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:
- Study Space Map: We’ve had great feedback from students who have used this map to find alternative study space, in addition to that offered in the URS Building;
- Free Room Finder: This online tool displays rooms available for immediate use and you can search based on campus area, time needed, and/or capacity required;
- PDF study space list: Updated regularly, this list highlights spaces across our campuses that can be used for study (subject to scheduled teaching or departmental use);
- List of available PCs: This webpage shows approximate numbers of PCs across campus;
- Central Room Booking service: Students can book rooms on campus in advance, for example, for group study.
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 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.
Are others chatting too noisily in the Library’s URS building? Alert us by text, without identifying yourself to others or leaving your seat!
Anti-desk hogging service!
The University is pleased to confirm that, following student feedback, we have made arrangements for the Library and URS buildings to be open for two additional weekends during the forthcoming Christmas vacation period as follows:
Starting this Friday (17 November), students will be able to make use of 
Work has begun on the installation of the cladding towards the front of the University Library. Over the next weeks, the contractors will be installing cladding brackets and rails on the exterior walls, which will involve heavy drilling. Occupants of Edith Morley, Whiteknights House and URS buildings may experience a higher than usual noise level, but are advised that the noisiest drilling work will finish by 10:00 every day.