Category Archives: Policies and rules

Library gates activated. Remember your Campus Card!

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Security barrier with sign saying 'tap here' on it

Tap your Campus Card to access security gates to enter or exit study and stock areas.

Library gates are to increase your security and prioritise study space for University members. Remember to carry your Campus Card with you when visiting the Library building! The new access gates were installed as part of the University’s major Library Refurbishment Project. (We initially kept them open so you had time to get used to new Ground Floor areas.)

Library members: you can enter and exit just by tapping your Campus Card (the same one you use to borrow) at the gates …. so there’s nothing you need to do other than carry it with you. You already need your Campus Card to enter the Library@URS building overnight, at weekends and in the revision period when we restrict access to Library study space. If you experience any problems gaining entry with your card, please see staff on duty at the Help Point (to the left of the gates) who will be happy to help!

Members of the public over 18: You are welcome to use and copy Library materials beyond our security gates weekdays (Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00). Please talk to staff at the Help Point (to the left of the gates) who may ask you to provide identification, information about yourself and ask you to abide by Library rules. However, you now need to book ahead to gain access evenings and weekends (17:00-22:00 weekdays or 09:00-22;00 Saturday or Sunday). Please email library@reading.ac.uk telling us when you want to visit and we will arrange for Security staff to give you entrance between these times: if you have not contacted the Library beforehand you will not be admitted.

Everyone can still use the Library Café and Ground Floor toilets, which you will find before you reach the barriers.

Rachel Redrup, Library Marketing Co-ordinator
for Sue Egleton, Associate Director (Systems & User Services) and Nick Hollis, Library User Services Manager

Longer borrowing on loans from Course Collection

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man in foreground. Course Collection sign in background.

Since the start of the Autumn term in October 2018, our Course Collection loans have changed following your feedback! By simplifying and streamlining our borrowing arrangements we aim to get students borrowing more items for longer to give students more access to the books they need!

What has changed:

  • Now you can take out Course Collection items OVERNIGHT. So every day of the week, including weekends, any item taken out before midnight is due back by 11:00 the next day. (This is simpler and provides a longer loan period than previously when items could only be borrowed for up to six hours during the day.)
  • Now you can take out three items at once (instead of two, as previously).
  • To encourage borrowers to return loans for fellow students to use, we still charge for late returns, but have one simple fine: £3 per day, up to a maximum of £25.

More information

For more information please see Course Collection webpage.

Matthew Pearson, Library User Services.

Bring Campus Cards to open Library gates from 22 Oct

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Security barrier with sign saying 'tap here' on it

Tap your Campus Card at Library building security gates to enter or exit study and stock areas.

Get ready to carry your Campus Card with you when visiting the Library building to open the new access gates, installed as part of the University’s major Library Refurbishment Project. We initially kept them open so you had time to get used to new Ground Floor areas. Gates become operational from Monday 22 October to increase your security and prioritise study space for University members.

Library members: you will be able to enter and exit, just by tapping your Campus Card (the same one you use to borrow) at the gates …. so there’s nothing you need to do other than carry it with you. You already need your Campus Card to enter the Library@URS building overnight, at weekends and in the revision period when we restrict access to Library study space.

Visitors needing access to print material, and anyone experiencing any problems gaining entry with your card, please see staff on duty at the Help Point (to the left of the gates) who will be happy to help!

You do not need your cards to use the Library Café and Ground Floor toilets which you will find before you reach the barriers.

Rachel Redrup, Library Marketing Co-ordinator
for Sue Egleton, Associate Director (Systems & User Services)

Library building areas reopen after refurbishment

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Parts of the Ground and 1st Floors of the University Library building have reopened as our refurbishment progresses!

New Library Café

The ground floor has a brand new Library Café, which offers hot drinks made by a barista and a ‘grab and go’ menu – including sandwiches, fresh soup and toasties. Two Freestyle machines offer water and a range of soft drinks.

