The library is a constant companion to students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Where would we be without the near-unlimited access to academic resources, the support from the lovely library staff, or the fun and endlessly helpful study happy events? Since beginning my postgraduate journey, I have been using the library more often than ever, and here are some of the reasons why.
By Rebecca Preedy.
A quiet space
Since studying and commuting from home, the library has become a sort of haven for me. It’s so much easier to be productive when the bed isn’t just a few short inches away from your desk! Being surrounded by other people ‘in the zone’ can really help you settle down and focus on work. Heading upstairs to the quiet zone floors isn’t just good exercise, it really can help you focus! I find I’m less likely to play on my phone or browse social media if I’m surrounded by other people being studious. Plus, the quiet atmosphere makes a pleasant and productive change from the hustle and bustle of home study. Even if you don’t use the library for books, it’s important to remember that it can be helpful to you in simply providing a quiet and studious working atmosphere.
Online resources
“Since MA only requires me to be on campus for about two days a week, I don’t often want to make the long commute from home just to find one book chapter.”
The library is there for us even when we’re not in it! The huge list of journals, articles and books that are accessible in PDF form are a library lifesaver. We all have those days when we just can’t seem to get out of bed, let alone out of the door. If illness or self-isolation keeps us at home, or even if we’ve forgotten to check out the books we needed for an essay before going home for the holidays, the library’s online resources are a beacon of hope to anyone trying to get the job done remotely. For me personally, this has been really helpful. Since MA only requires me to be on campus for about two days a week, I don’t often want to make the long commute from home just to find one book chapter. Having so many of the resources online has saved me a lot of time (and fuel money!) and I have really appreciated it this year.
Can’t find a book? The library can!
At MA level, the books needed for research can be oddly specific, and can’t always be found on the library shelves. My classmates and I have been endlessly grateful for the library’s ‘Get it For Me’ service, since it’s allowed us to get hold of material that we wouldn’t be able to access otherwise. This has been invaluable for our awkwardly precise research topics and our niche essay titles, and I don’t know where we would be without it!
Coffee calling
It’s so important to make sure that you’re well fed and watered during a study session, and the Library Café has us covered! It’s become a Monday morning ritual for me to head to the Library Café after my 9AM Latin class, grab a coffee and take it up with me while I do my work. Sometimes the caffeine kick is all it takes to spur your productivity… and sometimes you just need a comforting hot drink to get you through the day! Whatever the case may be, I really should give the Café credit for a lot of the work I’ve got done this year.
If you want to take a look at the other study spaces on campus, check out our post here, or have a read about using the library as a distance learner here.
What do you love most about the library? Let us know in the comments below, tweet us @warwicklibrary or email us at libraryblogs@warwick.ac.uk
Header image: Hush Naidoo Jade Photography.
The Study Blog 