Standards, policies and regulations

As you know the Government has announced a new national lockdown. Our number one priority is to ensure the health and safety of you and our staff. Therefore, we have made some essential changes to our service that will ensure the library is as safe as possible, for those who need to be on campus. Here are the details:

New services

We have implemented several new services where library staff will retrieve or scan items for you. This means you don’t need to spend time in the library browsing the shelves and we can send you the items you need directly to your inbox.

Study spaces

We have limited the number of spaces available throughout the library to ensure you can work in a socially distanced environment. Capacity will be maintained by library staff to ensure the library does not become overcrowded.  

Access to study spaces

Current government guidance allows university libraries to open for those students defined as essential users only. This includes students who are:    

•     students attending essential face to face teaching. You can find details of the programmes which will be delivered face-to-face here.
•     students living in university accommodation
•     students who need additional support with mental health and wellbeing
•     commuter students who do not have access to appropriate study facilities at home
•     researchers or research students who need access to specialist resources or facilities

If you are an essential user, you can book your study space or PC using the online study space or PC booking form.  

Please allow 24 hours' notice to process your booking. Bookings made without 24 hours’ notice cannot be guaranteed.

Click and Collect

Our Click and Collect service will be available only if you can’t access the items you need any other way. Search for your books using Library Search to find out if an online version is available. If you can't find an online version of the item you need, you can request one journal article or one book chapter using our Scan and Deliver service - we will send it to you via email.
If you can’t find the items you need online, get in touch with us. We will do our very best to find a solution.

Hygiene measures 

The following measures are in place to keep you safe:  

• at least one hand sanitiser on each floor of the library; 
• wipe stations available to clean your keyboard or study space before you begin work; 
• key touch points in the library will be cleaned multiple times throughout the day; 
• Perspex screens at all Reception and Help desks to protect both staff and library users; 
• all returned books will be quarantined for 72 hours before being re-shelved.  

Library staff 

The physical Help desk will be closed but library staff are still available by phone, email or chat to answer any queries that you might have.

Queuing System 

At busy times you may be required to queue in order to access some of our services and allow for safe entrance and exit from the library to maintain social distancing regulations. This will be managed by a member of library staff.