Update from Librarian and College Archivist to staff and students

3 December 2020

Dear staff and students,

Following the re-introduction of Level 3 restrictions, the Library will be resuming evening and Saturday opening (with Counter Services) in the Berkeley, Lecky, Ussher and Hamilton libraries from Monday 7th December. The John Stearne Medical Library and the Research Collections Joint Reading Room will resume Saturday opening from 12th December. For full details please see Library opening hours.

In response to the many challenges our students face during this period, we are opening study spaces during the usually ‘Closed Period’ of 24th December 2020 to 3rd January 2021 inclusive. This is the first time such access will be available during the Christmas/New Year period, and while the Library spaces are available to all, it particularly reflects our concern for students’ wellbeing.

From 24th December to 3rd January inclusive, with the exception of Christmas Day 25th December, study spaces will be made available in the following venues: 

• Kinsella Hall
• 1937 Reading Room
• Examination Hall
• Hamilton Bank 

These venues will be open from 10am-8pm (except for Christmas Day 25th December) and closing at 6pm on Christmas Eve 24th December and New Year’s Eve 31st December.  For further details see opening hours and table below:

Kinsella Hall and the 1937 Reading Room will be monitored by Graduate Students’ Union stewards to whom we are most grateful for their assistance. Readers will reserve spaces through the usual Library booking system page. Booking arrangements for the Examination Hall and Hamilton Bank venues are available on the Eventbrite page on the Student Life website.

There will be over 200 study spaces made available during the Christmas/New Year period. All these latest updates are available on the Library’s ‘Plan your visit’ webpage.

We are also especially appreciative of Estates & Facilities staff who will be working over this period so that these study spaces can be available.

With warmest good wishes to you, your family and friends.

Helen Shenton
Librarian & College Archivist