Belfield Library

Kingkong

Between the toilets being in bits and the Stupid enterance machine being broken its turning into a kip. Id love the fire alarm to go off duing the weekend. The staff wouldnt have a clue wat to do. All they do is sit there the weekend they cant let ya in if youre misssing your card, cant fix the enterance machine either, cant even fix the stairs when its turned off.

Whats da point of them all they do scatch there asses the weekend.

I ASK ALL WHO AGREE TO TAKE THE TIME ALL FILL IN A SUGGESTION FORM COMPLANING ABT THE SERVICES ON THE WEEKENDS AND STATE OF THE TOLIETS. WITH ENOUGH COMPLAINTS THINGS WILL BE DONE

aequinoctium

are they enforcing the 30 minute rule?

Conchúr

now to be honest i stopped using the library after the first year exams. It's just used as a social place at this stage. It's just noisy and distracting, to be honest i don't give a flying fingernail if the stairs doesn't move or if the toilets have piss all over them when people are sitting around chatting or using there phones on the silent "vibrate only" mode. Every year i try it again and every year it seams to get worse. Like for crying out loud, I'm convinced there's a conspiracy against the internet by the librarians to ensure its so bloody slow that it's quicker to get a fecking book then look it up online!!! Screw that for a caper.

fullstop

Its a joke. the queue was down the stairs to get in after lunch today. the toilets on top floor are flooded and theres not a scrap of toilet paper to be seen...again. Its been complained about time and time again and they just say comments have been passed on to maintenance....waste of time. the 30 minute rule not being implemented, haven't seen libroop or the other **** for the past three days

breadmonkey

There are lots of other libraries that aren't half as packed.... granted the open hours aren't quite as long as JJ library but still much better places to study IMO.

Jonny Arson

I think the library is just a reflection of the overall neglect alot of parts of the campus suffer from. Yeah the toilets in the library are a joke (have the soap dispensers ever worked?) but it's the same with toilets in the Arts building etc. The bottom line is UCD prefer to pump money into expensive glossy advertising campaigns rather than providing clean decent toilets, scanning machines that work and more textbooks in the library for students. This type of stuff isn't on their radar and you can send as many angry letters, suggestion forms or whatnot, they will do nothing. If you want to contact the SU about try it but they're equally as useless.

Stepherunie

Yeah from what I could see they don't have a cleaner on duty on Sunday so you get no toilet paper if it's gone (which it invariably is by the end of Saturday, even in non exam time).

I don't think I've ever studied in that library without a pair of earplugs after my first couple of times in there as it's just too noisy.

I did what Breadmonkey did and found a new library to study in, I also seemed to have turned into a natural light nazi so the library is on my no go list now.

padser

To be honest flaws and all I actually think the library is one of (if not the) best run parts of UCD that I have come accross.

The opening hours - while not 24 hr like I think they should be are considerably longer then most other colleges (Trinities library closes at 2pm on saturdays and doesnt open Sundays AFAIK)

Last few weeks they have left notes on ppls desks when they are gone for long periods of time - it has seriously diminished the incidents of ppl 'saving' seats for others and/or abadoning their seats

The libro cops do patrol occassionally and noise on the top is generally kept to a minimum. A 20 second glare at the two ppl beside you talking (followed if necessary by the comment - 'Are you planning on just talking all day? This is a library') invariably makes the ppl near you shut up - although you might get dirty looks for the rest of the day - doesnt bother me

Granted the amount of books in not up to standard - but I'm pretty certain thats due to lack of funding rather then a cock up on the librarys part.

Toilettes are pretty bad - but their are one of two decent ones. I think the main problem with them is that there is an insufficent amount of them for the number of library users at the moment

There is almsot always a seat with a power point nearby and wireless service is almost always 'excellent' where I sit.

The wireless printing is an absolute godsend

Online catalogue and databases are pretty quick and easy to search. no log in needed while inside the library.

Finally before xmas I had a problem with a library memeber of staff over a dispute over a library seat (she was attempted to save a prime seat for herself for when she got off work in 4 hours time. She was also incredibly rude and threw some of my stuff onto the floor. I sent a long and detailed e mail to the library about it.
a) I got the seat
b) I got an e mail apology from deputy head librarian
c) About 2 weeks later I got a long and detailed e mail apology from the head librarain
d) I mentioned in my e mail that I always studied on the top floor. It may or not be a conincidence but the staff member in question did not work on the top floor again and she had always worked there up to this point.

That kind of response to a genuine complaint wouldn't happen in any other part of UCD that I know of.

Finally the staff enforce the laptop free zones.

God knows I dont say many good things about UCD - but I actually find the library often hits a pretty good standard.


On a side note Jonny Arson - if your exams start tomo, and you have done nothing yet - how are you so well versed in the problems with the library???