If you would like to sit in the café, there are a range of seating options – including comfortable cushioned benches with plug sockets for phone and laptop charging. You will be able to order from a broader range of food and drink options.

A limited menu of coffee, pre-packed sandwiches and snacks is available this week (Welcome Week) and the cafe will be open from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. From Monday 1 October, the café will stay open later and close at 9.30 pm with the fuller menu available.

Some Library study areas

The Library’s ground floor offers other study seating options, while the first floor offers a range of group study seating options.

Students are welcome to use these study spaces (no food in these areas please!), but please bear in mind that Library refurbishment continues on these and other floors until autumn 2019 and it will sometimes be noisy or disruptive. Therefore, study space and services remain in Library@URS for the whole of the academic year 2018/2019. Library@URS provides a quieter environment for study while still being close enough to borrow and use the Library’s printed materials. Students may also use the variety of alternative study space around the University.

Further information

To keep up to date with the latest study space and Library refurbishment news, please visit the Library refurbishment webpage and this Library blog.

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator
and University Communications

Borrow more Course Collection loans for longer

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Girl sitting infront of entrance to Course CollectionIn response to students’ requests, we have changed and simplified Course Collection arrangements so Library borrowers can now take out more loans for longer. We hope students find this easier to understand, more convenient and will borrow more of these short loan items so that, in turn, they might study more effectively and achieve more.

What is the Course Collection?

Whilst most printed material is available for a week or more’s loan in the Library building, we can designate a copy or two of essential UoR reading list items for shorter loan borrowing to the Course Collection in the Library@URS. We hope this will share resources more effectively. However, we felt we could amend rules to suit current students’ needs.

What has changed?

  1. Now you can take out Course Collection items OVERNIGHT. So every day of the week, including weekends, any item taken out before midnight is due back by 11:00 the next day. (This is simpler and provides a longer loan period than previously when items could only be borrowed for up to six hours during the day.)
  2. Now you can take out three items at once (instead of two, as previously).
  3. To encourage borrowers to return loans for fellow students to use, we still charge for late returns, but have one simple fine: £3 per day, up to a maximum of £25.

More information

For further information, see our Course Collection webpage.

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator

 

 

 

Be fair and share books and space!

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Library's 'Looking for study space?' card in red and greyHelp make the Library work effectively by respecting everyone’s right to resources and limited space. It can be as easy as checking when your Library loans are due back or clearing a desk space for other users. And don’t forget there are alternative study spaces on campus too.

Here are some simple suggestions on how to keep on top of your Library account, save time and money, and help provide a pleasant and productive working environment for all:

Please help us share study space in the URS building fairly. It is fine to pop over to the Library building for a book and return to your desk within a short time. However, 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 returning after an hour and 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.

Check out our ‘Using the Library’ and ‘Policies and Rules’ pages for more information.

Alternative Campus Space

Check the ‘FIND STUDY SPACE BEYOND THE LIBRARY’ section of the Library Refurbishment Project homepage for alternative space.

Holly Thomas, Library User Services

Noisy chat in Library@URS? Text us!

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Lower part of face with forefinger placed to lipsAre 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.

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator
for Robin Hunter, Facilities Manager

Help make the most of Library@URS space

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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

Important update: Study space in URS Building

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Students outside the URS Building

The University of Reading’s capital investment programme, 2026: TRANSFORM, is well under way to improve further our campus facilities. The University Library is undergoing a major transformation – we are investing over £40 million into making it a modern and comfortable place to study, with the very best facilities and learning resources. The project is expected to be completed in 2019.

Study space relocation to the URS Building

In April 2017, much of the study furniture from the Library was relocated to the URS Building. Several key services from the Library Building have also been relocated to the URS Building – the Library Information Desk, Study Advice and Maths Support, the Course Collection, the IT Service Desk and Café Libro. The Library Building remains open for borrowing books.

