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- About our libraries
- Contact Us
- Using the libraries
- Subject Guides
- Borrowing
- Library Equipment
- Supporting Research
- Services for International Students
- School and college visits to our libraries
- Services for Staff
- Services for New Students
- FAQs for Prospective Students
- Walk In Access
- Copyright
- Our Video Wall
- Library rules and regulations
- Opening hours
- Access to resources
- Library projects and developments
- Staff Central (Staff Only)
FAQs for Prospective Students
We hope that the following FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) will be useful to you in giving you some of the key information about our libraries in a quick and easy format.
- How many libraries do you have?
- What are the opening hours?
- Do you have WiFi in the Library?
- How many study spaces do you have?
- Do you have multimedia facilities?
- Do you have spaces in the libraries to take a break from working?
- How safe are the 24-hour buildings?
- How many items do you have in your libraries?
- Can I get easy access to the materials on my reading list?
- Can I obtain items that are not held by the Library?
- What electronic resources are available to me?
- Do I need lots of different passwords to use electronic resources?
- Can I access electronic resources from off campus?
- What unique collections does the library hold?
- Are there computers I can use in the Library?
- What help can library staff give me?
- Can someone show me how to research a topic?
- Do you have facilities for accessibility needs?
- How does the Library keep in touch with me?
- How involved are students in influencing and enhancing the Library?
1. How many libraries do you have?
Exeter
Forum Library: the main undergraduate collection for all subjects.
Research Commons: older research materials, Special Collections, the Bill Douglas Centre film museum.
St. Luke’s Library: specialist Education and Sports Sciences collections.
Cornwall
Tremough Library: subjects include Biosciences, Cornish Studies, Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, Geography, History, Journalism, Law, Literature, Mining, Politics.
Woodlane Library: subjects include Advertising, Architecture, Art, Graphic Design.
2. What are the opening hours?
The Forum Library and the Study Area at St. Luke’s Library are open 24/7 throughout most of the year, including the Christmas vacation.
Research Commons and St. Luke’s Library are open 08:30 – 21:00 throughout most of the year.
See our full opening hours details.
3. Do you have WiFi in the Library?
Yes, we have WiFi throughout all our libraries.
4. How many study spaces do you have?
Peak seating capacity in the Forum Library is over 1000 study seats, Research Commons has 120 seats and St. Luke’s Library has 180 seats, in a mix of individual, group and silent study spaces. The Amory Study Centre offers 240 seats including bookable group rooms and The Sanctuary offers 180 quiet study spaces. Additional study spaces (computer rooms, group and individual spaces) can be found in other buildings close to departments.
5. Do you have multimedia facilities?
There is a multimedia suite in the Forum Library; its equipment includes 3 Apple Macintosh workstations, which offer various software packages including Adobe Premier Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Apple iMovie.
6. Do you have spaces in the libraries to take a break from working?
The Forum Library has social break-out spaces, including an open-air courtyard.
Research Commons has a terrace and social break-out area.
St. Luke’s Library has a garden to relax in, and an eating area in the library building itself.
7. How safe are the 24-hour buildings?
Overnight, only registered members of the University using a valid UniCard can gain access to the St. Luke’s Library Study Area. There is a porter in the Forum Library building all night, and Estate Patrol staff are available 24/7 to ensure the security of our users.
8. How many items do you have in your libraries?
We have over 1.2 million books and journals in print.
9. Can I get easy access to the materials on my reading list?
We liaise closely with departments to ensure that items on reading lists are purchased for the library. In the Forum Library, the textbooks you need are collected together in an Express Collections room at the front of the building, for quick and easy access.
10. Can I obtain items that are not held by the Library?
If an item is not available in our Libraries, you can request an inter-library loan (ILL). We make the request on your behalf and borrow books and journals from other libraries in the UK and abroad. Each request costs £8.50 or one ILL token (available from departments). You can also request two free ILLs at any one time from Exeter Health Library; again we borrow them on your behalf.
