Facilities and support

Libraries and Archives

Durham is exceptionally well provided with libraries and archives. The University Library includes the Bill Bryson Library and the Palace Green Library and together they provide access to a huge collection of materials, including books, journals, official publications and electronic resources. Durham is also home to an unusually extensive and diverse range of archives and special collections. University students also have access to the Sharp Library housed in Durham Cathedral, and the library of Ushaw College. Additional library support and study-space are available in the Durham Colleges. Outside the University, there is also the Dean and Chapter Library of the Cathedral, and Durham County Record Office is a short distance from the town centre, other regional record offices are within easy reach.

Durham students are also entitled to consult books in Newcastle University Library, the catalogue of which is available via the Durham campus network which also gives access to the catalogues of a number of other libraries outside Durham. The Literary and Philosophical Society, also in Newcastle, is another useful library. It is easily accessible from Newcastle Central Station, it is free to access on a reference basis and you can borrow materials as a subscriber.

Department and Faculty

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities has a dedicated Postgraduate Centre located in Elvet Riverside 144A. It provides facilities for all postgraduates in the Faculty, including 12 networked PCs plus a printer and scanner, wi-fi throughout, over 60 study spaces (40 with power points for laptops). The Centre also has 100 lockers (keys issued from room A58 on the first floor) and plenty of bookshelf space. It is open from 8.30 to 9.30 on weekdays, and, in term time, on Saturdays as well. You should automatically be provided with a code for the digital entrypad by email from Graduate School. Please do not disclose this code to anyone other than other postgraduates registered for the Centre.

Within the department there is a Postgraduate Centre in the Department with networked computers and printers, and students also have access to a photocopier, a scanner and laptops for archival work. In addition, the Department can also provide some financial support for research in archives and libraries, and delivery of papers at seminars and conferences.

Seminars and Research Centres

There are many opportunities for postgraduate students to become involved in the research community. The Department hosts a variety of reseach seminars and has vigorous postgraduate discussion groups. Postgraduates are also welcome to attend seminars in other departments, in interdisciplinary research centres, and at the Institute of Advanced Study.