Library
The Botanic Garden library is leading in Europe. We catalogue and store scientific journals and books about plants. The library aims to preserve this important scientific and cultural heritage, but is also at the service of researchers from all over the world.
The emphasis is on plant systems, floristics, ecology, botanical history, ethnobotany, and horticulture, both for plants and mushrooms, algae, and slime moulds.
Although the research in the Botanic Garden is focused on Central Africa and Europe (especially Belgium), the library collects publications from all over the world. In addition, it possesses a number of popularizing works.
Meise Botanic Garden also houses the library of the Royal Botanical Society of Belgium, which together with the Botanic Garden publishes the scientific journal Plant Ecology and Evolution.
Opening hours
Please note that during the week,the library is only accessible on appointment .
The library is closed on the weekends, public holidays and from December 25 up to and including January 1.
Contact
library@botanicgardenmeise.be
02 260 09 30 or 02 260 09 29
Regulations
Users are asked to register at the reception desk when visiting the library for the first time. Registration implies knowing and accepting library regulations. Address changes have to be communicated to the library as soon as possible. Please respect opening hours and sign the readers' register with every visit.
According to privacy legislation, users have the right to look into their personal data in the computer files.
Bibliographic research can be done in the online public catalogue (three terminals are available), in the card catalogue ( please do not remove index cards from the drawers ), or in the reference works on display in the reading room.
Since the library keeps its collections in a closed storage system, requests for books and periodicals must be made by request forms. These can be found next to the computers in the reading room.
- The bibliographic references and the shelf marks have to be copied legibly, preferably in capitals and as complete as possible, one title per form.
- Each reader may consult a maximum of 10 volumes at once and has to hand in these works before submitting a new request.
- The last request must be deposited before 11:30 am in the morning and before 3:15 pm in the afternoon.
- When leaving the reading room, users are invited to leave behind the works and request forms on the tables.
- In case of overcrowding, the library staff may impose restrictions.
Please report possible damaged books immediately upon receipt, if not, damage can be charged on your account. It is forbidden to annotate any library items, even in pencil.
Valuable books (bearing the shelf mark 'VAL' in the VUBIS Opac) can only be consulted on special demand and under the supervision of the library staff.
Users can make photocopies providing the condition of the books allows it. It is strictly forbidden to photocopy valuable works. Photocopiers in self-service may only be used for copying conforming to the copyright legislation. The use of a camera without a flash is permitted.
Borrowing is not permitted. Only members of the Royal Botanical Society of Belgium may borrow a maximum of three volumes for a period of maximum two weeks.
It is strictly forbidden to smoke, drink or eat in the library. A vending machine with hot drinks can be found in the refectory on the second floor. Hot meals and/or sandwiches can be ordered in the canteen before 10 a.m. Both refectory and canteen are open for visitors wishing to picnic.
