Noise at Park Sq

I live on campus and there are no quiet houses so I rely heavily on silent areas in the library for quiet study. However I am constantly taking it upon myself to hush students making unnecessary noise or just talking. Silent means silent. Please find a way to rectify this problem as Uni is not cheap

Thank you for your comments. I am sorry that you have been experiencing these problems with the Silent areas in the LRC. To be clear the silent area at the Park Sq LRC is levels 2 & 3, everywhere else is quiet to social learning noise levels.

If you are on level 2 or 3 and find the noise level unacceptable please report it to security. There are hourly security patrols. This helps keep noise levels down. Written Warnings are issued if appropriate.

The LRC is working constantly with the SU to find ways of maintaining the silent study environment on levels 2 & 3

Noise in LRC

have been advised by LRC staff to lodge my complaint about the level of noise in the library "silent" areas to you.

I am a Level 2 Psychology student, and at the end of last year, I found noise in the library to be a problem. This year it is even worse. The "silent" areas have been reduced to two small levels, 2 and 3. Level 3 would suit me fine, if it were silent, as it is where the majority of my textbooks are kept (apart from the fact that there is nowhere to plug in laptops this year). However, it is far from silent, as groups of students find it perfectly acceptable to sit having long chats, or work noisily together. I find myself very frustrated,

and disrupted, constantly having to picking up my books and notes, and desperately combing the library to find somewhere silent to study: there is nowhere.

I have 2 small children at home. I don't get the opportunity to come into the library to study very often, and when I do, the very point of me being there is thwarted.

Please can you advise me of what action you will be taking to ensure that "silent" areas are kept silent, and that absolutely no talking will be tolerated, under any circumstances?

Thank you for writing to me about your concerns

With all the building work at the start of this academic year the study space at Park Square has been compromised in a variety of ways - not least by the noise of the building works. It is frustrating to have the study environment changed by fellow customers. The silent areas are supported by the SU the LRC's code of conduct and monitored by Security. To that end Security patrol once an hour and will respond to any complaints by other customers to address breeches of the silence code of conduct. A range of penalties are in place to enforce this patrol.

May I encourage you to report any breeches of the silence rule to security this will help keep levels 2 & 3 silent

Access to journals at Park Square LRC Luton

Hello, I wondered if the Journals section of the library will be open this week?
I understand there are on-going maintance works, I wondered if I would be able to access the Journal of Applied Psychology?

There is open access to the print journals at the LRC Park Square. They are now housed in the rolling stack ground floor Park Street end of the LRC. If you have trouble locating the journal please ask the member of staff on duty at the Customer Service desk.

You may access the journal electronically using this link and authenticating your access using your username and password.

http://library.beds.ac.uk/search~S20?/sjournal+of+applied+psychology/sjournal+of+applied+psychology/1,2,2,B/frameset&FF=sjournal+of+applied+psychology+electronic+resource&1,1,

Always check the catalogue to see if an electronic version is available as you can access this outside normal LRC opening hours

Thanks

s

Access to journals at Park Square LRC Luton

Hello, I wondered if the Journals section of the library will be open this week?
I understand there are on-going maintance works, I wondered if I would be able to access the Journal of Applied Psychology?

There is open access to the print journals at the LRC Park Square. They are now housed in the rolling stack ground floor Park Street end of the LRC. If you have trouble locating the journal please ask the member of staff on duty at the Customer Service desk.

You may access the journal electronically using this link and authenticating your access using your username and password.

http://library.beds.ac.uk/search~S20?/sjournal+of+applied+psychology/sjournal+of+applied+psychology/1,2,2,B/frameset&FF=sjournal+of+applied+psychology+electronic+resource&1,1,

Always check the catalogue to see if an electronic version is available as you can access this outside normal LRC opening hours

Thanks

s

Sconul Access

I am a full time undergraduate at Cambridge University, and I live near
the University of Bedfordshire's Polihill Avenue campus. Does you have
any regulations regarding external users of the library? I would be
interested in using the library at the Bedford campus during holidays in
order to study and use books for reference. I do not request borrowing
privileges.

