Following a successful trial last December, your libraries are making some adjustments to your Singleton Park and Bay Campus Libraries opening and staffing hours.
As a digital-first Library, we know most of you prefer to access support, content, and information online. We also understand when and how you make use of our in-person services and spaces. These changes are based on usage data, helping us align opening hours more closely with how you use the libraries.
Therefore, there will be temporary hours for September (1st September – 28th September), new hours from October onwards (covering Semester 1), and enhanced hours surrounding assessment periods.
From 1st September – 28th September the Park and Bay Libraries will be open:
- Monday – Friday, 8AM – 8PM.
- Saturday – Sunday, 12PM – 8PM.
From October onwards (covering Semester 1), the Park and Bay Libraries will be open:
- Monday – Friday, 8AM – 12AM.
- Saturday – Sunday, 12PM – 8PM.
January assessment period*, Park and Bay Libraries will be open:
- Monday – Friday, 7AM – 2AM.
- Saturday – Sunday, 8AM – 12AM.
*These hours will run for the three term-time weeks before and during the January assessment period. Further information in the May assessment period will be communicated in 2026.
Throughout all these periods the Library Information Desks will be staffed:
- Monday – Friday, 9AM – 5PM.
Vacation hours will vary around public holidays and University closure dates.
Why are opening hours changing?
We know the library is an important space for many of you, so we make sure any changes to opening hours are carefully thought out. After reviewing how and when students are using the space, we’ve made some adjustments to make sure the library is running in a way that best supports your needs now, and throughout the academic year.
- How the space is being used: Our data shows that student use of the library has changed in recent years, with much lower numbers on site at certain times of day and night. To make sure we’re providing the right support while also being responsible with resources, we’ve updated our opening hours to better match when the space is being used most. This also allows us to make sure we’re reducing carbon emissions down and helping the University meet its sustainability goals.
- Digital first: Almost all library services can be accessed online, and it’s great to see you making the most of them, with over 819,000 e-book accesses in 2024. We’ll continue to provide both digital and physical resources, but we know that the convenience of online access is a big part of how you study.
Continuing to focus our services, efforts and resources on the things that matter most to you is our top priority. Concentrated in-person support available when you need it, and uninterrupted online access to over a million resources.
We will be monitoring your feedback, alongside the Students’ Union, as well as occupancy rates in both Libraries, this will help guide our approach for Semester 2 and future years.
We will be back in touch during Semester 1 for a further update. If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please contact Libraries and Collections.
Education Services
possibly the worst revised hours. someone at the top of the university is getting very hungry considering i’m paying near enough 10k for one year to not even be able to access the library as i did in my undergraduate degree. considering most of our students go to the library FOR WARMTH and wifi accessibility and community space in the colder months, i am interested of what data shows that this space isn’t needed at singleton campus.
Thank you for your reply. We have passed your concern on to the relevant team.
24/7 access to libraries is essential for all students. This is a huge step in the wrong direction and will have a huge negative impact on all students learning. Many students do not use the library for the resources but for the free space it provides. It is a warm, free and welcoming space to all students, many of whom are unable to study at home or in accommodation when they need to. I expect these revised opening hours to be reversed.
As a student myself, it’s obvious that a lot of students use the library 24/7 due to its reliability and comfort for studying out of accommodation/home. It’s where students meet up to work together and helps students especially those with ADHD to handle workload. It seems unfair that other university libraries are able to be open 247 and ours will have to close when someone could be in the middle of studying. Nearly all of my friends have used the library out of these hours more than once.
Dear Ruby
Thank for for your feedback. We understand your concerns and will ensure that these are passed on to the relevant team. For information, Harbwr is now a 24/7 space, should you need somewhere out of hours to continue studying on campus. We hope this helps.
Best wishes, the Student Life Team
Taking away 24/7 library access will increase footfall during these revised hours, with students already struggling to find study spaces during those hours as is. A busier library due to restricted use times creates a distracting environment that students who use the libraries out of these hours do so to escape this.
There is simply no concrete start-end time to a student’s day. I have personally spent many hours past these opening times in the library with it being more than reasonably in use. These times have truly made the difference that I needed to reach deadlines, complete group work and prepare for exams in a focussed environment. The university cannot keep minimising the student experience in the name of sustainability without providing adequate solutions. Our singular 24 hour study space should never have been compromised. I propose that the university revise these hours to at least the proposed exam times during regular term time and 24 hours during exam time. Or consider keeping at least 1 of the libraries open at all times (or even a smaller space open 24hrs such as the base in engineering central on bay to match the reduced footfall)- aiding in avoiding oversubscribed library spaces during core hours.
Ridiculous that the library opening times are being reduced by such an extreme amount, when students are paying high fees to have the freedom to learn what they can and access knowledge whenever they need it. The shorter opening times will lead to more cramped study when it is often already difficult to find a quiet space to study in the library. It is unreasonable to continue with this decision when every student that comments agrees. And please dont shadow drop information like this in emails that look like they contain general information about coming back, its a large enough change that it deserves its own email. Thank you for your attention.
Dear Iestyn,
Thank for for your feedback, we will pass on your concerns to the relevant team. For information, an all-student email specifically about this was sent on 1 September. Any subsequent messaging included in welcome back communications was intended as a reminder. Please ensure that you are checking your student email account regularly so as not to miss out on any key messages.
Best wishes, the Student Life Team
“This also allows us to make sure we’re reducing carbon emissions down and helping the University meet its sustainability goals.”
Excuse me? So the priority is the University’s sustainability goals, not the students’ education? Cutting hours to meet carbon targets is a shocking decision.
Dear Ben,
Thank for for your feedback. We understand your concerns and will ensure that these are passed on to the relevant team. For information, Harbwr is now a 24/7 space, should you need somewhere out of hours to continue studying on campus. We hope this helps.
Best wishes, the Student Life Team