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Spring Term 2025

by Marian Brown on 2025-01-30T11:43:00+00:00 | 0 Comments

Spring Semester

Our Collections

February's Library Spotlight shines on the specialist film streaming platform BFI Player for Higher Education. Matthew Vose, our head of eLearning and resident film buff, guides you through some of his favourite films and genres - freely available to you via the Library's subscription to this excellent service from the British Film Institute. In recognition of LGBTQ+ History Month in February, there are also some themed collections for you to explore, curated by the BFI. Read the full post here.

BFI Player also has curated collections relevant to Women's History Month in March, such as Woman with a Movie Camera which puts the focus on female directors.

December’s spotlight shone on Pressreader, your gateway to free online newspapers and magazines. Sam Spier from the Wellbeing Team curates five must-read magazines to inspire your journey toward wellbeing and self-care. Read the full post here.

For more blog posts see- Spotlight on Library Resources blog archive

The Library currently has a Work Placement student from the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) who is looking at our Collections pages from a student perspective, including developing our Wellbeing Collection pages in partnership with the Wellbeing Team, and reviewing our Featured Collections Resource Lists.

Recent Library Displays...

Our Fishtank display showcased the Slow Ink Project, curated by Bridget Steenkamp, DTh research student at Roehampton. The project is centred around sustainability and the use of Oak Gall from oak trees that can be made into ink. It aims to raise awareness of reducing single-use stationery and microplastic pollution, and it included a series of drop-in workshops where students and staff met and made ink and bookmarks on the theme of sustainability.

We have also marked Stress Awareness Month with a display from the Library's Collections. You can find more relevant books in our Wellbeing Collection on the 2nd Floor.

Library displays highlight key historical, social, or awareness events, showcase academic work, and promote university events or societies. If you have a display idea, fill out the Display and Exhibition Space Booking Form. Missed a display? Check out the online Archive of Displays for some of our previous themes.

Reading Lists Student Survey

In December 2024, we conducted a student survey to gather insights on how reading lists (also known as resource lists) contribute to engagement with learning resources, and to explore potential areas for improvement. The response was highly positive - here's a snapshot of your feedback, and our replies.

How has using the Resource List helped you engage with learning resources?	How can we improve the resource lists to aid learning?
"It has helped me keep up to date with the reading set for each week as well as it still being available for the whole year to refer to."	"I would appreciate it if future reading lists could prioritise online resources. Accessing print materials can be challenging for many students, especially when resources are limited or require travel to physical libraries. Providing readily available online readings would enhance accessibility and improve the overall learning experience. Our response: The Library operates a Digital First policy, aiming to provide all essential readings online. As of January 2025, 92% of essential items on resource lists are available in digital format. Sometimes, however, this is not possible due licensing restrictions imposed by the publisher. See here for further information about this.
"Able to access more readings, can start reading before the module starts, can see where it has been updated."	"As a dyslexic student, I would find it helpful for books for text to speech options or audio versions of books." Our response: Did you know that most eBooks can easily be converted to audiobooks by using the text-to-speech software on your browser or device? See the Help(?) section on any eBook platform for more information. You can also access audiobooks for leisure reading via the Libby ap p.
"Seeing what books are out there to get an idea of what to write about regarding essays."	"Make it more visual than just literature and a task to do with it to understand it would help me. Offer more academic podcasts so when we're on the go we can listen and soak it in :) " Our response: Great suggestions! We always encourage academics to include this type of content on all resource lists. You can also access a range of audiovisual content via our Library subscriptions.
"By giving specific chapters of books, and also further reading around a subject if I am particularly interested in. deep dive."	"Reading list links organised by weekly reading, every weekly reading organised by essential and further reading, and essential and further reading organised by topic or subject." Our response: We agree! This is exactly how the resource lists should be organised, and is what we recommend in our guidance and training for academics.
"I find locating key texts easier through the list and especially helpful if they're eBooks."	"When embedded into Moodle, it is not possible to see the full Talis reading list - it only shows up one or two resources at a time. To see the full list I have to open via Talis on a separate webpage - it would be easier to see the whole list in Moodle in my opinion." Our response: Thank you for the feedback. This is a known issue that may occur due to the device or browser settings you are using. Please contact us for further advice.
"As a distance student it gives greater access to texts normally only available on campus."	"Encourage critical thinking by selecting texts that challenge existing ideas or present controversial viewpoints. Stimulate discussion and deeper analysis by adding supplementary resources which will provide additional context and understanding." Our response: Excellent suggestions! We always encourage academics to include this type of content on all resource lists.

