Children in the library

From Twitter
can I bring my daughter tomorrow to Luton campus so I can collect books?

Children are allowed on Campus but not in the library lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservice… staff will assist ask at reception or ring bell for assistance

If you have no child care but need to collect a book or print off an assignment you may ask staff to do this for you - without entering the Library.

Please bring

• your ID card
• any files to be printed on a USB
• the full details of any books you'd like collected from the shelves

Putteridge Bury

Very disappointed to hear that the Library at Putteridge Bury will no longer be open for book collection from July. It is a service that is crucial for part time students who live a great distance from any of the main campuses putting us at a distinct disadvantage to those studying similar courses at a main campus. 

Thank you for raising your concerns regarding the Putteridge Bury Education Collection closure. The book collection service will be missed I am sure none the less departmental usage figures indicate a low take up in the service. In the past 5 years issue figures at Putteridge Bury – which includes reservation pick up loans - have dropped by 78%. Please see Table 1 below. Issue figures were low in 2012 – 13 compared to Butterfield (another small campus) but they have not grown or even sustained. This is mainly due to course design where the Education Studies course is built around online digital resources with a significantly reduced need for print materials. The considerable staffing, transport and space costs associated with this service each week to issue only 25 items does not make it viable from a business point of view.

Change is difficult which is why we have tried to plan the relocation outside term time to minimise disruption. Dropping into the Luton Campus to collect reservations and maybe to stay and study in groups or individually will offer a multitude of benefits which I appreciate are difficult to see when you  feel something is being taken away.

Luton campus is just 3 miles away. The Vicarage Street car park which is very close to the library entrance, is free after 6pm (although charges do apply  8am – 18.00). This facility is open 24/7, has a huge variety of study environments, a large variety of print materials, PCs & MACs, bookable rooms, silent study, reservation collection and staff on duty for longer periods than Putteridge Bury.

Table 1: Putteridge Bury annual Education Collection loan figures. Loan figures  include both reservation issues and issues from stock held at Putteridge

Year	Putteridge Bury annual Education Collection loan figures.	Variations
2016 – 17	909 to date (9 months) Average 101 per month extrapolate to 1,212 annual figure based on monthly  average	Drop of  562 from 2015 – 16 ie 31% Drop of 4,406 issues  from 2012 - 13 ie 78% overall
2015 - 16	1,774 Average 147 per month	Drop of 360 from 2014 - 15 ie 16%
2014 - 15	2,134 Average 178 per month	Drop of 1,229 from 2013 - 14 ie 36%
2013 - 14	3,363 Average 28 per month	Drop of 2,255 from 2012 - 13 ie 40%
2012 - 13	5,618 Average 468 per month	Compare to Butterfield annual loans of 9,859 Average 822 per month

Luton Library Study environment

 am concerned about the level of noise that some of the younger learners make in the library. Whilst I realise that there are quiet rooms available for those who prefer to work in silence, I did not imagine that floors 3 and 4 were for singing, shouting, excessive swearing and general unbecoming behaviour...the list could go on. I would suggest, therefore, that security regularly do a round of each floor which will hopefully bring the noise level down.

Thank you for raising your concerns. Luton Library offers a wide variety of study environments
Levels 0, 1,2 & 3 are specifically social study floors and so the noise levels will inevitably be greater than else where in the library
4, 5 & 6  have silent rooms which are maintained by electronic monitoring, staff patrol and student compliance

I would advise you to choose a floor or room that is most suited to your study style 

Aylesbury Staff

Just wanted to compliment the librarian staff on how approachable and friendly they are. Thank you.

Thank you for taking the time to let us know we're doing something right

Tell Us Survey - Overdue Books

Can't renew online.  Doesn't open late enough. I am a dyslexic learner with memory problems but I still get fines on top of all of this.

Thank you for taking part in the Tell Us library survey and letting us have your comments. If you can't renew online we need to look into your account. Please talk to staff at the Customer Service desk or ring 01582 743488

Bedford Library and Luton Library are open 24/7 please take advantage of these opening hours and the wonderful study environments and services available in our biggest libraries.

