Dec 2025 update
Straight to the point
We streamlined our website so that you can enjoy the same online Library resources faster and with less effort. A period of rapid change has seen us reinvent how we present the Library online to make everything we offer more intuitive and easier to find, presenting our services and resources in the familiar way as the rest of the University website.
Many of you told us the Library was far larger than any you were used to and so we brought together all our hand-crafted welcome videos, guides to essential services, virtual and audio tours and accessibility information in one place on the front of our new website to make it easier for you to get the most from the Library, however you like to study. With our print books location page making it easier for you to find library books yourself, the Click and Collect service bringing books you request to the Atrium shelves, and postal loans to post books to any registered UK address for free, fetch books from the shelves and deliver essential reading online wherever possible.
Space for everyone
Being inclusive is at the heart of everything we do, so we were delighted to be among the first buildings on campus to introduce individual and two-person study pods, as well as one of the first two breastfeeding pods on campus to support nursing mothers who prefer to breastfeed in private to return to study or work with confidence.
We have also remained open 24/7 during term-time because we know how many of you enjoy settling in during the quiet small hours to study. We’ve even created a whole new postgraduate study suite - a space apart for our postgraduate research students, who now enjoy their very own oasis of tranquility when the main library is busy.
Supporting you to study well
Ensuring you can stay warm, fed and well all year round is part of our mission, which is why we offer microwaves where you can reheat economical, home-cooked food and nourish yourself while you study sustainably as well as water bottle refill stations and affordable vending machines available 24/7.
And for when you are ready to take a break, we created the relaxation corner near the cafe with soft seating with its attractive collection of books hand-picked by our librarians to peak your interest and support your wellbeing. Meanwhile, the popular Book Nook continues to serve both our students and the local community from its new home in the foyer, where anyone can donate or pick up pre-loved books for free.
Resourcing you to go further
You tell us every year that our online resources are among the things you like most about studying here, so we continue to spend £3 million every year to ensure you have everything you need to succeed. We turned our Subject pages into tailored learning paths taking you from first steps to final projects with library teaching, support, and the best resources for your subject, and are continuing to enhance the EBSCO Discovery Service to make it steadily easier to find precisely what you need from a simple search.
Celebrating student success
We are delighted to display the talents of our students and staff, decorating our walls and windows with the creative exhibitions of diverse students and local artists.
What else would make you smile?
The Library is a service shaped by student led change and almost everything you see was shaped by student feedback. We would love for you to tread in the footsteps of generations of students before you, letting us know where we can improve and what else would make your studies easier. We are really looking forward once again to reading your comments on what we do well and where we can do better. Building on strengths in partnership with our students together with our willingness to always go the extra mile is why we have held prestigious Customer Service Excellence Standard recognition continuously since 2016.
Comment your ideas on our social media channels, drop us an email, write them down anonymously and pop them in our retro red feedback postbox or tell us in person. We would love to hear what’s working well for you and where we can do better.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!