Have Your Say! Library Focus Group

At the Library we pride ourselves on our openness to feedback, comments, and, when necessary, criticism. And thanks to you, we’ve made a number of changes to the ways we can help you get the best out of your studies.

From improvements to wifi coverage and IT facilities to loan recalls during vacations, to extended opening hours, you’ve told us what you’d like – and we’ve listened.

We’d like your help to help us help you again! We’re running a Library Focus Group on Wednesday 13th March at 12.15pm in Library Seminar Room 1 to get your feedback about how we’re doing. We’re open to discussion on any subject related to the Library – our resources, study spaces, skills support, anything you like.

By way of an added incentive, we’re throwing in a free lunch as well!

If you are interested in attending, please email library@lboro.ac.uk to register.

We look forward to seeing you – and hearing your ideas.

Library Opening Hours During the Christmas Vacation

Terms ends next week (doesn’t time fly?) and so we’ll be switching to a Vacation Opening Hours schedule from Monday 17th December until Saturday 5th January. Here are what our revised opening hours will be.

Term ends next Friday, 14th December. The Library remains open as normal on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th December, then on Monday 17th we switch to a revised shorter opening schedule for the holiday period as follows:

  • Monday 17th – 09.00 – 17.30
  • Tuesday 18th – 09.00 – 17.30
  • Wednesday 19th – 09.00 – 20.00
  • Thursday 20th – 9.00 – 17.30
  • Friday 21st – 9.00 – 17.30

As usual during vacations, last entry to the building is fifteen minutes before closing time, when we begin clearing the building.

The Library will be closed for the rest of Christmas from Saturday 22nd December to Wednesday 2nd January, when we re-open on the following schedule:

  • Wednesday 2nd – 09.00 – 02.00
  • Thursday 3rd – 09.00 – 02.00
  • Friday 4th – 09.00 – 02.00

We’re open as usual on Saturday and Sunday, and then when term starts on Monday 7th January, we re-open at 8.30 as usual, and thereafter we switch to 24-7 opening for the rest of January.

Welcome to the Library

So, you’ve made it to Loughborough – congratulations! At the University Library we take great pride in how we support all our new users – if you ever have a question about how we can support you, ask one of our friendly staff.

As a new student you are automatically enrolled as a member of the Library. your student ID card is also your Library card. Don’t lose it as you need to swipe in through the barriers to enter the Library and to use our self-service machines to borrow your books.

Getting the most of out of your Library

Academic Librarians will be out in the schools during induction week – look out for the Library session in your timetable. You don’t have to wait for the session to use us though – feel free to pop in when you arrive and have a look round, or just come along to one of the quick library tours & induction sessions we’re running over the first week of term.

We’ve also set up a dedicated web page for new starters full of handy tips about how to use the library and get the best out of us. Check it out here – http://www.lboro.ac.uk/services/library/students/about/welcome/

Get the Know How Library workshops

During the autumn term Library staff will be running workshops offering helpful guidance on a wide variety of academic practices including essay writing, note taking, time management and presentation skills. You can find more information about these workshops on our webpages.

Using the Library

Enquiry Desks

The Library offers an Enquiry Desk Service across all levels of the Library during standard office hours (Monday – Friday 9AM to 5:30PM).  User Services staff will be able to help you with most of your enquiries and if necessary will refer you to a colleague with more specialist knowledge.

The Enquiry Desks are staffed by a smaller team of Library staff until 10pm on weekdays, and throughout opening hours on Saturday and Sunday. The staff will be able to help you with most of your enquiries but may need to refer you to a daytime member of staff for detailed assistance.

Finding Information

For specialised help in finding information in your subject area, each School has its own Academic Librarian to offer support and guidance.

Academic librarians are available to assist all University staff and students to find and use information resources effectively, develop library collections to meet your needs and to be your contact point for any information related enquiry.  They have all developed expertise in the subject areas of their Schools and are very happy to help.

Study Spaces

The Library has a range of different study spaces, from silent and quiet spaces to group and social areas. There are also a number of spaces that you can book online including grpup study rooms, bookable booths on Level 4 and individual study carrels on Levels 1 & 2 . Ask at the Enquiry Desk to be shown how to book these rooms yourself.

IT Facilities

There are 250 PCs (excluding those dedicated to accessing Library Catalogue Plus) available in the Library with the majority of these located on Levels 3 & 4. The Library also has a wireless network throughout the building, enabling users to connect to the University’s network from their laptops.

The Library provides basic A4/A3 monochrome and colour printing/copying facilities. Before being able to print or copy you will need to purchase printer credits. You can pay for this at the main Enquiry Desk on Level 3 of the Library.

PC Clinic

The Student PC Clinic is now situated on Level 3 of the Library and is available to help with any IT queries you may have. It is staffed during standard office hours through until 6PM (Monday – Friday) and is open 12pm-2pm at weekends.

