Library 24/7 2010 - General Feedback

[wbqt83]

The Main Library and Queen's Campus Library will be open 24/7 for six weeks during the exam period from 10am Saturday 24 April to midnight Friday 4 June 2010. You can find more information at http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/247

What do you like about 24/7 opening? What doesn't work? Have you had any problems? Let us know any thoughts you have about 24/7 opening below.

[qrjv51]

I would just like to say this is a fantastic idea that I will most certainly be making use of. I like to work late at night as this is when I concentrate best. I was annoyed that Oxbridge had this facility that we didn't. This is brilliant news. Thank you very much.

[wbqt83]

Thanks for your feedback. It's great to hear you will be making use of the 24/7 opening.

[d44j8p]

As a member of staff, this is a really useful service for me as well. However, I was disappointed to see late one evening a student eating a curry in the level 3 computer room and a group of students having a noisy discussion around a laptop. This really isn't acceptable for a study area. Is there anything you can do about this? Otherwise I think 24/7 opening is a great idea!

[kwfj49]

Brilliant! I can't study when the library's busy, and during this stressful time this will be a great help for private study!

[wbqt83]

Thanks for letting us know about people eating and talking in the PC rooms. We have posters up reminding people to study silently and that food and drink is not allowed in any of the PC rooms. Throughout the night our security staff should also be regularly patrolling the building and asking people who behave inappropriately to leave, however as they are not there all the time and may miss some incidents.

The best way to tackle this is if we know when and where it is happening, so if you have a similar experience in future please report it again, and encourage anyone else to tell us. Based on this information we can take further action if required. If people don't want to post a message on the forum they can also email main.counter@durham.ac.uk (or if they are in Queen's it's stockton.library@durham.ac.uk)

The current Library 24/7 opening is a trial, and although the usage statistics and the cost of providing the service will inform future decisions on extended opening hours, the way that the building is used will also have an impact. If students and staff find 24/7 opening useful then they need to use the service in a responsible way that is respectful to those who study around them, as well as the building environment and equipment (e.g. not eating or drinking in areas with PCs).

[brhf95]

I'm a very big fan. It means I don't have to lug loads of books up and down to college if I'm working late and can pick up a book any time.

[sjkg15]

I think the library 24/7 idea is great for people who like to study late into the evening however I've experienced a few problems with this. Last week I was getting to the library around 8:45am and finding it very difficult to find a seat. On two occassions last week I sat on a desk where the seat next to me had been reserved with books. The person who was sitting here did not turn up till after 12pm and then disapeared for another hour after doing about 30mins of work. I think reserving seats shouldn't be allowed in the library and there should be someway of preventing people doing this. I've heard that people leave books and notes overnight in the library in order to save themselves a seat the following day.

[rgvz17]

the 'library 24/7' is a brilliant idea. as far as i can tell, everybody is enjoying themselves in various ways. personally i don't have a routined schedule for studying; i simply study when 'the timing seems right'. library 24/7 is perfect for me and i think the library should be open 24/7 at all times.

[rmxg64]

Really helpful to have this kind of facility 24/7. Hope it happens next year too!