Three years ago we reviewed the opening hours of the Learning Resources Centres. Following a student survey, a focus group and taking into account usage figures some improvements were made to address concerns raised by the students. These included opening earlier in the mornings (the change most requested by students) and a greater use made of self service facilities, enabling students to issue and return their books themselves. During 2008/9 we received feedback from students (via Student Voice Reps and the University’s Quality Enhancement Committee) as well as from senior academic staff, indicating a need to make some further changes to the opening hours at Treforest and Glyntaff LRCs. These are the changes:
Treforest:
• Open on Saturdays until 8.00 pm instead of 5.00 pm
• Open on Sundays until 8.00 pm instead of 6.00 pm
• Open on weekdays until 10.00 pm instead of 11.45 pm
Glyntaff:
• Open on Monday - Thursday until 10.00 pm instead of 9.00 pm
• Open on Sundays between 10.00 – 4.00 (as a pilot during Autumn Term)
We have also been able to increase the opening hours for specific purposes during the year. These include the period leading up to examinations and resits and on some Saturdays during the summer vacation to support Police Sciences courses.
Overall, these changes amounted to a modest increase in opening hours. A survey of activity late at night in Treforest LRC showed that very little use was made of services after 10.00 pm. This has enabled us to rebalance the hours across the two sites, given the reduced resource levels. For students who need computing facilities day and night the computer lab based in Treforest’s J1 remains open 24 hours a day during term time.
We aim to ensure that, as far as possible, the opening hours of the buildings are suited to the study needs of the majority of students. In the current difficult financial climate it should be recognised that, if we open the buildings longer, those additional hours have to be paid for by stopping or reducing services elsewhere in the department.
Opening hours at the ATRiuM remain the same.
Details of the opening hours of all the library, media and IT facilities are available at: http://lcss.glam.ac.uk/hours/
Steve Morgan Head of Learning Resources