Thank you to all those who took the time to tell us about your experience of resource lists!

Library Services & Study Space

Photograph of Library stairwell showing different floors.

Change To Library Opening Hours From Monday 17 March

The new term time opening hours (until 15 June) will be:	Out of term hours (from 16 June) will be:
Monday - Thursday, 8.30am - 10pm	Monday - Friday, 8.30am - 5pm
Friday, 8.30am - 7pm	Saturday, 9am - 4pm
Saturday, 9am - 4pm	Sunday, 10am - 4pm
Sunday, 10am - 4pm

There are computer work spaces on the ground floor of the David Bell Building in rooms DB 80 and DB81 which are open until midnight from Monday to Friday for use after the Library closes.

Current Library Opening Hours are always posted on the Library website.

First time user of our wonderful Library?
Are you new to Roehampton, or perhaps a Whitelands student visiting us in person for the first time this year? Here are some top tips to help you make the most of our fabulous library building. Full details are on our Library guide.

Remember your ID card!

You will need it to enter the library, access study rooms, borrow items and use the printer/scanners.

Study spaces

Seating options vary throughout the library; you can study in a group or on your own, at a desk or comfy chair. Ask Nest or Library staff to guide you to the most suitable for your needs.
The lovely Library Café on the Lower ground floor also has seating and study spaces.
There are 13 study rooms on the 1st and 2nd floors; some are equipped with computers and big screens for group work. Advance booking is recommended as they are very popular! Book up to 7 days in advance, for up to 3 hours a day, using the link on the library homepage. Empty study rooms may be used until claimed by someone with a confirmed booking – they have priority.
There is a dedicated Postgraduate study room on the first floor (Room 1.22) equipped with 6 PCs, accessible with your ID card.

Computers

There are computers everywhere, both PCs and Macs, plus laptops available to borrow for 4 hours at a time. (For longer loan laptops, ask the AVR team on the ground floor of David Bell Centre).
In addition, there are 12 computers available in the School Experience Collection area on the 1st floor installed with specialist software, such as digital imaging programmes.

Sssshh! Quiet zones

The 2nd and 3rd floors are designated ‘Whisper zones’ for more quiet, individual study.
The Maurice and Hilda Laing study room on the 3rd floor is the only ‘Silent’ study space. No talking, eating or phone calls are permitted in this room, which has splendid views over London.
The Library tends to be busiest on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are quieter in the mornings, and after 7pm.

Current Library opening hours are always on the Library homepage.

Can’t come to the Library? Then the Library can come to you!

Most of our resources – including eBooks, audiobooks, journals, and films - are freely accessible online anytime, anywhere, with your Roehampton login. Top Tips from the Online Library:

LEAN library – the browser extension that links you seamlessly to Roehampton subscribed content, wherever you may find it online.
Scan & Send – request digital extracts from our print collections, emailed direct to your Roehampton account.
Subject Guide - curated by our librarians, these will guide you to the best online (and print!) resources for your subject.
Online Study Toolkit - for advice and support every step of the way, from finding relevant books and articles to citing them correctly in your work.

Is there another university library near where you live? Use the SCONUL scheme!

Get a SCONUL card and you can use any university library in the country (although restrictions apply - you cannot usually borrow books or use their e-resources). See here for further details.

See below for more information on:

Accessibility Software and Subscriptions for Students - a PDF which outlines all of the software support you can utilise.
Support for Disabled & Dyslexic Students
Services for Whitelands Students – including the Click and Collect service to order books, and the Scan & Send service to request digital book chapters and more.

For full details of our Library Services and Study Spaces, see our web pages.