Stepherunie

I have to agree with you on the staff thing Padser, the library is one of the few places that have a suggestion book and all suggestions are replied to in at most 2 working days from what I can see.

I made a number of suggestions with regards to books last year and all of them were implemented which resulted in a number of med library books being moved to the JJ library to reflect the increase numbers of health sci people in the library.

You also see in those suggestions on fairly regular occasions people suggesting that too many copies of one book are held in short long, not enough in long loan and vice versa etc. and the staff will quite often move the books around to make it more usable.

If you look at it anything that the library staff run themselves it is generally well run, it tends to be anything that involves another group i.e. maintenance etc. that isn't as on the ball.

Have to laugh at the libocop thing though. Last year Libocop was shouting at some guy who was using his laptop in an electronic device free zone, my friend got utterly frustrated that he was still shouting about 2 minutes later so turned around and told libocop to keep it down, she was trying to study. Cue libocop almost turning purple with rage.

Jonny Arson

padser wrote:

On a side note Jonny Arson - if your exams start tomo, and you have done nothing yet - how are you so well versed in the problems with the library???

Haven't studied properly for 1 of my 5 exams. Spent too long in the library this year doing more coursework than ever. And I've been here 3 years - I think I'm in more of a position to voice any problems and deficiencies within the library thank you very much

mloc

What confounds me is that there is no post 12am study ANYWHERE this year... what happened to the late night restaurant study facilities? The fact the library closes at 9 pm the day before exams start...

I thought I'd never say it, but UCD is really going downhill.

Red Alert

The library I think is run as well as the people who run it can - in particular they do take suggestions seriously.

The problems like the crap ventilation, badly controlled heating, filthy toilets and idiotic access control system are largely down to college neglect.

The toilets could be solved by involving the HSA - they would take a very dim view of the state of them in the light of all the renovations in the library. Quite frankly, the toilets in a pub on a saturday night are probably cleaner.

padser

Red Alert wrote:

Quite frankly, the toilets in a pub on a saturday night are probably cleaner.

With the notable exception of the SU bar!!!!

stolenwine

I don't study in ucd library because of the noise level, its partly because of design. The Architect should be shot. There isn't enough floor space for desks and the ceilings are too low so the noise doesn't disperse easily like it would if the building had high ceilings.

The library staff for the most part I've found to be friendly, excellent subject librarian. Only came across one rude woman on the ground floor desk, I make sure that I'm not served by her.

Simply they have no funding, ucd authorities don't understand that a library is one of the if not the central pull of any academic institution. The universtity authorities prefer to pump money into Nova u.c.d so that Hugh Brady can be pictured shaking hands with Bertie.

Stepherunie

stolenwine wrote:

I don't study in ucd library because of the noise level, its partly because of design. The Architect should be shot. There isn't enough floor space for desks and the ceilings are too low so the noise doesn't disperse easily like it would if the building had high ceilings.

There's a double height ceiling in the Health Sci Library and it's woeful. Because they'res an atrium design sound reverberates all over the building. You can be on the top floor and hear the buzzer from books being checked out or when someone stands to close to someone who's leaving the building.

scop

This kind of surprises me as I've always felt the library was one of the better places we have in UCD. Staff has always been helpful, and I've never had occasion to have been shouted at by one of the patrolling chaps. Toilets are generally alright.

Now the selection of books seems bad, but the longer I spend there the more I realise the selection is quite good. For my own area of interest all the big, important books are there, and a random selection of others that students asked for.

If you want books in your area of interest you fill in a form, and ask if they can get the book ordered in. If you present a good case for its use you'll see the book in a month or so. I've had two expensive books ordered in this way so far.

Anyway just to put my defense in of the place!

beanyb

I think most of the problems with the library are down to the people that use it rather than the people that run it. It's always going to be noisy to some extent just because of the amount of people that are there. The librocops do a decent enough job keeping people quiet, all you have to do to see that is go in on a sunday when there's no librocops and all hell breaks loose.

They could do with a cleaner on a sunday though, especially around this time of year. There's never any toilet paper! And the broken turnstile is fairly annoying, but I'd say it'll be sorted as soon as they can get it sorted.

mloc

Maybe its just this weekend... and I realise that it's not strictly the library staff's fault, but:

a) The toilets are in total disarray. No paper in the building. At all.
b) The toilets near the SU shop are locked.
c) Only one turnstyle is working, queues down to the entrance of the building.
d) Again, only open til 9, the day before exams start. Where is the restaurant late night study facility this year? Are they implying that now that we're modularised, we don't need to study?
e) Extremely limited food availability. What's the point in having a library open til 12 if theres no food available?
f) With the increase in laptops amongst students, most desks should have power sockets at the least, preferably network access points. The idea of laptop areas should be replaced with the idea of specific non-laptop areas, with all other areas suitable for laptop use.
g) The Health Sci lib is a joke. It's a glorified glasshouse. Far too much light on the top floor, laptop screens washed out due to glare, constant noise due to high ceilings and automatic blinds, open plan design means that the noise from the constant beeping at the entrance is heard throughout the building. Total waste of space, not enough desks. It's a library not a museum, they should have realised that when they were building it.