I am aware that there is the SCONUL access scheme, but I have been told
that there is an informal agreement that most university libraries are
available for (limited) use by full time students from other universities.

The summer vacation co-operation scheme would allow access mid - June to September. Cambridge University is not a member of the Sconul Access scheme so I regret you cannot take advantage of this.

Polhill Returns

The ... drop box at Polhill Campus library has now been replaced by two self service machines which are out of order that I did not know were there until this evening.

As it appears there are currently no services for returns outside of library opening hours I cannot return my book as I work during the day and thought I could just drop the book off this evening.

I am very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. We are experiencing technical difficulties with the weather screen at the front of the Returns machine.

In response to your comment while this problem is being sorted out we have temporarily set up a drop box at the side of the library building near the back door. The way is indicated by arrows. The large letterbox is quite high off the ground and just drops items inside the building. Items returned this way will be taken off your library account at the start of the next working day at Polhill.

Library items may be returned to any campus LRC or renewed on-line via your library account or by phone: 01582 743262

Forgotten ID

I came into the LRC today but didn't have my ID. I wasn't allowed in... I had a wasted day

Thank you for your comments regarding entry to the LRC

I do understand your frustration at not being able to get in without an ID card. As an MSc student you will understand that ID is a requirement for entry into the LRC. You signed an agreement with the University to abide by our rules when you registered and one of those rules was to "produce your ID on request". Please check the back of your card.

I realise that in planning your day it is easy, during the summer, to forget your ID while preparing to come into the University. I am sorry there is no leeway to allow you in without ID. This is because of the agreements we have with our licence holders for the software and resources we make available to our students.

Guest pc

There's only one pc for external users....

Whereas I understand your frustration on joining the University of Bedfordshire's LRC you were told that the only pc available to external users was the kiosk "guest" pc, available on a first come first served basis.

The University's own students are its priority as I am sure you understand

We are hoping to introduce a booking system for that pc and possibly another for guests to book 2hourly slots, over the summer.

Noise levels & pc provision

Not many pcs

Introduction of alarms in the silent area

introduction of CCTVs

Thank you for your detailed and well thought out comments.

pcs: the LRC has over 300 pcs available for customer use during the majority of the year. During exam week (wk beg 24th May) when the IT Suite is closed the number of available pcs is more than halved. Inevitably this has an impact on available services but is only for one week. Most of the time we have more than enough pcs to meet customer need. If you wish to be sure of having a pc to work at why not book a pc - ask at the customer service desk. One hour or three hours slots are available to book. Staff will advise you which pcs are available for booking.

Alarms: much as I sympathise with your suggestion for the introduction of alarms to call security when noise levels get too high I am afraid they would be open to abuse. There would be a strong possibility of them becoming the "boy who cried wolf". I would suggest that if you find noise levels in the silent area (level 3) to be unacceptable that you report this to the security desk (on ground level - but there is a lift) and they will patrol and issue written warnings as appropriate.

CCTVs: CCTVs are already in place throughout the LRC. The footage may only be viewed in cases of serious breaches of security. Using it to monitor customer behaviour is not acceptable or desirable. Our customers are adults working in a learning institution after all. As advised above if you find noise levels in the silent area (level 3) to be unacceptable that you report this to the security desk (on ground level - but there is a lift) and they will patrol and issue written warnings as appropriate.

Stationery

... staples are needed when handing in assignments

Thank you for your comments. I am not responsible for assignment handling but will send your comments to the appropriate member of staff. Meanwhile staff in C101 (Park Square) should be able to help you

Thanks

Park Square - overcrowding

More facilities needed, there are less computers and amount of students is way more. Its very crowded...

Many thanks for your comments. At revision and exam time the LRC is heavily used by a large number of students. During the exam week 24th May the IT suite was closed which put additional pressure on the space available after 10pm we are looking into ways to avoid that next year.

Thanks

Park Square - space

There is no quiet space to revise... there needs to be more space..

Many thanks for all your comments on the LRC. Unfortunately the IT Suite was closed during exam week and this put pressure on study spaces available in the Social Learning Space after 10pm.

