E-mail reference
The library provides reference services via e-mail. Just send your questions to [email protected]. The more details you provide, the better we will be able to assist you. We make every attempt to respond to your query in a timely manner. If we are unable to answer your question, we will try to refer you to the correct source.
Here are some hints on what to include with your question:
The library maintains a collection of UN documents and publications in English, French and Spanish, as well as general information materials about the work of the United Nations.
Library of the United Nations Regional Information
Centre (UNRIC) for Western Europe
Residence Palace
8th floor
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155
1040 Brussels, Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0)2 788 84 62 or 84 63
Fax: +32 (0)2 788 84 85
E-mail: [email protected]
Opening hours:
Monday - Wednesday: 10:00-12:00 am, 2:00-5:00 pm
Thursday: 2:00-5:00 pm
Friday: 10:00-12:00 am
or upon appointment
The Library produces a monthly newsletter. Contents are (a) new websites within the UN system, (b) new information material of which single copies can be ordered via e-mail, (c) new videos and publications that have been added to the library collection.
The current and back issues of this newsletter can be accessed here.
If you are interested in subscribing to it, please send us an e-mail at [email protected].
The library issues backgrounders on various subjects that list relevant URLs within the UN system. Included are links to various UN organizations working on the specific subject, relevant UN documents, treaties, declarations, Secretary-General reports, a selection of speeches and statements by UN officials, articles in UN journals, etc.
Backgrounders on the following subjects are currently available in English and French as .pdf files:
Afghanistan | English | French |
Biodiversity | English | French |
Climate Change | English | French |
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | English | French |
Desertification | English | French |
Disability | English | French |
Educational Resources | English | French |
Forests | English | French |
Gaza | English | |
Genocide | English | French |
Global Food Crisis | English | French |
Human Rights | English | French |
Human Rights Council | English | French |
Iraq | English | French |
Kosovo | English | French |
Libya | English | |
Middle East | English | French |
Migration | English | French |
Millennium Development Goals | English | French |
Myanmar | English | French |
Nuclear Disarmament | English | |
Nuclear Non-Proliferation | English | French |
Participation of the European Union in the work of the United Nations | English | French |
Peacebuilding Commission | English | French |
Peacekeeping | English | French |
Poverty | English | French |
Protection of civilians in armed conflict | English | |
Racism | English | French |
Responsibility to Protect | English | |
Somalia | English | French |
South Sudan | English | |
Sri Lanka | English | French |
Sudan/Darfur | English | French |
Sustainable Development | English | French |
Syrian Arab Republic | English | |
Terrorism | English | French |
Yemen | English | |
Youth | English |
The library maintains a collection of UN Videos and DVDs in English, French, Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese.
The catalogue can be accessed here.
The UNRIC Reference Library has direct access to the “ODS - Official Documents System of the United Nations”. ODS is the electronic repository for official documents published by the United Nations. The full text of documents is accessible in PDF format in all official languages of the United Nations--Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Documents are available from 1993 onwards, resolutions from 1946 onwards.
A selection of further UN databases in a wide area of subjects is available here.
A list with direct links to the full text of publications translated by our office into Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Greek, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese and Swedish is available here.
The United Nations produces posters for conferences, observances, campaigns, etc. Many are available online for download. For a selection of posters available at the UNRIC Library click here.
A list of newsletters, journals and bulletins published by the United Nations system on a variety of subjects and available in online version can be accessed here.
United Nations documents and publications are distributed to users around the world through its depository library system. At present, there are more than 400 depository libraries in over 140 countries maintaining United Nations material from the date of designation as depository to the present. Researchers and the general public interested in UN documents and publications could arrange to visit a depository library in their home country. All addresses are available on the UN website at http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/deplib/countries/index.html.
To order UN Sales Publications please contact your closest distributor. An address list of Sales Distributors for Europe is available on the UN website at https://unp.un.org/Distributors.aspx#europe. A catalogue of available titles can be downloaded from the UN website at https://unp.un.org.
The Holocaust and the United Nations outreach programme seeks to remind the world of the lessons to be learned from the Holocaust in order to help to prevent future acts of genocide.
Information about this programme is available on the UN website at http://www.un.org/holocaustremembrance/
Educational material can be be consulted here.
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485