Overall, at the moment, the adminstration and design aspects of the libraries is abysmal.

Red Alert

It's very easy to turn off the beepers in the: entrance scanners, barcode scanners and photocopiers! I wish they'd just do it!

Notorious

padser wrote:

(Trinities library closes at 2pm on saturdays and doesnt open Sundays AFAIK)

Actually from my knowledge its open till 4 on Saturday and it is open on Sunday from like 10 till 2 or 3 maybe.

Aside, I like the UCD library for study. On the 3rd floor its not too noisy, and I find once I get into study the noise just fades into the background. Ok so the toilets aren't the best, and aren't well maintained over the weekends but I suppose we're just gonna have to live with that (I did notice the toilets had paper a few minutes ago on the 2nd floor, and with one someone decided to throw a load on the ground so no wonder there may be shortages). The 30 minute rule is a good idea, but I haven't seen it implemented on the 3rd floor at all. Most of the problems, in my opinion, are down to the fault of students who neglect the rules and purpose of the library, and not the people who run it.

woop

have to agree with the previous post saying its more down to the people who use it, the library was grand during the year I found when studying for mid terms and the likes, but it seems to have go downhill round now, people talking, etc. the librocops are sound..... well to a certain extent one of them let me have coffee, thats my main reason

the design of the top floor makes me laugh though, everything seems to echo, plus the fact that the escalator's are not cordened off to prevent noise seems a bit silly, Im sure it wouldnt be hard to do

gubbie

Toilets don't bother me, not after going to China!

But what I don't understand is why don't people who find it easier to go to town, take advantage of the last days of the terrace. If all you're looking for is a quiet place choose it! I've never seen a quieter library in my life. And plus, them toilets... now they're toilets!

mloc wrote:

d) Again, only open til 9, the day before exams start. Where is the restaurant late night study facility this year? Are they implying that now that we're modularised, we don't need to study?
f) With the increase in laptops amongst students, most desks should have power sockets at the least, preferably network access points. The idea of laptop areas should be replaced with the idea of specific non-laptop areas, with all other areas suitable for laptop use.

Don't you love the plug sockets in the ceiling? Thats something that always makes me think why... like just why?
And it was Vainglory ... me thinks... who sorted out the Restaurant study thing. I think when the Union takes the pressure off the college, they stop doing things.

UCC close at 9 on a normal day. They're only open at the weekend til about 5

mloc

gubbie wrote:

UCC close at 9 on a normal day. They're only open at the weekend til about 5

Well we're meant to be ireland's education capital are we not? 24 hour study areas around exam times would be a step in the right direction.

Ireland's education run-down-hamlet-up-some-godforsaken-mountain would be more appropriate at the moment.

gubbie

mloc wrote:

Well we're meant to be ireland's education capital are we not? 24 hour study areas around exam times would be a step in the right direction.

Ireland's education run-down-hamlet-up-some-godforsaken-mountain would be more appropriate at the moment.

I have to disagree with you. 24 hour study is really bad for you and if UCD were to do this only around exam time then surely that would be considered as promoting cramming

Stepherunie

UCC:

Monday - Thursday; First Term: 8.30 - 21.45 Second Term 08:00 - 22:15
Friday; First Term 8.30 - 20.45 Second Term 08.00 - 22.45
Saturday; First Term Closed Second Term 10.00 - 19.00
Sunday: First Term Closed Second Term 10.00 - 19.00

TCD:

Monday - Friday: 09.00 - 22.00
Saturday: 09.30 - 16.00
Sunday: 11.00 - 17.00

DCU:

Monday - Thursday: 8.30 - 22.00
Friday: 8.30 - 21.00
Saturday: 9.30 - 1700
Sunday opening only for exam period: 10.00 - 17.00

NUIG:

Monday - Friday: 08.30 - 22.00
Saturday: 08.30 - 17.00
Sunday: 10.00 - 17.30

UL:

Monday - Friday: 08.30 - 23.00
Saturday: 10.00 - 19.00
Sunday: 11.00 - 18.00

UCD:

Monday - Friday 08.30 - 23.00
Saturday: 09.00 - 21.00
Sunday 09.00 - 21.00

Random selection there but gives you a good view of what good opening hours we have. Admittedly a few of the other college have a Sunday service for a few hours but nothing as extensive as a normal day.

mloc

gubbie wrote:

I have to disagree with you. 24 hour study is really bad for you and if UCD were to do this only around exam time then surely that would be considered as promoting cramming

I'm not suggesting people actually study for 24 hours straight... but some people function better at 6 am, whilst some people study better until 3 am.

