Students have been turned away from the Main Library on the week of their dissertation deadlines.
Due to the Bank Holiday leaving many alternate study spots closed, a large queue formed outside the library with students waiting for around 30-40 minutes for a seat.
Once inside the library, many students had to run around for a spot in the Main Library or Ali G to find a space to study and some took longer if they were looking for a space with accessible plug sockets.
One student we spoke to had to sit on a stool nestled in the bookcases in order to be in reach of a plug socket.
Emily, a third-year student who spent an average of 48 hours a week in the Main Library completing her dissertation told The Mancunion,
“The library is a very old building and has a distinct issue with plug sockets which are essential to studying, particularly with hybrid learning formats.”
“There are enough seats in theory but you can’t stay there all day, as laptops die or you need a break. From experience, around half the spots in Blue don’t have plug sockets and Red has very few. Our study spaces should reflect the style of learning and the resources we need to do that.”
A student was refused entry because they had a meal deal in their hands. They were asked to finish the meal outside the library before being allowed in.
Inside the library, more queues had formed, the longest queues being outside the second-floor women’s bathroom. The first-floor bathrooms have also been closed for cleaning purposes for a couple of hours.
Students could also be seen sharing desks and having to stand up on awkward cabinets to get some space to study. Some were also sitting down next to the closest charging point, leaving them without a desk or a chair.
A third-year student with a pressing dissertation deadline told The Mancunion, “I walked around for over 10 minutes looking for somewhere to sit, but it was extremely busy and crowded. Some of my friends were left having to sit on the floor in a corridor due to not finding a seat.”
“I managed to find a spot on the ground floor but had to go all the way up to the fourth floor just to use the toilet.”
If you are struggling to find a study space on campus, you can read our handy guide to UoM’s secret library locations here!
We have contacted UoM to comment on the situation.