By moving study space and other services to URS, we can provide a quieter environment for study, enquiries and support. It also means less disruption through noise or dust from the building project, with URS still being close enough to borrow and use Library materials.

It is expected that these arrangements will be in place until August 2018, when study space and other facilities are currently planned to move back into the Library.

What’s changing?

Closed pink double doors to large lecture theatreThe URS lecture theatres have been out of use since the relocation to allow us to accommodate the maximum permitted number of study spaces in this building (there’s a restriction on the total number of people allowed in the building at any one time for fire safety). The University has recently taken the decision to re-open the URS large lecture theatre for teaching in the 2017/18 academic year.

Due to the fire safety restrictions in place, this will mean that the number of term-time study spaces available in the URS building will be reduced from around 800 to around 600. This will be disappointing news for some, as the total number of study spaces available to students during term-time will necessarily be reduced. However, please be assured that the University explored every possible alternative option before reaching this decision, but feel it is important that it offers students the best available teaching space for their classes.

We will work to re-instate the study spaces during the Christmas and Easter vacations, and in the summer term for the exam period.

Café Libro will remain open as usual.

Naturally, we will closely monitor the usage of the URS study spaces and the alternative study spaces provided across our campuses (see below for more information) to ensure all spaces are accessible, available and well-used. Feedback from students on these spaces is very much welcome as it will help us to plan study space availability in the future.

Alternative study spaces

Taking into account the reduction of study spaces in the URS Building, there are still over 1,500 study spaces available across the Whiteknights and London Road campuses.

We have provided some helpful resources to make it easier to find a suitable space to study. These include;

All of these resources can easily be found through the Library Refurbishment Project page. Do bookmark this page on your laptop or mobile to find it easily later.

We are also working with RUSU to create a new study space map which we will share with you as soon as it is ready.

Do not forget too that rooms located in teaching buildings will be subject to departmental use – and as always, please treat all spaces with respect.

Library project; progress to date

 We have made good progress since work started last summer. In summary;

  • all floors have been prepared for works to be carried out – you will notice that several areas have been sectioned off for work, especially on the Ground and 1st Floors;
  • work to improve the exterior of the Library is well under way and internal weatherproofing is largely complete;
  • work is underway for the creation of a brand new café; and
  • we are nearing the end of the demolition of a staircase on the south side of the building – a major phase of work that makes room for new, bigger lifts and a replacement staircase.

We are, of course, taking measures to reduce the risk of noise wherever possible, but please do remember that this is a live construction project – noise will be unavoidable from time to time. As a way of reducing disruption throughout the day, noisy work will cease after 10:00 during term time.

Stay up-to-date

The latest project news is shared through the Library blog – keep checking for updates. Major news will also be shared through the Me@Reading student portal and more.

We also share regular updates through our social media channels – we’re on:

Facebook: /theuniversityofreading and /universityofreadinglibrary

Twitter: @UniofReading, @UniRdg_Student and @UniRdg_Library

Instagram: uniofreading and unirdg_library

Please contact library@reading.ac.uk in the first instance if you have any queries.

Full details of the refurbishment, including FAQ, project summary, latest news and study space links, are available on our dedicated Library Refurbishment Project website.

University of Reading Communications Team

Help stop desk hogging in Library@URS

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Library's 'Looking for study space?' card in red and greyAlthough your study space has moved into the URS Building, we all still think it unfair for students to try to reserve desks by leaving their belongings behind.

If this affects you, please go to either the URS Reception desk by the main entrance or the URS Information Desk next to the Course Collection on the ground floor and ask Library staff for support. We have warning cards you can place on unattended 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 instead. Also ask staff to help explain if anyone returning after an hour complains.

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  (open in exam-time Monday to Friday, 13:00-14:00 only).

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator for
Sue Egleton, Head of Systems and User Services.

Noisy chat in Library@URS? Text us!

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Lower part of face with forefinger placed to lipsAre 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.

