Spaces, Facilities & Equipment: Spaces, Facilities & Equipment

The Library offers a variety of study areas, catering for as many different learning preferences as possible. There are 59 computer workstations and 187 study spaces with a further 24 workstations located in the 24/7 IT Suite.  105 of the study spaces have access to a power supply for laptop charging.

The study spaces around bookshelves on both floors are for quiet study with low level talking permitted.

The Social Study Suite on the first floor is designed for group and collaborative working and normal noise levels are permitted.  Here you'll also find five bookable Seminar Rooms, each containing a Smartboard, computer and drywipe whiteboard.

The Silent Study Suite (entry from the first floor book shelves) is designed for individuals working in silence and so no noise at all is permitted.  Here you'll also find four bookable Study Booths, each with a computer and large desk.

The Library is generally busiest between 10am and 4pm on weekdays.

Most study areas are open access with no booking required, but to use one of our five seminar rooms or four individual study booths a booking is required.  

Seminar rooms can be booked for up to 2 hours at a time and study booths for up to 4 hours at a time.  Both can be booked up to a week in advance.

To book a study space click here.

Staff members, external borrowers and members of the public may not book seminar rooms or study booths.

There are several locations around campus designated as quiet spaces; somewhere private you can take five and relax.  Two of the quiet spaces are in the Cornerstone Building...

The Rest Room is just inside the main entrance to the building. As well as being a quiet space, it doubles as a medical room and baby changing space.  This private room contains a comfy chair and footstool, a medical couch, and a sink.  When not in use this room is kept locked: ask for the key at the Library Service Desk.

The Nook is on the first floor of the Library at the far end of the bookshelves.  This cosy corner contains an armchair, footstool, standard lamp and blanket and is stocked with a small selection of 'quick read' novels and non-fiction.

BGU uses combination printer-photocopiers.  There is one on each floor of the Library and one in the 24/7 IT Suite.  All print/copy in colour and black & white, but default to black & white. 

BGU students are required to pay for printing and photocopying. A print/copy account is set up when you enrol onto your course. The first time you try to print or copy you will be prompted to activate your account; you'll find instructions next to the printer-copiers. 

To top-up your account (minimum payment £1) or to send jobs to print from your own device go to:https://myprint.bishopg.ac.uk.

The University does not refund unused print/copy credit, so please ensure you manage your credit carefully, especially towards the end of your course.

Important tips

All of the devices in the Cornerstone Building default to single-sided, black & white printing and copying, so if you want something in colour or double-sided you will need to change the settings on the device (in the case of a photocopy) or the computer (in the case of a print).

More information

For more detailed information on all aspects of printing and photocopying, including printing from laptops and mobile devices, refer to the IT Services Printing user guide, available on the Portal under IT Services - User Guides.

All library users are expected to maintain an atmosphere conducive to study and to show common courtesy to the people studying around them.  You are permitted to bring lidded drinks into the Library, but no open drink containers or food.  We also ask that you move to a stairwell to make or take phone calls, and, when using headphones, that you keep the volume low enough to not be overheard by those around you. 

If another library user is disturbing or distracting you please tell a member of the library team so we can take action.  We reserve the right to ask individuals to leave the building if the behaviour of the individual is considered to be inappropriate to the library environment.  

Click here to see your rights and responsibilities as a user of our library.

You cannot photocopy/print unlimited amounts from library resources (this is against the law!) but you are permitted to photocopy/print limited amounts. In general you should photocopy/print no more than 10% or one chapter of a book (whichever is greater) and no more than one article per journal issue but you are advised to visit our Copyright for BGU Students site to gain a better understanding of the rules as they apply to all types of library resources. 

At enrolment you will be given details of your BGU computer login and account.  Your account provides you with a BGU email account and masses of storage to store files in the cloud and access them from any internet connection.

For more information see the IT Services area of the University Portal, where you'll also find information relating to bringing your own device onto campus.

Guillotines, hole punches and staplers are available to use in the Social Study Suite on the first floor of the Library.

Digital Print Services offer a binding service at a cost of £1.20 for which they will supply a clear plastic cover, a board back and a binding comb and bind your work for you.  They are located on the ground floor of the Skinner Building, just a few feet away from The Snug.

Lockers are available in the Cornerstone Building foyer for use by BGU students and anyone else holding a current BGU library card. They are strictly for short-term use and keys must be issued to your library account during Service Desk opening hours. A £10 charge applies if a locker key is lost.  Keys can only be issued when the Service Desk is open, but can be returned via the external or internal book drop boxes when the Service Desk is closed. To find out more, please speak to a member of library staff.

Study spaces, Copiers, Computers all ©Bishop Grosseteste University.
Guillotine from City Girl Gone Coastal .
Coloured Pencils by Paul Tomlin on Flickr under a CC BY 2.0 Creative Commons licence.