Water restored in Library

The leak in the Library building has now been fixed.

Drinking water and toilets are both available on the Ground Floor of the Library building during opening hours.

More information

Keep up to date with the latest study space and Library refurbishment news on our Library refurbishment webpage.

Katie Moore, Trainee Liaison Librarian for
Robin Hunter, Facilities Manager

Library refurbishment: noise expected from external works (updated)

We’re making good progress on our major refurbishment of the Library. While work continues on the inside of the Library building, much attention will be paid to the Library’s exterior over the coming weeks.

How will this affect you?Image of refurbished University Library surrounded by seating, trees and hedges.

As the works will involve the use of heavy machinery, we anticipate high levels of noise around the outside of the Library building. One major phase of work will be the creation of new ramps and steps into the building – this involves working with concrete, and so will necessitate drilling at times.

In addition, work will continue to transform the exterior facades of the building. Some of the work will involve loud machinery, which is likely to be audible from nearby buildings such as Edith Morley. Night works will also take place at various points over the summer.

We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause, and are extremely grateful for your patience at this time.

More information

For the latest refurbishment news, please visit the Library refurbishment webpage.

Katie Moore, Trainee Liaison Librarian
for University Communications

Latest round of book moves complete

As of 6 June the latest round of book moves are complete. All the books and other materials have been moved to the 2nd and 3rd Floors so that work can start on refurbishing the 4th Floor, which is due to close on 11 June.

Where are items now located?

2nd Floor

  • 000s – computer science
  • 300s – social sciences, law
  • 800s – literature
  • 900s – history, geography, archaeology
  • Journals in all subjects

3rd Floor

  • 100s – philosophy, psychology
  • 200s – religion
  • 400s – languages, linguistics
  • 500s – science
  • 600s – technology, business, typography
  • 700s – arts
  • European Documentation Centre (EDC)
  • Music CDs
  • Teaching Practice Collection

Need help finding something?

If you need help locating an item or subject in the new arrangement please ask at the Information Desks.

More information

There are a few works to be completed on the 3rd Floor, but these won’t restrict access to the books and are due for completion on 1 September 2018.

Keep up to date with the latest study space and Library refurbishment news on our Library refurbishment webpage.

Katie Moore, Trainee Liaison Librarian

Study space on campus: Summer update

The summer term is now in full swing, with many students working hard on final assignments, projects and dissertations.

How many spaces are available?

As the Large Lecture Theatre is now no longer in use until the start of the 2018-19 academic year, there are around 800 spaces available in the URS Building (there is a limit on the total occupancy of the building for fire safety).

Beyond the URS Building, there are more than 900 other study spaces across the Whiteknights and London Road campuses. This includes:

  • Study space in Halls: Around 100 new study spaces are now available across our Halls of Residence. You can find the spaces in Wessex Library, St George’s Computer Room, Wantage Computer Room, Stenton JCR, Childs JCR and Mackinder JCR – all study areas have been refurbished and kitted out with new furniture, improved lighting and heating, power sockets and USB ports, and will be open for 24 hours every day during the Quiet Period (until Friday 8 June). Outside of the Quiet Period, the spaces will be available from 7.00am until 12.00am. The spaces are open to residents of each respective Hall, but possibilities of opening the spaces up to other Hall residents are currently being explored;
  • Additional study space at Eat at the Square: Don’t forget that you can now study in Eat at the Square from 3-6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Refreshments can also be purchased from The Grumpy Mule;
  • Extended Chancellor’s Building opening hours: Rooms G11, G12, G13, G14 and G15 will be made available as extra study spaces from 6-9pm Monday to Friday during term time and also at weekends if study space in the URS Building becomes full – please speak to Library staff at the URS ground floor Information Desk to open Chancellor’s at weekends. Please note that classrooms 1-8 are now exam rooms for the entire exam period and are not accessible;
  • RUSU’s The Studyand The Study@TOB2: Study spaces available for all campus card holders.

 

Useful resources

The following resources are available to help students locate study space across campus:

 

Using space fairly

With exams and final projects on the horizon, it’s really important to be fair and considerate when using study spaces around campus. Demand is high at this time of year, so please treat all spaces, fellow students and staff with respect.

  • Anti-desk-hogging service in the URS Building: Students can report unattended spaces ‘booked’ with belongings by speaking to staff at the Reception or the Information Desk on the ground floor;
  • NOISYCHAT service in URS Building: If there is noise in a silent study area, students can use this service to text Library staff so that noise can be investigated.
  • Consider altering patterns of study: Our records show that 3.30pm is when URS is at its fullest, with space freeing up as the afternoon goes on. It may be worth looking for space before or after peak times – early morning and after 5pm are usually quieter than midday.
  • Don’t be shy: When demand is high, it’s vital that space is used as efficiently as possible. So please don’t be afraid to sit next to someone you don’t know – make use of the spaces that are available, and if studying in a group, consider splitting into smaller groups if it makes finding space easier.

 

Keep up to date with the latest study space and Library refurbishment news on our Library refurbishment webpage.

Katie Moore, Trainee Liaison Librarian

Help make the most of Library@URS space

Students studying in the URS Building

Group study space in the URS Building

Looking for a space when URS is busy? Help us to help you make the most of our study space.

Weekend and vacation study space

Students can access extra study space in the URS building over the weekend and during vacation time. Rooms 2s14, 2s21, 2s25, 2s26 and 2s27 will be open for use from 18:00 on Fridays until 08:00 on Mondays during term time, as well as all throughout the vacation. The rooms are closed during term time weekdays as the Large Lecture Theatre is in use in the URS Building.

The Library has also made arrangements to open the Chancellor’s Building to provide more space on Saturdays and Sundays between 10:00 and 18:00 if the URS Building reaches capacity. Users are requested to talk to Library staff at the URS Ground Floor Information Desk if they are having difficulty in finding a space.

Library's 'Looking for study space?' card in red and greyAnti-desk hogging service!

Please help us share study space in the URS building fairly. While it’s fine to pop over to the Library building for a book and return to your desk within a short time, we think it unfair for students to reserve desks with their belongings for long periods when other students want to use that space.

If you find unattended study places apparently ‘booked’ with clothes, stationery and the like, please ask Library staff for support at either the URS Reception desk by the main entrance or the URS Information Desk next to the Course Collection on the ground floor. We will give you a timed warning card you can place on the abandoned stuff. Put the belongings to one side and sit down. If the owner returns within the hour, they are entitled to the space back. If not, you can sit there. Also ask staff to help explain, should anyone return after an hour to complain.

Where unattended stuff hasn’t been moved overnight, staff will remove it to URS Reception. If it is not claimed by the next morning, it will be taken to Palmer Reception, the centre for all lost property in the University.

Noisy chatLower part of face with forefinger placed to lips

Are others chatting too noisily in the Library’s URS building? Alert us by text, without identifying yourself to others or leaving your seat!

First check your URS study area really is designated as ‘quiet’ or ‘silent’, or that noise in a ‘group study area’ is excessive. If it is, text:

  • NOISYCHAT‘ and your location to 07796 300114 
  • eg NOISYCHAT 2n19 Silent Study.

We’ll come and investigate. We support your right to to work quietly, as protected by Library Rule 13.

For more information, and a list of URS building locations, see our Noise in the Library webpage.

Katie Moore, Trainee Liaison Librarian