Libraries are fantastic spaces. Even if you hate reading, a library will be a valuable asset to you on your degree program and you will spend a lot of time in there.
When researching universities, try to find out what services are available at the library to support you in your degree. When are they open? What support is on offer? What resources are available? How many books, e-books, journals, computer spaces are available?
For example, I studied Primary Education and our library has a children’s section full of picture books, large books for lesson, resource packs and toys. I could check these items out and use them on placement.
Our library also has a team of Academic librarians who are there to support students in making full use of the library and it’s feature, to help you find resources and to work with the admin team to request items.
For me, I used the library when I really needed to focus. It has lots of computers and I found that being in the library eliminated many of the distractions I faced at home. It was also a brilliant place for networking and completing group projects. The library at YSJ has a mix of group study spaces and individual study spaces – it’s also one of the only libraries I’ve been in that isn’t silent. The first two floors are designed to encourage group work and collabroation, which is the focus of many assignments. The top floor, however, is a silent floor. So if you really need to concentrate, there is space for that too.
We also have a kitchen for you to be able to heat up food while you’re studying, so you don’t always have to buy food when you’re in the library. There’s also water fountains, and boiling water taps so you can make your own drinks (and pot noodles).
In the later part of my time at university, I got back into reading for fun, and the library catered to fiction as well.
At the end of the day, using a library saved me a lot of money. If I had to buy, or rent access to every book I used throughout my degree, I would have been out of pocket. Libraries are fantastic spaces and really let you delve deeper into your subject area.
To find out more about the library at York St John University, have a look at this website.