If you find the study environment too noisy to study in try to find a silent study space (level 3 up to 10pm)

Park Square -usage of power sockets

Usage of power sockets on the 3rd floor should be made possible...

Thank you for your comments. Use of some power sockets is restricted for Health and Safety reasons. Despite your frustrations I am sure you can appreciate that library use is not the same as home use and accidents can easily happen with trailing wires etc.

We are in the process of getting table top power sockets installed to avoid trailing wires which cause trip hazards. Unfortunately this is taking longer than expected.

Learning Environment

I want to comment on the inadequate facilities in the University... lacks a suitable accommodation for comfort and also inadequate state of the art sports leisure amenities for recreation.

Thank you for your comments. The provision of sports leisure amenities is outside my responsibility but I will pass your comments on to the appropriate member of staff.

Within the LRC comfort has been compromised recently due to pressure on space due to the closure for one week for exams and an increase in temperatures (which was fortunately short lived). These things aside I do regard the LRC as a very comfortable space with flexible learning environments which endeavour to accommodate people's styles for learning from the formal to the social. May I encourage you to re-visit the LRC and investigate the various areas available to you.

Thanks

Park Square LRC - Air Conditioning

I have had several complaints (8) regarding the temperatures in the LRC, IT Suite and Social Learning Space 19 - 24 May.

The air circulation systems in place were under extreme pressure with the unseasonably hot weather at that time. That coupled with a large concentration of people inside the building resulted in very uncomfortable temperatures for customers to study in.

I can only apologise for this discomfort. English weather is challenging at the best of times and when the pressure of dissertations and revision are the focus of your time it doesn't help to have any kind of distractions. The systems we have have to cope with large areas which make them slow to respond to changes in temperature. By the time the air circulation responded to initial rise in external temperatures a lot of heat had already built up and been trapped in the building.

Air conditioning may seems like a simple (if an extremely expensive solution) but it would not be in keeping with the University's budget or energy efficiency strategy so is not a possibility at this time.

Thanks

Park Square - Opening Hours

I have had the greatest number of complaints received during one week on - virtually - the same thing for the first time ever. I have received 19 complaints regarding the opening hours during exam week. ie week beg: 24 May 2010. The request is for 24 hour opening.

During exam time the IT Suite is used for exams for one week. During this week the IT Suite is closed. This year that week was week beginning 24 May.

After Easter every year we have a period of extended opening to accommodate revision and dissertation writing. This year Park Square mirrored Polhill by having the extended opening: 19 April to 7 May. Although this was appreciated by many students a lot of students were disadvantaged by the IT Suite being closed for exams with normal LRC opening hours. Next year we will try to have the extended opening for the last weeks of May and to have the IT Suite open after the last exam of the day (but this may not be possible).

The University does not have the financial resources to allow 24 hour opening but having the IT Suite and Social Learning Space open until 2am does offer quite reasonable provision.

Apologies for the inconvenience caused we will try to address this next year.

Thanks

Behaviour post 10pm

I am a third year student that is currently studying in my final year. I was thrilled to know that the entire Luton library would be open until 2am. Studying on the other levels ensure silent studying which is crucial at this time for many. I was disappoint to find out at 9.45pm yesterday that the upper levels are now closing at 10pm, we were told that we could study in the IT suite and in the area adjacent to the IT suite. I went down stairs in the IT suite, and found it very similar to a school playground or a common room. People were being loud, and generally 'messing' about. I went into the other area and found that it was just the same. Many people are unable to work under these conditions especially when carrying out the final major project which people are still working on. I am very disappointed that the upper floor late opening times have not accommodated for all students and would request that consideration needs to made for all students. Extending opening time for a further couple of weeks would really be beneficial for ALL.

Thank you for your comments. I am glad you found the three weeks of extended opening for the library floors at Park Square beneficial. I am sorry but resources will not extended to continuing with the extended opening for the library floors. I will pass you comments onto our security team to ensure that some level of working environment is maintained. Please pass your concerns onto the security teams if you find behaviour unacceptable.

