Studying in the Library

Silent study

Level F (top floor) including individual study rooms and glazed rooms of the Hugh Owen Library are silent study areas.

• Phones must be set to silent
• Work silently at all times including when using laptops and computers
• Ensure any personal listening equipment is inaudible to those nearby

Quiet study

Other areas of the Hugh Owen Library are quiet study areas. These are: EL6 (the computer room on Level E), Level E, Iris de Freitas room, Level D (ground floor) and all group study rooms on Levels D and E.

Please:

• Tidy up after yourself - use the recycling bins and don't leave litter behind.
• Be careful with your cables and don't leave them trailing across the floor in case others trip over them.
• Don't 'reserve' tables, study rooms or PCs by leaving your belongings there - space is limited.
• Read our policy on Food and drink in the Library. 
• If you want to talk or use your phone, please go outside of the Library. Noise made on the stairwells (including phone calls) can disrupt people’s concentration.
• Let your fellow students study in peace!

Our aim is to work with our students to provide a comfortable and quiet environment to study in. If you are unwilling to comply with these guidelines you will be asked to leave the Library.

• You need to bring your Aber Card to enter the Library before 08:30am and to leave after 17:00pm.
• You need your card to borrow items.
• Please bring your Aber Card with you when you visit the Library.

Please report lost Aber Cards to Information Services immediately.

• If an error message appears when you scan your Aber Card on the self-issue machines (such as 'invalid card'),  check your library account online. If your fines total over £5.00, this will prevent you from borrowing or renewing items and you will be given the option to pay these online via credit or debit card. If you have overdue items, this can block your account and these books will need to be returned to the Library before you can borrow or renew other items.
• If a book you are carrying triggers an alarm when you leave, staff will call you back. Check your borrowing receipt to make sure your books have been checked out properly; if not, try to check out the item again.
• If the alarm still sounds, you will need to leave the book with staff / in the Library and contact us to solve the problem.

• We will make sure that Library printers are filled with paper before Information Services staff leave each day. Printers/copiers that run out of paper or have a paper jam, can not be fixed during self-service hours.

If you experience problems, please contact us.

Please be considerate to other users and make sure that your working area is clear and tidy when you use the Library. Make sure you do not leave any personal possessions in the Library when you leave the building as we accept no responsibility for items left unattended.

During exam term, study space is at a premium. Please use a locker to keep your belongings secure and to store books you have on loan if you need to move away from your study space for some time. Your cooperation in sharing study spaces is appreciated.

Here are our rules on food and drink in summary: 

• You can have cold food and cold and hot drinks (in spill-proof containers with lids) in the library (there are some exceptions - please see the full regulations).
• Do not bring in smelly, greasy and messy cold food, hot takeaway food that has gone cold nor cold food in noisy packaging.
• Hot food and meals are not permitted in any area of any of the libraries.
• Alcohol must not be consumed in any of the libraries.
• Information Services staff will ask you to move to another area of the library or to leave the library if they feel that you are not using the area appropriately and are disturbing other students.

Read our regulations on food and drink in the library here

We offer 24-hour opening during termtimes so that we can support your studies, whatever hours you choose to keep. However, just because the Library is open for you to use overnight, doesn't mean that you should study around the clock. Please make sure you take regular breaks and get enough sleep. 

If you are leaving the Library late at night, be aware of your personal safety when travelling home.

Behind the scenes, Library cleaning staff work hard to ensure the Library is a clean and tidy place for you to study in. The majority of cleaning work goes on early in the morning each day.

Please be aware that cleaning may cause some disruption to users; please be patient as this work is necessary to make the Library a pleasant environment for all and please be careful of trailing power cables from vacuum cleaners.