Frequently asked questions
1. Searching the collections
Not all documents have yet been described in the online catalogue. Do you know in which department the document can (probably) be found? If so, you can contact the department. The more information you include, the faster we can send you a response.
Reformulating can help. Read the 10 tips for a good search query.
Most of the collections are described in the online catalogue. For collections dating from before 1985 it is also a good idea to look through the card catalogue (classed by name, subject or title). Read the search tips for these catalogues.
Send an email to prospection@kbr.be with a description of the publication (title, author, edition,...) and a motivation of why you think it belongs in KBR's collection. If the document fits our acquisition policy, we will purchase it.
Keep in mind that KBR prioritises publications that have a link with Belgium, the so-called 'Belgicana'.
Keep in mind that KBR prioritises publications that have a link with Belgium, the so-called 'Belgicana'.
2. Digital collection
You can find the overview here.
You can find all digitised items of KBR on Belgica. There are different ways to search the collection. The general catalogue also includes all digitised documents in the search results.
You can look at the images in detail with the viewer, but downloading is not possible due to copyrights. If you need images in high quality and/or want to publish them, you need to order a reproduction. Please request publication rights if needed.
Electronic resources
The catalogue also includes search results from many of the databases that KBR is subscribed to, but not all of them. So it's still useful to also search in specific databases.
In order to obtain remote access to the databases KBR subscribes to, you need a MyKBR account with an extra subscription for the electronic resources.
- If you have a valid reader's card the subscription is included: it automatically provides remote access to the e-resources.
- If you don't have a valid reader's card, you have to request access to the e-resources. For this, you need to be over 16 old and be a resident of Belgium or of Belgian nationality (more information).
Request a subscription to the e-resources here. The processing of your request can take up to 48 hours (on working days).
Some resources are only accessible in KBR for legal reasons. They are marked with an asterisk (*) in the alphabetical list on our website.
- If you have a valid reader's card the subscription is included: it automatically provides remote access to the e-resources.
- If you don't have a valid reader's card, you have to request access to the e-resources. For this, you need to be over 16 old and be a resident of Belgium or of Belgian nationality (more information).
Request a subscription to the e-resources here. The processing of your request can take up to 48 hours (on working days).
Some resources are only accessible in KBR for legal reasons. They are marked with an asterisk (*) in the alphabetical list on our website.
Newspapers (digitised)
You can search the digitised newspapers in full-text on www.belgicapress.be.
When you aren't logged in on BelgicaPress, you can only consult the digitised newspapers that are free from copyrights. Do you want to consult more recent newspapers? Log in with your MyKBR account and confirm that you are consulting the documents for scientific research or as illustration for teaching. This gives you access to the whole corpus. Belgian copyright legislation provides explicit exceptions for these purposes.
No, if you consult the newspapers for scientific research or as illustration for teaching, you can access them from home. For this, log in to BelgicaPress with your MyKBR account. Belgian copyright legislation provides explicit exceptions for these purposes. The full corpus of digitized newspapers is also accessible via the network of Belgian universities and colleges. More information at your institution.
3. Signing in to My KBR
Click on MY KBR in the upper right corner of the page. A pop-up window appears. Then click on 'Register now'.
You can also simply pass by the KBR subscription desk to buy a reader's card; it will automatically create your account on the website. Use your card number to access your profile.
After signing in for the first time you should add your email address and modify your password.
You can also simply pass by the KBR subscription desk to buy a reader's card; it will automatically create your account on the website. Use your card number to access your profile.
After signing in for the first time you should add your email address and modify your password.
Click on the MY KBR button in the upper right corner. Type your login and password and click 'Sign in'.
Or click here.
Or click here.
The account is free but you have to pay for a reader's card. With your free account you can already reserve documents, save search results and create personal selections. You need a reader's card to access the reading rooms and consult your documents. You can buy your reader's card at the subscription desk in the Royal Library.
Registering makes it easier to use the site, as you only need to fill in your personal information once. When you request a consultation or reproduction, your information will be filled in automatically. It also allows you to save your search queries and results.
You can contact us here.
4. Functionalities of the MY KBR-account
‘My favourites’ is a tool in which you can save bibliographical descriptions that are of interest to you or are useful for future reference. You can add a description or document to your favourites by clicking on the icon at the top right corner of the description.
'My favourites' is a useful tool for you to compile a bibliography. You can also create folders to organise certain documents and bibliographical descriptions into different folders by theme for example.
Attention : 'My favourites' has a different purpose to the 'My basket' tool in the previous KBR catalogue. ‘My favourites’ is not a tool to make reservations. For reservations please click on 'Request' or 'Reserve item'.
'My favourites' is a useful tool for you to compile a bibliography. You can also create folders to organise certain documents and bibliographical descriptions into different folders by theme for example.
Attention : 'My favourites' has a different purpose to the 'My basket' tool in the previous KBR catalogue. ‘My favourites’ is not a tool to make reservations. For reservations please click on 'Request' or 'Reserve item'.
This tab shows you all of your saved searches and scenarios. You can save a search query by clicking the icon at the top of your search page. Saving your search queries can be useful if you need to perform a similar search about a certain theme, time period or subject regularly or when you wish to save the search results of a very specific filtered search query.
5. Requests and reservations
- 1. Sign in to your MY KBR account.
- 2. Find the document in the catalogue.
- 3. In the record, click 'Consultation'.
Your request information is filled in automatically.
Always make your reservation at least two days in advance. That way we can contact you if there is a problem with your request or if the document is unavailable.
You can follow your reservations in your MyKBR account, you will get a notification via the reservation status when it is available for consultation.
You can follow your reservations in your MyKBR account, you will get a notification via the reservation status when it is available for consultation.
Use the special request form for this.
• General reading room + special reading rooms
You can request 5 documents at the most. You have to consult those documents within 6 working days following the confirmation.
You can request 5 documents at the most. You have to consult those documents within 6 working days following the confirmation.
• Newspapers and Contemporary media reading rooms
You can request 2 volumes at the most. You have to consult them within 8 working days following the confirmation.
You can request 2 volumes at the most. You have to consult them within 8 working days following the confirmation.
At the moment it is obligatory to reserve your documents beforehand (2 working days in advance at the minimum). The books will then be ready for your visit.
6. Digit on Demand: scans by request
- 1. Sign in to your MY KBR account.
- 2. Find the document in the catalogue.
- 3. In the record, click 'Reproduction'. Record information will be filled in automatically.
- 5. Choose the type of reproduction that you need and click 'Send'.
You will always get a confirmation email.
Use the general form for reproductions. Attention: you will have to fill in all information yourself. You can always ask a librarian for more information.
You can find all information on our website.
- 1. Check if you can consult the document online. The entire digital collection can be found on Belgica.
- 2. Do you only need a few pages? If so, for a fee you can request via Digit on Demand a reproduction or scan.
- 3. Do you need the whole work? You can request an interlibrary loan to transfer the document to another library, where you can consult it in the reading room. Fill in the ILL form. Read the terms.
Help!
Can’t find the answer to your question?
Contact us. Our staff are pleased to help you.