I finished my course can I still use the LRC?

I finished my course... and would very much like to use the guest pc to watch news programmes on the internet... could the pc be upgraded with a sound card.

Congratulations on finishing your course. You have access to the LRC and your University network files for 3 months after the completion of your course. I would advise that before those 3 months disappear that you copy all your work from the student network onto a USB or CD so you can continue to have access to those files should you need it.

The guest pc is offered to external users to the University's LRC for study purposes. I do acknowledge that as a Journalism student you may have needed to watch television news and other programmes. Now that your course is complete using the LRC as a television lounge is not appropriate as we only have one guest pc and it is high demand. We may be able to get a sound card for the guest pc in due course but it is not a priority at this time.

After the 3 months has gone by post graduating, you may join the LRC as an External User as an Alumnus, have a look at our web pages to see if your are interested:

http://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libinfo/exusers

Reservations Waiting Lists

... I can't even get a book which I have already hold 3 weeks ago...

Thank you for your comment and - if it helps - I share your concern. At this time of year particularly key books get reserved for revision, end of year assignments and dissertations. The University's reservation process should ensure that everyone gets an equal opportunity to use the materials available. Customers are not able to re-new books which have been reserved by other people.

People do - out of desperation - occasionally let books overdue, as they would rather pay a fine than give the book back. They then get shocked when they are issued with a replacement bill for the book that usually bring the book back. This year there has been a slight worsening in availability as some students were stuck on holiday (due to the ash cloud) with their library books. Hopefully that will have settled down by now. If you continue to have problems with availability may I suggest you contact your subject librarian to see if they can help in some way.

http://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/contact/alls

Loud Speakers/Tannoy

... Whenever the library is about to close .. staff go to all floors to inform students that the library is closing ... the University should consider installing speakers...

This suggestion has been made before and is a very sensible one. Unfortunately when the project was priced up the costs were prohibitive in the extreme. I am sorry we will have to stick with the personal touch, with staff walking round at closing time to advise customers that the library is about to close.

Dedicated Printing pc

Some students only bring hardware in to print, would it be worth have a pc reserved just for those who wish to do this?

Thank you for this suggestion. Some investigation is being done into how many students only come into the LRC just to print off their assignments. Dedicating one pc as a "print" pc can give rise to confusion but - if the demand is great enough - could help at busy times.

Opening hours etc

Can you make my university library 24hr...
Some University libraries are run by students...
We do not have a silent room for study...

Thank you for your detailed list of suggestions I will try and answer them all for you.

Opening the LRC 24hr x 7 days a week has serious cost implications in terms of security, power and cleaning. The additional £80K required to do this is simply not available to do this at this time. We are however looking into opening for longer at Park Square very soon. Follow our Twitter feed for further details in the next few weeks:
twitter.com/uoblibrary

Student patrol: The LRC is staffed by sympathetic highly skilled people, suggesting that students could do the same job would distract from their studies and offer an inconsistent service to the students that use the library. The LRC is patrolled by security after 10pm at night. We would not like to put students at risk by suggesting that they patrol the library at these times.

The whole of level 3 is a silent area please be sure that you check the full range of Facilities within the LRC. If you are in doubt it might be quicker to talk to staff on the Customer Service desk.

Thank you for your interest

Temperature at Polhill Library 18.2.10

The library is too cold, it is 11 degrees C when it should be 21. It does not help when we are trying to get our work done as we are too cold and its a distraction.

I am sorry that you were uncomfortable yesterday evening in Polhill Library. There is no requirement to have the library at 21 degrees centigrade. The University does however want to maintain a comfortable work environment for all our students. Thursday's drop in temperature and the snow was a challenge for the heating system. The heating will be looked at and hopefully this can be avoided in the future.

Access to the Library Catalogue

Why can't I get onto the library catalogue? I need to renew my books and I can't. The page won't load at all.


The Catalogue is now up and running. Apparently a planned power outage to enable Power Gen Ltd to work on the grid over Christmas was the cause. The library system server had a bit of an issue when power was restored.
Sorry for the inconvenience it has caused.