Students with assistive status do not get fined if their books are overdue but if any of their loan items are more than 5 weeks overdue they become Billed in order to encourage the immediate return of the overdue item. Once it is returned the Bill disappears.

please talk to staff who can help you untangle these issues

Tell Us Survey - PC work station cleanliness

They said we would have to deal with less convenient entrances than the old library in order for better security including no more fast food in the library , but that's the same as before. And it's horrible (am vegetarian, and combined with them only Dusting the keyboards / sometimes the mouse, it is unpleasant )

Thank you for your comments. The new library has two swipe entry points which means we have a clearer understanding of who is in the building and certainly reduces the amount of food being brought into the library.
There are two things to consider here

1) There is a cleaning regime for the library which helps maintain the study environment

2) There is a Code of conduct which helps model student behaviour to help maintain the study environment

When these two strands work together the library is very pleasant. At pinch points in the academic year - such as during exams and dissertation hand ins - behaviours start to deteriorate and the cleaning team cannot keep up with student behaviour. There is an expectation that students will treat the environment with respect.
The PC work stations get a deep clean over the summer. if you have concerns please ask at the Customer Service desk on level one and they will give you disinfectant wipes to help you put your mind at rest. 

Bedford Library - Laptops suggestion

Would be nice if there was equal parity between Luton and Bedford with the ability to loan laptops

Thank you for your suggestion. Since the new librray at Luton Campus was completed it was hoped that the successful services at Luton could be rolled out (where possible) across all the University's libraries/LRCs

To start this process LRSE has bid for capital investment from the University to provide this service later on in 2017 in Bedford. We will let you know if we have been successful or not in the autumn.

Luton Library - Cleanliness

since I started my masters degree i always go to the fifth floor of the library however, now the library is very dirty and very noisy which cannot allow me to focus on my studies hope something can be done about the cleanliness of the library and also the study group rooms are allows busy and being booked by the same people all over the week and don't allow me to book it for group study even i try to book it in advance.

Thank you for your comment. There are two strands to my reply

1) There is a cleaning regime for the library which helps maintain the study environment

2) There is a Code of conduct which helps model student behaviour to help maintain the study environment

When these two strands work together the library is very pleasant. At pinch points in the academic year - such as now during exams and dissertation hand ins - behaviours start to deteriorate and the cleaning team cannot keep up with student behaviour. I am hoping that everything will balance out when the exams finish.

Regarding the bookable group study rooms. Please remember these rooms are for groups of 4 - 7 people not individuals. There are bookable rooms on the 4th and 5th floors. Please be sure to book in advance so make sure you get a room for your group when you need it

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/availableservices/bookings/parksquare

If not there are sofa configuration which offer group spaces throughout the library

Or there are individual silent study spaces in the silent rooms on levels 4, 5 & 6

Changes to Library Opening Times

We haven't been informed of the changes of the Library opening hours. Not Good!

The summer opening hours have been advertised on our website, www.lrweb.beds.ac.uk, since 2^nd May 2017.  Posters and signage will be displayed at Luton and Bedford libraries at the beginning of June ready for the changes which start on 12^th June 2017.

Learning Resources and Service Excellence (LRSE) have closely monitored the use of 24/7 x 365 opening for 4 years. There are significant dips in use of the libraries over the summer. LRSE are make these changes this summer in order to ensure 24/7 opening when its needed most.

University of Bedfordshire will be 24/7 when you need it most at Bedford and Luton Libraries

LRSE digital services are always available 24/7 x 365

Luton Library - temperatures

In the week it's too cold and on weekends it's uncomfortably hot. 

Attached is the temperature in the Luton 4th floor silent study room (14/5/17). As you can see, it's way above your "comfortable zone."

How do you expect us all to be able to sit long enough to concentrate?

Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

The problem is being investigated and will be remedied

Sconul Access

I have had my SCONUL access approved. What do I need to do next please for me to have access your libraries? Do I just need to print out the acceptance letter below and bring it when I visit? Or is there any other additional requirements I need to bring with me?

Many thanks for your enquiry 

All the details (including the printable membership form) are available on our website

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/exusers/free

Bedford Library Staff

Library staff @ front desk are FAB! Make my life so much easier. Can't get better

Thank you so much for letting us know we're doing something right.

Luton Library - Customer Service desk staff

Both information desk staff - thank you for helping me with my dissertation

Thank you for such positive feedback - glad to be of service. Best of luck with your studies.

Final year student - Document Supply service

I am a 3rd Year Midwifery Student doing a dissertation.

I am struggling to access this article:

Berens, P. (2001) 'Prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum support of the lactating mother', Pediatric Clinics of North America, 48(2), pp.365-376. It is a key to my research. I am attempting access using my instiutional log-in at this link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031395508700300 I would really like help accessing this article and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks for your email.  We do not have a subscription to this journal, as a final year student you are eligible to request this item via the University's Document Supply service https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/docsupply/document-supply-q-and-a/how-it-works You need to set up a BL on demand account to reciven digital items please follow the instructions here https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/docsupply/document-supply-q-and-a/sed https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/docsupply/sedplugin Please note any personal requests made directly using a BL on Demand account will be charged directly to the account holder and the University will not refund the charge.  Order it through the Document Supply Service here: https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/docsupply