Vending a little joy

Student life can be hectic, and the Library is sometimes one of the few oases of calm where you can settle and enjoy a few hours of learning in peace. Some of you really enjoy studying when it is early or late. Some people are night owls, working best late in the day, while others find the early morning the best time to get everything important done. What matters is that you work in a way that suits you. Working early or late has some benefits – there’s always space to spread out, it’s quieter, so you can concentrate without distractions, and it’s a good time to wander over to the Library and get stuck into some serious study. Yet, you need to stay hydrated and fed even when you’ve exhausted your snack box and the local coffee shops have closed (or not yet opened). Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered.

So excited by your feedback

We were really excited to receive your Christmas wishlist feedback. We have been eagerly reading it all through and are very grateful to you for letting us know how we can make your Library experience better. We are currently discussing what we can do to implement your suggestions and hope to have more news for you soon. Watch this space!

In the meantime, there is always food and drink ‘on tap’, as it were…

Staying hydrated

Water bottle refill stations beside the Library Café (tucked away beside the Book Nook) and up on the second floor near the toilet block at the far end, so you can always stay hydrated for free – just bring a water bottle! These water bottle refill stations offer both cool and actively chilled water, which is welcome in the heat of summer, though perhaps matters less at this time of year.

Hot drinks on demand

Water is all well and good but sometimes you want something hot, sweet or both. That’s why we installed both hot and cold drinks vending machines and a snack vending machine tucked into the little alcove around the corner from the café, just past the Outside In World collection of global children’s books.

While you may be able to get hot water from coffee shops on campus for a nominal charge, we are sorry but health and safety rules mean we cannot provide hot water on tap. Having visited Asia, I can appreciate why this disappoints many people but at least there are hot drinks available 24/7 at affordable prices – and you can always bring your own in a hot drinks flask to sip while you are here.