Tuesday, 7 April 2009

PS LRC Women's Toilets

Thank you for your comment. I can only sympathise and agree with what you say. LRC staff share the same facilities as students. In my experience however people who abuse public facilities do not read the notices asking them to behave appropriately. The cleaners regularly clean the toilets but the high volume of use means that any - shall we say - bad practice has long term consequences.
I will trial a notice and see what happens. I hope it has a positive effect.

PS IT Suite heat and NOISE

Thanks for your comments
The build up of heat in the IT Suite in recent days is due to unseasonably warm weather. Being a large space it takes a long time to heat up and a long time to cool down so changes are very slow to respond.
The student population's behaviour is causing concern across the whole University - not just the LRC. Its been noted that behaviour in general is unacceptable in both study space and classrooms. We do not have the staffing capacity to baby sit groups of adults. If you notice particularly bad behaviour please could you report it to security or to LR desk staff. Security will patrol and issue written warnings as appropriate.
LR is introducing an anti noise campaign at Park Square and Polhill for 2 weeks. Week 1: 20 - 24 April and week 2: 18 - 22 May. We are hiring extra security to patrol constantly during these weeks (the first back after Easter and then the first week of revision/exams) so that a clear message is given out regarding appropriate behaviour. The campaign is endorsed by the SU and we're hoping that this will have a positive effect.

Wishful thinking?

I received this anonymous comment:

You should install a chocolate fountain and provide us with marshmellows so we can dip the marshmellows in the chocolate fountain

Paint every wall a different colour

Install a cigarette vending machine

After this you will become the bestest library in the whole wide world.

Thanks for this. :D I feel that although you may have a lot of sympathisers healthy living would preclude adding these suggestions to our standard LRC build!!

Friday, 20 March 2009

Pods in the PS Social Learning Space

The presentation pods in the Social Learning Space should be bookable...


When we opened the Social Learning Space resource (Dec 2007) we did consider making the pods bookable from the beginning. It was felt that to encourage use and to make the Social Learning Space generally as non interventionist as possible we should make it an open resource. Use of the pods has been on a drop in, first come first served basis.
I am more than prepared to review this but need to look at the booking procedures to make it as fluid as possible. If after negotiation with my colleagues in the rest LR, I can source a robust booking product I would be happy to trial designating one of the pods as a bookable resource to see what the take up is and if booking works.
Sorry I cannot give you a more immediate response but I will definitely follow this up.

Lap tops trailing wires

.... not being allowed to use my laptop in an area I need due to posing a "Health and Safety" hazard.....


There is a general instruction not to plug laptops (or any electrical gadgets) into floor plates as they create a trip hazard. There are designated "plug in points" all round the LRC.
As you mention that you are a law student am I correct to assume that you were plugged into one of the floor plates on level 2?
If that was the case floor plates are a hazard and there is a general embargo (except for the Social Learning Space) on customers using them in the LRC (this is re-inforced with messages stuck to the floor plates and with posters), you need to find a wall plug that doesn't result in dangerous trailing wires to safely plug in your laptop.


Thanks

LRC Silent areas

It's a shame that the university library "silent area" isn't silent at all...


Thank you for your comments about the silent area at Park Square LRC.
The designated silent areas in: Park Street and on levels 2 & 3, are maintained by customer consent and by security patrols. There are - inevitably - individuals who abuse the study environment. If this happens in your experience you need to report it to security level 0 LRC barriers directly or, to the LRC staff on duty at the counter on level 1. There are penalties in place for breech of the code of conduct.
I understand your frustration especially when the University provides a very comfortable and attractive social learning space where conversation is positively encouraged.
Please persevere and report unacceptable noise levels so that they can be addressed.

Friday, 13 February 2009

Lost files

I am surprised to find out that the University as a big organisation with important student information does not have a backup. My files went missing from my u-drive and then when I asked for help I was told that there is no back to retireve my files.
Please find a way that can be helpful to students.
The company running the IT facilities for this Uni must have a data back up system


Thank you for your comments. Looking at your circumstances I have to tell you that the files you "lost" were never saved in the first place. Your network space was full when to you tried to save the files and therefore the items are lost and irretrievable. Data back up would not help you in these circumstances.
Every student has a 100 mgb allowance on the University's network. As your network space was full you should have deleted some files/folders or archived some older material on a USB at the time. As a Computer Networking student I am sure you are aware that although you may have created space after you tried to save the files they do not get stored in a strange "cache" in case of this eventuality.
Please may I encourage you to carry out regular house keeping on your network space to avoid this happening again.