is underway.
Key information at a glance:
In preparation for its temporary relocation to a new district and to premises specially adapted for the occasion, the NL will be temporarily closed from 30 October at 6:00pm to 29 November 2026.
Before the move – until 30 October 2026
The NL will remain open until Friday, 30 October 2026 at 6 p.m.
The Bistrot will close on 30 October 2026.
Please also take note of the restrictions planned for the week preceding the move (see below).
Relocation: NL closed from 31 October to 29 November 2026 inclusive
The relocation will take place in November 2026.
During this period, the library premises will not be accessible. It will not be possible to order, borrow or return documents, or to order reproductions. The reading rooms, public areas, individual study booths, group study room and microfilm consultation facilities will also be unavailable. Consultations by appointment at the Swiss Literary Archives and the Prints and Drawings Department will likewise be suspended.
Return deadlines will be extended automatically and no reminders will be sent. Documents whose loan period expires during the closure will only need to be returned from 30 November 2026 onwards.
We will remain available by telephone and email and will be happy to assist with any enquiries.
Reopening at the temporary premises on 30 November 2026
On Monday, 30 November, the NL will open its premises at Monbijoustrasse 74. All the usual services and facilities will once again be available.
Exception: the individual study booths and group study room will be available from 7 December 2026.
Continuity of services
The Bistrot will close on 30 October 2026. All other NL services will remain available until the building closes on 30 October 2026 at 6 p.m.
Only the document ordering service, including reproduction orders, will be temporarily suspended. Documents ordered by 6 p.m. on Friday, 23 October 2026 may still be collected from the circulation desk until 6 p.m. on Friday, 30 October.
Documents may also be returned until 6 p.m. on 30 October 2026 at the circulation desk or using the book return box on site. Returns by post must reach Hallwylstrasse 15 by 30 October 2026 at the latest.
The final day for consultations at the Swiss Literary Archives and the Prints and Drawings Department will be Friday, 30 October 2026. Consultations will resume from Monday, 30 November 2026, by appointment as before.
Where possible, we kindly ask users to return any documents they no longer need before the relocation.
Temporary closure
The NL will be closed for relocation from Friday, 30 October 2026 at 6 p.m. until Sunday, 29 November 2026.
During this period, the library premises will not be accessible. It will not be possible to order, borrow or return documents. The reading rooms, public areas, individual study booths, group study room and microfilm consultation facilities will also be unavailable. Consultations by appointment at the Swiss Literary Archives and the Prints and Drawings Department will likewise be suspended.
Return deadlines will be extended and no reminders will be sent. There is no need to extend your loans yourself.
The NL will remain available for information and enquiries by telephone from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by email. Response times may, however, be longer during the relocation.
Reopening to the public
Activities will resume from 30 November 2026 at the new temporary premises on Monbijoustrasse 74, designed to enhance user comfort and enrich the research and consultation experience while the building at Hallwylstrasse 15 is being renovated.
The public areas, services and on-site facilities will once again be available during the usual opening hours. Consultations at the Swiss Literary Archives and the Prints and Drawings Department will also resume from 30 November 2026, by appointment as before.
There may be minor delays during the first few weeks. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Services maintained
At Monbijoustrasse 74, visitors will still be able to consult documents on site, work in the reading rooms, borrow items and order documents via the online catalogue.
As documents will need to be transferred between the different sites, it may take slightly longer than at present for them to be made available. Ordered documents will be available for collection from the circulation desk within 24 hours.
Thank you for your understanding.
Redesigned spaces
The temporary site has been arranged to ensure continuity of services under conditions comparable to those at Hallwylstrasse 15. It will include a reading room, individual and group workspaces, catering facilities, as well as dedicated installations designed to support the continuation of cultural mediation activities.
Access and location
Swiss National Library
Monbijoustrasse 74
3003 Bern
The temporary site at Monbijoustrasse 74 is located approximately 1 km from Bern railway station. It is also easily accessible by bus and tram via the Bern, Sulgenau stop.
Contact
For further information, NL staff will be happy to assist you:
General enquiries
T +41 58 462 89 35
info@nb.admin.ch
Swiss Literary Archives
+41 58 462 92 58
arch.lit@nb.admin.ch
Prints and drawings department
+41 58 462 89 71
graphische-sammlung@nb.admin.ch