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator
for Robin Hunter, Facilities Manager

 

Library study space now located in URS Building

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blue sofas and tables and chairs

One of the new group study rooms relocated to the URS Building.

Much of the study furniture from the Library has relocated to the URS Building. It now provides students with a contemporary and versatile space to work and study – including around 800 spaces (145 computers), work areas for collaborative, quiet and silent study, and several key facilities from the Library Building.

Including URS, students can now access over 1,700 study spaces across our Whiteknights and London Road campuses.

URS Building key features

  • Library Information Desk: For general and registration enquiries, located on the Ground Floor.
  • Study space: A variety of study areas – group, quiet and silent – are available on the Ground and 2nd Floors.
  • Study Advice and Maths Support: Get help with study skills and maths on the Ground Floor.
  • Course Collection: Find key texts for your modules in the Course Collection on the Ground Floor.  Holds are also available to collect here.
  • IT Service Desk and facilities: PCs and printing facilities are available on the Ground Floor.  If you need help, just ask at the IT Service Desk there.
  • Café Libro: The Library’s popular café is located on the 2nd Floor of the URS Building.
  • Opening Hours: The URS Building will adopt the 24 hour opening during term (except closing 21:00 Saturday to 08:30 Sunday) as is currently the case in the Library.

Take a look at the map and floor directory to see what’s been moved where.

Preparation of space

Furniture being moved form outside the Library, passing hoardings

Vitra staff moved and reassembled our modern study furniture in URS

The relocation was carried out over the Easter vacation – during this time, several new improvements were made to the URS Building in order to make its study environment as welcoming as possible:

  • Rooms have been configured to meet a wide range of study needs – you’ll find individual study booths, group areas, quiet study spaces and more.
  • We have improved several of the building’s existing features in order to make it a better place to study – new lights have been fitted to make studying easier, and south-facing windows on the Second Floor have been tinted to deflect heat.
  • We have balanced creating a maximum number of spaces with ensuring that students can study in comfort and safety. Health & Safety guidelines recommend that URS holds a maximum capacity of 800 students.
  • Our job as a University is to provide students with comfortable spaces to study, and we believe that URS will prove to be a popular home to Library study space until summer 2018, when facilities will move back into the Library Building.

Why has the space moved?

Relocating study space and facilities from one to building to another posed several benefits.

Moving study space from the Library into URS will provide a quieter environment for study while still being close enough to borrow and use materials. It also means we can carry out more work inside the Library than previously planned, and so will complete the refurbishment around six months earlier.

With URS in such close proximity to the Library, you won’t have far to take the materials you’ve just borrowed from the original Library building for studying.

Library Building key features

The Library remains open for use – inside you will still find:

  • Printed materials: All printed material (other than Course Collection) will remain inside the Library for borrowing or reference.
  • Library staff: Although Library staff are now based in URS, they will still offer a Help Point by the Library entrance and Information Desks on the 2nd and 4th Floors.
  • Opening Hours: The Library Building will open 09:00-22:00 seven days per week during term time. URS will be open 24/6+ during term time (closed Saturday nights).

Construction work will continue in the Library Building whilst we strive to complete the project as soon as possible, so you may experience considerable noise whilst using this building.

Alternative study space across campus

Including URS, there are approximately 1,700 spaces to study on campus (subject to teaching timetabling and departmental use).

Keep in touch

While we have taken great care to ensure that URS meets your needs, we appreciate that there may be more to improve over the coming weeks. Please pass on any feedback or comments to library@reading.ac.uk.

Further information

A dedicated URS Building page has been created to help clarify exactly what has moved from the Library. It will be kept updated by our Library team, who will also share regular news and updates via the Library blog. The Library opening hours page lists opening times for both the Library and URS buildings.

Further details of the Library’s major £40 million refurbishment can be found on our Library Refurbishment Project webpage: www.reading.ac.uk/library/refurb.

Rachel Redrup, Library Marketing Co-ordinator
for University Communications