New study spaces available on the 1st floor of the Library

On Wednesday 5th of February new study desks were installed on the 1^st Floor of the Library.

There are now an extra 40 study spaces for you to use. If you are looking for a pleasant, quiet study environment try out the 1st Floor of the Library.  

 

If this floor is full and you need a quiet area to concentrate,  remember that there is silent study available on the 3rd floor of the Library.

Thank you for helping to maintain a good environment for study

Please take the time to read this information so that you are aware of the Library rules and regs, which are particularly important during the examination period

Examinations and silent study 
The 3rd floor of the Library is always for single silent study. If you would like to talk or discuss ideas, then please move to a group study area or to the stairwells.  Please take note, that from Monday 25th March, the 2nd floor of the Library will also be for silent study.

If you are disturbed by noise from other students anywhere in the Library, then please speak to a member of Library staff or text 0121 204 4489, so that we can assist.

Warnings for talking, using phone, eating on floors where restricted
Students receive “warnings” for talking/using phone/eating where these are not permitted.
Here is a quick summary of rules:

• No talking on 3rd floor but please keep noise levels down wherever possible - particularly on Ground floor where noise carries (from 25 March there will be no talking on 2nd floor also)
• Please switch phones to silent on 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors and use stairwells for phonecall conversations 
• Eating cold snacks is permitted on Ground Floor only - consumption of food is not permitted on upper floors 

When they have received 3 warnings, students will be sent an email to notify them that a fine of £15 has been applied to their Library account. There is no “limit” but every warning after the first 2 will result in a fine. Warnings go on a student's Library record (not the student record system) and are cleared each academic year.

If you are issued with a warning, then please remember that the warnings are there to ensure that the rules are abided by, in order to maintain an effective study environment for all students.   

uniCARDs
For the safety and security of all Library users, students are required to swipe in to the Library and carry their uniCARD at all times. Please be prepared to show your uniCARD to a designated member of staff, if asked to do so. Refusing to show a uniCARD can lead to a disciplinary, which would be recorded on the student record system.  If a Library user cannot show ID, then Security will be called.   

Day visitors
If you are thinking of bringing a friend to the Library to study, please be aware that there is no access to day visitors (non members of the University), or students from other universities with a SCONUL Access Reference card, from Monday 25 March.  This is to help maximise study space for Aston University students during our busiest period.

If you’re not sure about Library Regulations, then now’s the time to find out.
Please see: http://www1.aston.ac.uk/library/about-us/02libregs/ 

The Library Regulations are there for the benefit of all Library users, so thank you again for helping to maintain a good environment for study.  

Help us to help you study more effectively!

Study Spaces in the Library

Group Study Spaces
Most of the group study spaces are located on the ground floor. There are quiet study carrels on the 1st floor and group study spaces in the Learning Development Centre.

 Flexible Study floor
The 2nd floor of the Library is a flexible study area. For most of the year it is for group study but during the third term it changes to silent study only.

Single Silent Study
The 3rd floor is always for single silent study. If you need to talk to someone, please move to a group study area or to the stairwell. If you are disturbed by noise from other students on this floor, please contact a member of Library staff or text 0121 204 4489. Staff will deal with the problem immediately.

Please help us to create a good environment for study and look after you belongings at all times.

Group study rooms

Group study rooms are available on the Ground floor of the Library, near the main computer lab. Currently these are available on a first come first served basis for small group work.

Other rooms can be booked at the

Learning Development centre on the first floor.

Study spaces within the Library Building

Group Study Spaces
Most of the group study spaces are located on the ground floor of the Library Building. Using the large study tables or the comfortable seating areas, you can work in groups to discuss your assignments, prepare presentations and plan tasks. feel free to use the whiteboards provided to make notes of your discussions. The 1st floor contains quiet study carrels and group study spaces in the Learning Development Centre.

Flexible Study floor
The 2nd floor of the Library is a Flexible Study area. During the examination period and throughout term three, the 2nd floor will be for silent study only. During the rest of the year, it will be available for use as group study space.

Silent Study
We have designated the 3rd floor as a Silent Study area, where noise must be kept to a minimum, so as not to interfere with individual quiet study. If you need to talk to someone, please move to a group study area or to the stairwell. If you are working in a silent study area and are disturbed by noise from others, please contact a member of Library staff who will deal with the problem immediately.

Library - Invitation to Focus Group Discussion

Dear Students,

Tell us what you think!

Library & Information Services would like to invite you to a focus group discussion in the Library to ensure your views contribute to our programme of continuous improvement.

If you would like to help and you are free from:
12:30 to 2:00pm on Tuesday 22 March (Undergraduates)
12:30 to 2:00pm on Wednesday 23 March (Postgraduates)

then please email library@aston.ac.uk to book a place. We will provide you with some light refreshments and an online book voucher.

Please include the following information with your reply:
1. Your name
2. Course of study
3. Year of study
4. Brief information about why you would like to be involved in the focus group

Once you have contacted us, we will confirm your booking via email by Monday 21st March.

We will allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis ensuring at the same time, that students from different courses of study, across different year groups, are all represented as much as possible. Please remember that your views are valuable to us in developing services that meet your needs and the needs of students at Aston in the coming years.

We look forward to hearing from you.

library@aston.ac.uk

Silent study during examination period

The 2nd and 3rd floor of the Library will remain silent study zones until 12th June. Please remember that only single, silent study is permitted on these floors during this time.
If you have any comments or queries about this, please comment on this blog post.

Noisy Neighbours (in the Library)?

Floor 3 is silent study at the moment - if you find that you have noisy neighbours you can text a library attendant to deal with the problem, without leaving your seat.

Text 0121 204 4489 giving your family name, your student number, the floor you are sitting on and the word Noise.

Silence on Floor 3 of the Library

Thank you all for keeping Floor 3 silent.
There is a really studious atmosphere up there at the moment.
This is the perfect place if you are revising alone.

Library Refurbishment Summer 2010 - Have Your Say!

During the summer of 2010, the University will be spending over £4M to completely refurbish the ground floor of the library, provide a new staircase and passenger lift facing Aston Street, and install new toilets on all four floors of the building. The remaining floors will be refurbished in subsequent years.

We would like your input to the planning process and will be seeking your feedback in two ways:

• On the morning of Thursday 10 December, we will be asking students in the library what they think about the proposals and what they would like to see included in the project. If you’re asked for your views, but you’d prefer not to participate because you have coursework deadlines, are revising and so on, please inform the team and they will move on to someone else. The team will not be visiting the third floor, which will remain silent study.

• Also on Thursday 10 December, between 1.00pm and 1.45pm in the Sumpner Lecture Theatre on 6^th floor of the Main Building, the architects will give a presentation on the options under consideration. All students are welcome (subject to the capacity limit of the room), so please come along and give us your views.

Nick Smith

Dr NR Smith

Director

Library & Information Services

If you have any queries or comments about this, please add your comments below.

Quiet study space

Need a quiet place to revise or make last minute alterations to your dissertation? No space in the Library? The Chaplaincy are offering a quiet, informal study space, plus the offer of tea or coffee. There is no need to book, but for further information please email chaplaincy@aston.ac.uk