A library really is just a library, right? Words are words, books are books, librarians are… librarians? It is completely logical, however, to find yourself at least a bit shocked when moving from your old, probably smaller library, to the good old five floor library at Warwick. Fear not, the changes are things to embrace…By Lillie Almond
Variety is the spice of… learning
Your new, shinier library has so very much promise for bigger and better things (things being periodicals, journals, e-books and the like). While reading any degree, you will find yourself turning to a wider variety of sources, with different authors and stances, all to create coherent and balanced pieces based on numerous bodies of work. Your number one place for these bodies of work will be the library.
New Rules
Large adjustments that you will find yourself noticing instantly are things such as floor rules, in which behaviour conduct is paramount. The library accommodates all study types: those that prefer quiet head to Floors 3, 4 or 5, while more social studiers stick to floors 1 and 2.
Because so many people turn to the library for work, break spaces are created too. Talking in a library? Shocking. Etiquette is essential, yet never fear, friendly help is here…
Help is at Hand!
Library staff are able to support you in times of trouble, for example when seeking out texts that you are not used to looking for or texts that are not currently in the building. Many of these are likely to be in Special Collections, which can either be taken out for a limited period or cannot be taken out at all.
Don’t worry if you need assistance – help is always at hand.
Fancy Riding Solo? Independent Check-out
Nevertheless, when you are feeling independent, you are able to check out and return books entirely of your own accord. Use of the library can be almost entirely self-automated, with the ability to look for, reserve and renew books online too. Take a look at this to get you started in looking for those all-important texts.
If you request a hold, the library will kindly email you to tell you when your lovely little literary parcel is there for you, ready and waiting. Head to the glass area on the left hand-side of the 1st floor and you’ll find that the books are all efficiently ordered alphabetically.
Because you get to check it out yourself, librarians are not always present when the building is open. This is because university library hours are 24/7 in comparison to those of any ordinary local or school library.
All seem a little bit foreign now? Wait until you find yourself buried in books at 3, 4, or 6am… and suddenly this article will all make sense! You’ll pick it up in no time.
Library hype – share your thoughts on what makes our university library different to that of yours at sixth form or college!
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