Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Yes, the CERN Document Server (CDS) is a searchable database giving information about files in the CERN Archives and the Wolfgang Pauli Archive.
The CERN Archives guide and Wolfgang Pauli Archive guide give overviews of the collections.
A 30-year closure period applies to most documents that are not purely scientific or technical; this applies, for example, to files containing administrative documents and correspondence as well as scientific material. See more information on access rules
Yes, as long as the publication relates to your CERN activities. See ISBN/ISSN
No, the CERN Archives contains around 2,000 shelf metres of files and boxes filled with letters, notes, reports, rough drafts, and other non-standard and fragile documents, very few of which have been digitised. However, some have been made available on the CERN Document Server (CDS) along with the Library’s extensive collection of old CERN reports. Some useful online CERN’s historical documents
Yes, most of the letters, manuscripts and photos in the Wolfgang Pauli Archive are available online, copyright permitting.
Yes, simply write "Library" as recipient on the envelope.
Yes, we will do our best to help. See contact details
The CERN Open Access Policy in its current revision is effective as of 25 May 2021. The Policy requires CERN Authors to publish all original results open access. Contributions to conference proceedings are not covered by this Policy.
Contact the CERN Report Editorial Board. See Yellow Reports
You can borrow books at the Library desk (bldg. 52/1-054, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.) with your CERN card.
Or, you can request books online in the CERN Library Catalogue: search for the book, click on the book and then 'Request'. You can choose to pick up the book at the Library desk or have it delivered by internal mail to your office.
PDG booklets and reviews are available for free at the Library desk (bldg. 52/1-052, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.).
To order online and receive by post, see https://pdg.lbl.gov/
Interlibrary loans can usually be renewed. Reply to the recall email you receive at the end of the loan period and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
On your profile in the CERN Library Catalogue
There is no maximum. Borrow as many as you want!
For books that are reserved by someone else, a renewal is not possible. Please bring or send back the book to the Library.
You can check if an ebook is available or place a new reservation in the CERN Library Catalogue.
Access to the CERN site is only possible for people with a valid access card.
Thanks for asking! See Your records
EDH termination sheets are not updated automatically. Please contact us: @email to get it signed.
Check if the standard is available in the Journals collection in the CERN Library Catalogue.
If not, see Buy a book, standard, journal
Check if the standard is available in the Standards collection in the CERN Library Catalogue.
If not, see Buy a book, standard, journal
Authors should chose the most appropriate outlet for their research. When there are several options, CERN Authors should give preference to SCOAP3 titles or titles for which CERN has arrangements, so-called “read and publish agreements”.
Authors can use the CERN Open Access Author guide to find the best outlet for their articles.
CERN’s publicly available web pages are archived as part of a partnership with the Internet Memory Foundation, see Web archives
“Read and publish agreements", often called transformative agreements, seek to shift the contracted payment from libraries to publishers away from subscription-based reading and towards open access publishing. If the corresponding author is affiliated with CERN, articles will be automatically detected and published open access for journals published by AIP, APS, Elsevier, IEEE, IOP, Springer Nature and Wiley. To verify if your co-authors benefit from “Read and publish agreements”, please consult the individual lists of institutions via the publishers’ respective websites: Elsevier, IEEE, IOP, Springer Nature and Wiley.
CERN-affiliated authors are intended as Staff, Fellows, and those collaborators authorized by their respective Department Heads to use the CERN affiliation, e.g. some scientific visitors, under certain conditions.
A CERN author is any author who, at the time the work described was carried out, as defined in CERN Operational Circular 6, is/was:
a) Staff member or Fellow (Staff Rules, Article I 2.02 a), not on special leave (Staff Regulations, Article R II 4.29); or,
b) an Associated member of the personnel (Staff Rules, Article I 2.02 b) allowed by their Division Leader (i.e. Department Head) to use CERN as their affiliation on the document.
The corresponding author is the author responsible for the submission and handling of the manuscript and for all related correspondence during the publication process. The corresponding author has authority to act on behalf of all co-authors in all matters pertaining to the publication of the manuscript and acts as the point of contact for any inquiries relating to the paper.
The CERN Archives contains historical records from the early 1950s up to the present day, covering all aspects of the Organization’s work. It includes letters, memos, reports, notes and other documents created or received in the course of CERN's activities.
The Wolfgang Pauli Archive is a collection of correspondence, manuscripts, books, reprints and photographs that belonged to Wolfgang Pauli (Nobel Laureate 1945).
If the corresponding author is not a CERN Author and he/she is not covered by a “Read and publish agreement” via his/her institution, the CERN Author should contact @email prior to submission.
Here is detailed information of our arrangements with publishers.
You can consult the details of the Author journey for some publishers.
For papers originating from large collaborations, the copyright is vested in CERN. For all other papers, the copyright remains with the authors.
CC-BY license is the preferred license.
The resources of the Archives are available to anyone. All records are catalogued in the CERN Archives database, which is freely accessible; however, not all items listed in it are available for public consultation, see the rules for access.
Articles covered under the CERN agreements with publishers are paid centrally by CERN (conference contributions or invited articles excluded).
For articles that are not covered by a CERN agreement, CERN authors can still be eligible for central open access funding based on the following principles.
- The article is not already covered through an agreement of any of the co-author affiliated institutions, or via an EC grant.
- Authors contact the Scientific Information Service in advance of submission to ensure central payment from the CERN Open Access fund.
- Articles submitted to journals with exceptionally high APCs (i.e. in excess of CHF 4000) will not be funded by CERN.
- For special issues coordinated or authored by CERN resulting in high publishing costs for CERN, editors of such special issues should submit a specific justification and request for approval before organising such issues.
If you publish in a journal that is not part of one of the CERN-wide open access agreements to or if you are not the corresponding author, please contact @email before proceeding with the license and rights process.
Some journals request page charges when a manuscript exceeds the standard length or has colour figures. All such charges are carried by the group/department of the author. The Scientific Information Service can only cover author processing charges (APC) for open access.
Contact @email, we ensure a quick answer.