11. What electronic resources are available to me?
Over 100 research databases, more than 30,000 electronic journals and thousands of e-books, plus many other types of e-resource such as newspaper databases, image banks and census and mapping services are available across all subject areas via the Electronic Library.
12. Do I need lots of different passwords to use electronic resources?
No, virtually all our electronic resources can be accessed using your standard University login. A few resources require a separate username and password; this information is readily available to members of the University from the Electronic Library web pages.
13. Can I access electronic resources from off campus?
Yes, all our electronic resources are available off campus, although some require a separate login for off-campus access.
14. What unique collections does the library hold?
Heritage Collections and Culture Services has responsibility for important collections including Special Collections, the Bill Douglas Centre film museum and the Devon and Exeter Institution Library.
Special Collections holds our rare books and maps collections, which are of regional and national significance, featuring several Devon parish libraries, the Hypatia collection of women's history, and John Betjeman's working library. Our archives and manuscripts include the richest collection of twentieth-century literary papers by writers associated with South West England in any university library; writers represented include Ted Hughes, John Betjeman, Daphne du Maurier, T.S. Eliot, Agatha Christie and Flora Thompson.
The Bill Douglas Centre film museum holds a research collection of international stature, its 75,000 artefacts illustrating the development of visual entertainment from the late 17th century through to classical Hollywood and present day films and moving image media.
The Devon and Exeter Institution Library is an independent subscription library in Cathedral Close. Its collections are particularly strong in South West studies, nineteenth century periodicals, biography, history and topography.
15. Are there computers I can use in the Library?
Forum Library: 105 PCs, plus 55 laptops available for loan via the IT Help Desk and in dedicated laptop lockers in the Forum building.
Research Commons: 15 PCs plus 2 laptops available for loan.
St. Luke’s Library: 10 PCs within the library and 28 PCs in the 24/7 computer room, plus 8 laptops available for loan.
There are also other computer rooms outside the libraries which are available to all members of the University.
16. What help can library staff give me?
There are always Information Assistants available, either at enquiry points or floor-walking around the Library. They are always more than happy to answer your queries, so feel free to approach them at any time and ask for help and advice. Library staff can also be contacted via telephone or email and we always aim to reply as quickly as possible.
Our team of Subject Librarians are the specialists in finding information in your subject area. Each department is supported by a particular subject librarian.
17. Can someone show me how to research a topic?
Subject Librarians are the experts on subject-specific resources, and are available to provide tailored research skills support, advice and training to individuals and groups. They can be contacted by phone or email, or you can just pop into the office for a chat.
18. Does the Library have facilities for accessibility needs?
The Forum Library has 4 rooms dedicated for use by those with accessibility needs, and provided with specialist equipment such as speech recognition software (Dragon Naturally Speaking, Freespeech and Texthelp), mind mapping software (Inspiration Pro) and screen reading software (Jaws 4).
Additionally, all library staff have accessibility awareness training.
19. How does the Library keep in touch with me?
We send a message to you via your University email address. These messages include courtesy notices, which we send 48 hours in advance to notify you when your items are due. We also let you know when items that you have reserved have been returned and are waiting for you to collect.
We keep you updated with library news, events and new services etc. via Twitter and our web pages. You can also follow us on Facebook.
20. How involved are students in influencing and enhancing the Library?
The I Want One of These scheme allows for student-led acquisition of resources, by requesting items that are not available in the library. For instance, during 2011/12, we spent £5,000 on materials that students have requested through this scheme; since September 2012 we have so far spent £2,500 and bought 110 titles.
We encourage and respond to suggestions and feedback through our comments cards system.
From 2011/12 we have additional £250K to spend annually to boost access to core materials; we liaise closely with staff and students over the best use of this money.
Library Champions represent their subject and fellow students to the library. Students can discuss any library issues with them and they will feed this back to the library. Each Champion has £1,000 to spend on library materials requested by their fellow students.
