It’s been a busy Autumn term!  

The final week of term begins on Monday! We thought this would be a good time to share the Library vacation information with you, to help you get the most out of your Library through the break. 

 

Online help 

All our expert staff are available online to help and advise you through the vacation before, and after, the University closure period. Through this time, the following services will be available 

• For advice on resources for all your course needs, contact your Academic Liaison Librarian, they can assist by helping you to make the most of the Library resources.  
• Study Advice can help you develop your study skills through the online tutorials and bookable sessions on offer.   
• The Research Engagement team are available to help support your research needs. If you require help with Open Access, research data management and other research related matters, visit their webpages for further support. 

Once we enter the University closure period, you will still be able to gain help and support through the range of training guides and videos that the teams have produced. 

 

Store and Closed Access requests 

If you need materials from the off-site Store or from our Closed Access shelves, please make sure you place your request in good time. The final dates of collection are as follows 

• Store collections – Thursday 16 December. Requests for items should be submitted by 8:00, that morning so that they can be processed for retrieval.  

• Closed Access collections – Wednesday 22 December. Please submit your request before 13:45 if you wish to consult a closed access item in advance of the closure period. 

We will resume Closed Access collections on Tuesday 4 January and from Store on Thursday 6 January. For more information, see Requesting items from Store and Closed Access. 

 

Vacation loans  

To ensure you have good access to resources over the break, vacation loan periods will apply as follows 

• Items from our Short Loan/overnight loan collection borrowed on Friday 17 December will not need to be returned until Tuesday 4 January 2022, but they must be returned by 11:00 to avoid any charges.  
• 7-day loans borrowed from Monday 20 December will not need to be returned until the end of the closure period (Tuesday 4 January 2022).  
• Standard loans (3-week loans) will naturally issue over the break from Friday 3 December. Term loans will update on 2 December so that any items issued then will not be due until Tuesday 22 March 2022.  

Recalls will still apply until the University closure begins so, please remember to check your University email and return any recalls in good time.  

 

Vacation opening hours 

The Library will be open 24/6+ until Friday 10 December, when we will be closing at Midnight. This also signals the start of the weekend closure, and the start of vacation hours as follows 

 

From	To	Opening hours
Saturday 11 December	Sunday 12 December	CLOSED
Monday 13 December	Thursday 16 December	Open 8:30 – 19:00
Friday 17 December		Open 8:30 – 17:00
Saturday 18 December	Sunday 19 December	CLOSED
Monday 20 December	Wednesday 22 December	Open 8:30 – 19:00
Thursday 23 December		Open 8:30 – 17:00
Friday 24 December	Monday 4 January	CLOSED

 

Much of the University will be closed between Friday 24 December and Tuesday 4 January. On Tuesday 4 January, the Library will reopen as follows  

 

Tuesday 4 January	Thursday 6 January	Open 8:30 – 19:00
Friday 7 January		Open 8:30 – 17:00
Saturday 8 January		Open 8:30 – 19:00
Sunday 9 January		Open 8:30 24/6+ resume.

 

Further information on the Library opening hours, including the IT Service Desk can be found on the Opening hours webpage.  

If you have a general enquiry, please contact us ahead of the University closure dates by emailing library@reading.ac.uk or phone 0118 378 8770. 

Best wishes, 

Your Library Team