Published on 16 December 2025

Mandate and tasks

The Library Am Guisanplatz BiG is responsible for providing the Federal Administration and Armed Forces with information. Its varied collections and wide range of services are also available to the public.

The picture shows BiG in spring with tulips in the foreground.

The Library Am Guisanplatz BiG is an institution of the Swiss Confederation under public law. Its statutes are based on the Federal Council's Ordinance of 9 October 2013 on the Library Am Guisanplatz (BiGO), which sets out its mandate. The library's most important tasks are:

  • Collecting and making available specialist information required by the Federal Administration and the Swiss Armed Forces to carry out their tasks
  • Collecting and making available specialist information published by the Federal Administration and the Swiss Armed Forces
  • Setting up administration-wide subscriptions and providing a range of media (newspapers, journals, databases, books) as reference material or personal subscriptions, both in paper and electronic format
  • Coordinating the libraries of the Federal Administration as the principal library
  • Responsible for the Alexandria Library Network
  • Chairing the Federal Documentation Conference and ensuring close cooperation in the area of information and documentation.

The Library Am Guisanplatz also makes its holdings available to academia and the general public, in addition to its core mandate of procuring and making specialist information available to the Federal Administration and the Swiss Armed Forces.

Further information

Basic documents BiG

Contact BiG

Library Am Guisanplatz
Papiermühlestrasse 21a
CH - 3003 Bern