Student led change 2018

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“Loved the library: it is a good place to do virtually everything academic.”

Change is the only constant and the Library never stands still.  The last three years have seen the library transformed as we have introduced more of what we observed our clients liked the most and built on your feedback to adapt the Library to better suit your needs.  The recent ground floor refurbishment gave the Library a modern look and feel, but observing you at work we could see there were still many ways to adapt the Library to better support you in the way you showed us you want to work.  We have introduced hundreds of new loanable laptops and freed up more study space every year so you can work more comfortably, flexibly and with more personal space anywhere you choose.  

Re-designed around you 

You told us that “A lack of enforced quiet areas also makes it difficult to concentrate.”  We better arranged the study zones so when you want to study in silence no background noise can reach you, and introduced movable desk dividers to reduce the temptation to talk.  We increased the number of staff patrols through areas where noise was reported and trained our staff to be more effective at maintaining the quality of study environment you deserve.  For those times when essential building work has to take place or you absolutely require total silence to concentrate without any risk of interruption, we now offer free ear plugs. 

“I really liked the library and the services available. It is comfortable and easy to use.”

Building in beauty

You told us how having an attractive study environment made coming to the Library more attractive and that you found changing display spaces and exhibitions a beneficial diversion that helped you break up your studyand involve you in broader interests.

 “I absolutely love taking a few minutes away from my studies to look and think about the portrayals and skills involved in producing them. It really aids my work!”

 Carrying through the clean, curved lines of nature that inspired the ground floor refurbishment, we rationalised and redesigned our signage, creating a clean and uncluttered space for you to think or just be.  Beauty inspires, and so we created a display of our most visually inspiring books in the Atrium and brought together displays of creative work by our students and staff to create a naturally lit enclave on the first floor landing to inspire contemplation and creative thought.  

Greater convenience

“The library borrowing system works well and is convenient; I particularly like the automatic renewal of books!”

 No-one wants to worry about whether they have renewed their books, so we made all our books renew themselves automatically until someone requests them. That’s one less thing to worry about! 

 “The library and learning resources are exceptional. The teaching staff … are of a very high standard and are extremely passionate and knowledgeable in their subject area.”

When you needed them most, we have run drop-in clinics for information searching and referencing, so you never have to wait for the help you need whether you are about to start your assignments or finishing them off.

“Referencing workshops have proven to be very helpful to me, and the staff are fantastic and always ready to help.”

Always available

Because you told us it was important to you, we now open 24/7 throughout the academic year.  Even during the summer, we open until midnight.  With our electronic resources available 24/7 from anywhere all year round, the Library and its full suite of resources are always there whenever you want them.

“In the early hours of the morning, when the café and Co-Op are shut, it would be nice to have access to a bag of crisps. I have no doubt that it would generate a lot of revenue!”

You work better when you are hydrated, and so we installed more drinking water fountains closer to where you work.  We worked with our catering partners to open the library café for longer and install new, reliable vending machines with a more diverse selection of foods, hot and cold drinks around the clock, even after the local shops have closed. 

 You told us that you wanted “A toilet on each floor in the Library,” because “it would really save student's time having to go all the way to the ground floor to use the general toilets whilst studying.”  We installed luxuriously spacious new gender neutral toilets on every floor and have refurbished all the existing ground floor toilets.  Everything you need to study in comfort is now always close at hand.

Digitally enhanced

“The library has a multitude of very helpful resources and if you cannot find what you need, the library staff are incredibly helpful at providing you what you need!”

We have redesigned our website from the bottom up to make it simpler to use.  Online reading lists offer access to articles and ebooks from a single click.  Library catalogue records now include 3D maps showing where you can find each book. You can now download as much as a chapter per day from many of our ebooks with a single tap or click.  For everything else, our new look subject pages bring together the very best subject resources for you to use in your assignments.  It has never been easier to find everything you need to succeed.

“Library resources are amazing.”

For those few things you might need that are not in stock, you can now request electronic copies of book chapters and journal articles for delivery to your email inbox, or a printed copy of a journal issue or an entire book to the Library.  With all our electronic resources available from anywhere 24/7 as if you were working on campus, it has never been easier to get hold of all that we have and everything we can get from other libraries.

“As a distance learner, the way the online material and library function is extremely useful.”

And we’re still not finished

You told us that you “…really liked the library and the services available. It is comfortable and easy to use. The only thing is that it gets too crowded during peak times.” 

We are continuing to build on client feedback, turning whole areas of shelving into new study spaces with more power sockets on the upper floors to ensure there is always ample study space for everyone all year round.

We welcome you to join the long tradition of students who have helped shape the Library.  Post your suggestions into our suggestions post box or Online Suggestion Box and tell us how we can make your student experience even better.  Final year students can also give feedback by completing the National Student Survey