She enjoys chasing the missing pieces, be it in her free time doing puzzles or in her work as librarian of the Biozentrum. Since December 2021, Gertrud Pluskwik has been supporting researchers not only with the classic library services but also with a new publication service for the edoc repository. Full texts or metadata - everything is invariably tracked down by her.

You’ve been at the Biozentrum since December 2021. What did you do before that?
I studied Library and Information Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Stuttgart and initially worked at several university libraries in Freiburg and Bavaria. Twenty-five years ago, I joined the University of Basel. I started at the Medicine Library but have always been part of various working groups in the fields of e-media and open access at the Main Library. I’m still closely connected to the Main Library today – my supervisors are based there.

What particularly attracted you to working at the Biozentrum?
A few years ago, my area of responsibility changed internally. I took on work at the Departments of Chemistry and Physics, at the Rosental Library, and at the Europa Institute. Many of these were traditional library tasks, but at the Department of Chemistry I was able to establish a publication service and support researchers in entering their work into the research database and, ultimately, into the edoc repository. This was especially important in light of the university’s open access policy. When the opportunity arose to build a similar service at the Biozentrum, it felt like the next logical step for me.

What does this service involve today, and what other responsibilities do you have?
The main focus is still on Biozentrum publications, but the technical foundation has changed significantly. The former research database has been replaced by a new research portal called *Universe*. I work intensively with it – it’s quite different from how things used to be.

In what way?
Many researchers contact me directly, mostly by email and less often in person. The most frequent question is: “Why isn’t my publication appearing on the website?” – which usually has to do with the automated import requirements in Universe. In addition, I handle book orders – which have increased again recently – and article requests when someone cannot access an online journal article.

What about the library itself? Are there many visitors these days?
No, visitor numbers haven’t increased – there simply isn’t much demand. The collection downstairs has remained small, a purely print collection. However, quite a few printed books are currently being ordered. Many of them are kept directly in the laboratories or offices on the different floors.

So you basically run a book delivery service?
In a way, yes. Researchers such as Jean Peters, David Brückner, and the group around Sebastian Hiller order books through me – but for their labs or respective floors. There’s even a small library room on the first floor.

Don’t researchers mainly use online sources nowadays?
They do, but they still like to have certain books on hand because they genuinely use them in their daily work. The library room downstairs is more of a teaching collection. It’s particularly popular among students who appreciate the quiet space for studying – a little “escape from the noise.”

And what do you like to do in your free time?
I’m politically interested, though no longer active. I enjoy modern art, love doing puzzles – it’s almost an addiction – and recently I’ve also started doing Sudoku. The nice thing is, you can do it anywhere, even on the train. Since I commute from Freiburg im Breisgau, I just have to make sure I don’t forget to get off!