And whilst promoting cramming is not a good thing, people need more time around exams. I mean really, what percentage of people actually do a consistent amount of work throughout the year with no significant increase around exam time? Not many. In some courses, it's impossible anyway with things like projects, lab research and work placements.

pretty*monster

gubbie wrote:

But what I don't understand is why don't people who find it easier to go to town, take advantage of the last days of the terrace. If all you're looking for is a quiet place choose it! I've never seen a quieter library in my life. And plus, them toilets... now they're toilets!

Well, a lot of us need to be in the library that houses the books from our courses.

I'm lucky, noise doesn't bother me when I study.
I'm quite a fan of the library actually.
Everything except the turnstile.

Red Alert

What would El Librocop do if you hopped the turnstile?

pretty*monster

Red Alert wrote:

What would El Librocop do if you hopped the turnstile?

I saw a guy hop the exit turnstile one day when they were all broken. The staff freaked out but there wasn't really anything they could do since he just walked off.
Of course if you're hopping in walking off isn't so much of an option.

stolenwine

pretty*monster wrote:

I saw a guy hop the exit turnstile one day when they were all broken. The staff freaked out but there wasn't really anything they could do since he just walked off.
Of course if you're hopping in walking off isn't so much of an option.

I hoped the turnstile of one of the off campus libraries I wanted to bring a book back and there was no returns box at the enterance. Turns out it was round the corner in an obscure place, anyway I had forgotten my card. I started to explain all this to the woman at the desk, it was like she was stuck on a loop she kept repeating "you can't do that" I was coming in to the library and clearly explaining myself. *red alert, stop her she's trying to learn*

They really have to stop acting like the library is a police state, if they don't provide proper signage explaining where the drop box is or don't have it at the enterance/ or if the turstiles don't work it's their problem.

elmyra

stolenwine wrote:

I started to explain all this to the woman at the desk, it was like she was stuck on a loop she kept repeating "you can't do that" I was coming in to the library and clearly explaining myself. *red alert, stop her she's trying to learn*

I always thought you were a boy???

dajaffa

elmyra wrote:

I always thought you were a boy???

WOW talk about dejá vu!

Red Alert

i think his avatar is confusing you!

stolenwine

elmyra wrote:

I always thought you were a boy???

sheesh! I think the correct term you're looking for is hermaphrodite! lol
I really like Dogbert, is all.

elmyra

Red Alert wrote:

i think his avatar is confusing you!

Her avatar

Tayto2000

The late study place was open overnight when it was on the fifth floor of the library, it was always packed until about eleven then almost everyone went home. I don't think it would be worth keeping the library open all night for the benefit of one or two people (I've always done my best work between 2am and 6am but always at home-it's quiet by then usually;) ) . Not sure why it's not running this year, maybe because Mary Clayton stepped down as VP for students and a change in SU people? The notices in the restaurant all said the place had been provided at the request of the VP for students.

I haven't been in the health sciences library yet, it looks nice from the outside, it must be like a greenhouse when it's hot though. Recommended over the JJ?

Stepherunie

I wear ear plugs in there all the time when I'm in Health Sci as it's quite noisy and the engineers haven't exactly worked out the issues with the windows.... Bloody noisy!

If you're a natural night fanatic like me then you will love the top floor - it's really bright.

It seems to be a bit of a fave for commerce students from what I've noticed.

mloc

Stepherunie wrote:

If you're a natural night fanatic like me then you will love the top floor - it's really bright.

Too bright for me tbh. Just ain't feeling it. Found a nice seat in JJ, 4th floor near the back, facing the wall. Close enough to people if I need to ask questions, far enough not to keep looking around at stuff.

gubbie

Stepherunie wrote:

I wear ear plugs in there all the time when I'm in Health Sci as it's quite noisy and the engineers haven't exactly worked out the issues with the windows.... Bloody noisy!

You see thats why its bad that Civils aren't in the engineering building much. Cos if they were they'd notice
a) how much it echoes
b) how boiling it gets on a warm day because of the windows
At least it gives us nice places to study so I don't have to put up with the crapness that is the library. I've been in there twice this year. Queuing. It won't be repeated

Stepherunie

See it's the heat that's the problem.

They engineers/architects devised this great plan of thermostatically controlled windows whereby they'd open when the place got too warm and closed when it got too cold. Problem is the windows can't seem to make there mind up and open a bit, close a bit, open a wee bit more two minutes later... you get my drift.

But overall I like the place, I find my eyes don't get half as tired in there and I can study longer and better. That's what I need.