GIGA Information Centre   Joint catalogue (GIGA OPAC)   The GIGA is home to the largest non-university information centre for area studies and comparative area studies in Germany. The four regional libraries collect literature on economic, political and social developments in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.   Collection The collection comprises 160,000 books and approximately 750 current journals – plus online documents, press cuttings, and online press archives and databases – on area studies. The information centre is publicly accessible and is operated as a reference library with the option of weekend lending. The publications are largely available for inter-library loan (red library ticket). The regional libraries acquire non-conventional literature – so-called “grey literature” – within the framework of their special interest collections and related to their respective regions on behalf of the DFG (German Research Foundation).   Opening hours Due to measures of remodelling, the regional Latin America Library will be closed on 2 and 3 September and is available for limited use only from 6 to 20 September. We apologize for any inconvenience. The opening hours currently vary as  GIGA's libraries and archives are still at different locations. Researching the joint collection of the libraries A large part of the collection is documented in the World Affairs Online-WAO, kept by the German Information Network International Relations and Area Studies (FIV-IBLK). Twelve independent German research institutes and one Nordic research institute cooperate to form this collective information network. There are two points of access to the joint collection: ireon Portal (The International Relations and Area Studies Gateway) World Affairs Online-WAO (IBLK database at Karlsruher Virtual Catalogue, KVK)   Regional libraries Africa Asia Library Catalogue   Library Catalogue New acquisitions     New acquisitions   Online bibliographies     Current journals         Journal "Asien": Recent literature         Online bibliographies   Forum reading counter     Forum reading counter       Archive   Latin America Middle East Library Catalogue since 2003 Catalogue until 2002   Library (under construction) Catalogue   New acquisitions   New acquisitions   Online bibliographies     Online bibliographies   Forum reading counter     Forum reading counter   Press archive IberoDigital   Online Newspapers from Latin America   Research on Latin America in Germany, Austria and Switzerland     Virtual libraries ireon Portal International relations and area studies online cibera  Virtual Library Ibero-America / Spain / Portugal CrossASIA Virtual Library East and Southeast Asia MENALIB Middle East Virtual Library ilissAfrica - internet library sub-saharan Africa     Further links Supraregional and subject-specific links Africa online Asia online Latin America online Middle East online   Information Centre Staff