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Frequently asked questions

General Library FAQs

Our opening hours vary at different times of year, to check our current opening times for both of our Library sites please see our full opening hours. The Library Helpdesk, along with our telephone and email support, is available on weekdays only.

The Horsforth Campus Library is located in the Andrew Kean Learning Centre. You will find our Library Helpdesk to the left of the entrance.

The Leeds City Campus Library is located on the third floor of the brand new Leeds Trinity City Campus building, at 1 Trevelyan Square in Leeds city centre.

We have print books, alongside plenty of study spaces and computers. In addition to that, we have lots of online resources. So come along and visit us in person.

Library Search is on the homepage of the Library website. It is our one-stop search tool for print books, ebooks, articles, journals, videos and more. You can search our whole print collection and many of our online resources, including most of our subject databases.

The Library website can be accessed from any computer or mobile device. If you wish to reserve, check My Library Account, or access online resources you will need to log in with your University username and password. If you are in the Library, you can also use our dedicated Library Search terminals to search our print collections.

For more FAQs on searching the Library or finding information, please see our Library Search FAQs.

We use the Dewey Decimal number system to arrange our books in order by subject. The numbers range from 000 - 999 and organise the books by subject. A book's Dewey Decimal number will appear on a label at the bottom of the spine, followed by a three-letter suffix (usually the first three letters of the author's surname).

For more FAQs on finding books in the Library, please see our Resources in the Library FAQs.

Undergraduates, apprentices and postgraduates can borrow up to 20 items.

Staff and research students can borrow up to 30 items.

All items on loan will be automatically renewed every two weeks, for a maximum period of 9 months. However, if an item is reserved by someone else you must bring it back by the due date shown on the email you will be sent. Failure to return overdue items may affect your right to continue borrowing.

You can log in to My Library Account to check the due dates of your loans. If you need help with this you can contact us by phone or email.

If you are not a current student or member of staff, see if you can join the Library.

You can borrow books using any of our dedicated self-service machines. They are located near the Library entrance. You will need to scan your University ID card to borrow books.

If you are not sure how to use the machines, you can ask a member of staff to show you. You can also use the machines to return items and to check your Library account.

Alternatively, you can go to the Library Helpdesk where we can issue the books to your account.

Books that are on loan to another user can be reserved. You can reserve up to 10 items at a time.

On Library Search, select Sign in (top right) and enter your University username and password if prompted, then select Request. Once the item is returned and ready for you to collect, an email will be sent to your University email address.

For more information on borrowing, reserving or renewing items please see our Borrowing guide.

The Library has a variety of study spaces to cater for all your needs. We have open study areas and individual study carrels available at both the Horsforth Campus Library and the Leeds City Campus Library.

  • For those wanting extra quiet, there is a dedicated silent study room.
  • We have group study rooms, which need to be booked in advance.
  • Computers are provided in the study carrels, silent study room and many of the open study spaces.

If you have any specific requirements, please speak to a member of Library staff who will try to find the best solution for you. Alternatively, you can contact us by phone or email with any queries or concerns.

At Horsforth Campus Library, you can book a study space using the Connect2 booking system. You will need to log in with your University username and password and use the arrow on the right-hand side to tab twice until you get to the screen "Book AKLC Library".

At Leeds City Campus Library we will be using a different booking system - details to follow.

We provide access to a huge range of online databases, and most of their content is available using our dedicated Library Search

You can also view an A-Z list of all databases. If you would like more guidance on which databases are relevant to your course, have a look at your subject page

For more FAQs on using databases, please see our Databases FAQs.

All courses have dedicated Liaison Librarians who can help you find the right resources. Find out who your Liaison Librarian is and how they can help you.

We have guides to both Harvard and APA referencing on our Library webpages along with our "Be Brilliant at Referencing" tutorial.

Book an appointment with your Liaison Librarian for additional support.

We have an online request form that you can complete with details of the items you need.

We can either order the item for stock or request it from another library via Interlibrary Loan. Fill in the request form with as many details as possible, such as author, title and source type.

Our Report a problem page has information on how to resolve common problems and how to report on online access problem to us.

The Library offers a number of services to help, including longer loans and access to specialist equipment. Various items of assistive equipment are available for loan via the Library Helpdesk, from back-supports to dyslexia-friendly coloured overlays. Please bring your University ID card to the Library Helpdesk in order to borrow. Items are loaned for the day and should be returned before closing or later by arrangement with Library Helpdesk.

Our accessibility pages have a full list of equipment. Many of our online resources will have additional accessibility features to enable read aloud functions and visual enhancements.

There are printers on every floor of the Andrew Kean Learning Centre at the Horsforth Campus Library, and a dedicated printing area in the Leeds City Campus Library, on the third floor of the building.

You need to scan your University ID card to use the printers and make sure you log out of the machine when you've finished. You can also use these devices to photocopy and scan.

You can add credit to your printing account at the Library Helpdesk or online using the Papercut portal.

The printing costs are available on the IT facilities and support guide, where you can also find more info about computers, Wifi and IT support.

At Horsforth Campus Library, you can have both hot and cold drinks in all open areas. This includes our study rooms and study carrels. Hot food can be consumed only in the Library cafe area and foyer. Please only consume cold food in all other areas of the Library.

At Leeds City Campus Library you can consume hot and cold drinks, and cold food throughout. No hot food is allowed anywhere in the Library or Study Lounge area.

We have water fountains and vending machines available in both our libraries.

See our Eating & Drinking Policy for more information.

The Library is a quiet space for everyone to work in. We provide social areas and Group Study Rooms for those who need to talk, but noise levels do have to be kept low in all areas of the Library to enable everyone to work there.

Anyone making excessive noise in the Library may be asked to leave, as outlined in the Student Conduct and Discipline Code.

If you wish to make noise, please use more appropriate spaces elsewhere on campus.