Library Café & Shop

We have a café situated on Level 3 which is one of the most popular on campus, not least of all because of their amazing breakfast cobs – as Library staff will testify! We also have a small shop situated near the entrance which sells a variety of snacks, stationary and basic essentials.

Leisure Reading

Here at the Library we’re championing leisure reading! Why? Well, not only is reading for pleasure a great mood enhancer, it’s also strongly linked to academic achievement. So, if you want to give your grades a boost, why not come and browse our dedicated Leisure Reading Collection? The Collection comprises a broad range of genres including contemporary fiction, graphic novel, biography, memoir, crime, fantasy, horror and science fiction – something to suit all tastes!

… And of course, look out for our favorite feline, Charlie the Cat. Your Loughborough experience isn’t truly complete until you’ve had a selfie with him!

University Open Days, 21st-22nd September

The University will be holding Open Days on Friday 21st September and Saturday 22nd September. Visitors, students and staff should be aware that campus, and in particular the Library, will likely be extremely busy on both days.

The Library will, as usual, be hosting several displays and stands by other support services within the University on both days, and they will be taking up temporary residence this week on Level 3. As such certain study areas on this level will be unavailable during this time.

August Bank Holiday & Special Assessment Period

Just to remind all of our visitors that the Library will be CLOSED along with the rest of the University during the entire Bank Holiday this coming weekend, and that we will not be re-opening until 9am on Wednesday 29th August.

This will coincide with the beginning of the Special Assessment Period, when the Library will be temporarily extending its opening hours to 9am – 8pm on weekdays from Wednesday 29th August to Thursday 6th September. Please note that we remain closed at weekends. From Friday 7th September we return to our usual vacation opening times for the remainder of September.

All IT Services Unavailable on Wednesday 11th July, 3pm to Midnight

The University is investing £1.3M on upgrading essential IT infrastructure, resulting in temporary downtime of all IT facilities across campus from 3pm on Wednesday 11th July. All University IT Systems will be unavailable during this upgrade, including telephones and printers.

The upgrade has an expected finish time of midnight, though services should also be considered as at risk the following day.

This upgrade will effect the Library considerably, as it will mean that there will be no IT access or provision at all once the work begins. As well as the printer and telephone networks across campus, the Library housekeeping system and Library Catalogue Plus will be unavailable as well.

In light of this, we have taken the decision to close the Library at 5.30pm on Wednesday July 11th instead of our usual later 8pm closing time. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

For further information, help and advice about the upgrade, please visit the IT Services website – http://www.lboro.ac.uk/services/it/staff/status/ – or alternatively contact the IT Service Desk via IT.Services@lboro.ac.uk.

University Open Days 29th-30th June

The University will be holding Open Days on Friday 29th June and Saturday 30th June. Visitors, students and staff should be aware that campus, and in particular the Library, will likely be extremely busy on both days.

As usual the Library will be hosting several displays and stands by other support services within the University on both days, and they will be taking up temporary residence later this week on Level 3. As such, certain study areas on this level will be unavailable during this time and will be cordoned off from public use.

Library Opening Times During Summer Vacation

As term officially ends this Wednesday it’s an opportune time to remind people that from next Monday, 25th June, the Library will be switching to its vacation opening times schedule. This is:

  • Monday 9am-5.30pm
  • Tuesday 9am-5.30pm
  • Wednesday 9am-8pm
  • Thursday 9am-5.30pm
  • Friday 9am-5.30pm
  • Saturday CLOSED
  • Sunday CLOSED

Please note that, as usual, our only late(ish) evening opening is on Wednesday nights, and that we are closed entirely at weekends for the duration of the vacation. Also, please remember that last entry to the Library is ten minutes before closing time, in order to allow staff to clear the building.

The IT Services PC Clinic in the Library is open throughout the summer, but only during the hours 11am-3pm. Outside these times the IT Services Help Desk can be contacted 8.30am-5pm (week days only).

The Library Shop will be closed for the summer, but the Library Café will remain open, 9am-4pm daily.

As usual during the vacation we will be catching up with a few out-of-season maintenance jobs around the building; we will keep everyone posted here and on our usual social media channels of when & where these will be taking place to minimise any potential disruption to visitors.

Additional Study Space During the Bank Holiday

As this Bank Holiday weekend is traditionally one of the busiest times of the Academic calendar (not least in the Library!), University Facilities Management are opening up some extra study spaces over the weekend.

These are:

  • Saturday 26th May 8.00am – 6.00pm: All of James France – CC rooms and Exhibition area, all of West Park Teaching Hub
  • Sunday 27th May 8.00am – 6.00pm: All of James France – CC rooms and Exhibition area, all of West Park Teaching Hub
  • Monday 28th May 8.00am – 6.00pm: All of James France – CC rooms and Exhibition area, all of West Park Teaching Hub

These are addition to the D-Rooms in James France and the YY-Rooms in John Cooper.

The Library will still be open 24-7 over the weekend, albeit with a skeleton service on Bank Holiday Monday. Unfortunately the PC Clinic will be closed on Monday.