Library spaces for you

A collage of four photographs of the ground floor of Moore library, detailing sofas, tables and chairs, and lots of green leafy plants

Ground Floor

On the ground floor of the library, you can find help at the library issue desk, where you can get assistance and advice.

The ground floor has a range of study and recreation areas. This large, open area is a 'research café' style, multi-purpose area, and can be used for group work and discussions, supervisions and individual study. You can also play games, enjoy jigsaw puzzles, origami, or just relax with a snack and a hot drink from our vending machines, found in the lobby. There are also cuddly 'study buddies', and some assistive technology.

In addition, the ground floor accommodates workstations providing access to the library catalogues (iDiscover) and some library computers. The library printing facilities can be found here, as can the E-Legal terminal and the bookable acoustic booth.

Books can be borrowed and returned at either the self-issue kiosk or the library issue desk.

You can access the other floors by the central lift or the two stairwells to the west and east sides of the building.

This floor is also home to our very popular literature collection, graphic novels and our study skills and wellbeing collection.


 

A section of the ground floor, showing large circular tables with games, jigsaws and books on them. In the background is a blue Acoustic Booth and a circular wall with a horizontal band of windows

Second Floor

The main collection begins on the second floor, starting between the two stairwells. This floor covers general science, computer science and the first half of the mathematics collection.

The study spaces have excellent views of the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, and the lovely tree-lined lane alongside the library. There is also plenty of natural slight from the large skylight window at the apex of the building.

There are many desk spaces, some with adjustable sit/stand desks, and whiteboards to work on. There is also a small number of docking stations and library computers. There is a quiet area, and some beanbags for you to take a rest!

Looking through a window at the view of the trees from the second floor of Moore Library

First Floor

The main collection continues on the first floor, again starting between the two stairwells. The sequence continues with the mathematics collection, before continuing through astronomy, physics, natural history and biology, materials science, and engineering.

There are desk spaces, some with adjustable sit/stand desks, and whiteboards to work on. There is also a small number of docking stations and library computers. There is a quiet area, and some beanbags for you to take a rest! You can browse the shelves or use one of our catalogue machines (iDiscover) to search for items.

The bookable meeting & study room is located behind the blue stairwell. This is a large, airy room for you to hold meetings, study groups, tutorials, or it can be used for individual study. It has a wondeful view of the trees that run alongside the library, as well as all of the squirrels and birds that can be seen around the site.

There is an accessible toilet behind the pink stairwell.

A small chair and a table with a pot plant, next to the window on the first floor, overlooking CMS

Lower Ground Floor

The lower ground floor is the largest area in the library, as the building extends beyond the footprint of the upper floors, and it contains more study spaces, including desk spaces, comfortable cushioned study pods (can be combined with beanbags!), and the large glass room study space. Despite being below ground level, lots of natural light enters the glass room at the right-hand side from the landscaped valley outside the windows.

There are more library computers and docking stations for you to use, and a catalogue machine (iDiscover).

You can also find our very popular pink and blue study rooms here, and another accessible toilet.

A section of the lower ground floor of the Moore library, showing desk spaces, library computers and some cushioned, yellow study pods

The lower-ground floor provides well over half of the total shelving capacity of the Library, mostly housing journals. Journals are arranged alphabetically by title within their basic Library of Congress subject divisions: Q for general science, QA for mathematics, QB astronomy, and so on. The sequence starts in the stacks on the right hand side of the room (ask staff if you are unsure of where to begin). The thesis collection can also be found on this floor, immediately following the end of the journal sequence.

A section of the moore library glass room, showing desk spaces and large window panes, which follow a sloping line, getting larger as they descend toward the floor. The room is well lit by sunlight

Following recent collection logistic projects a considerable proportion of journals have been transferred to the University's offsite store. You should consult iDiscover before visiting the library if you wish to consult journal stock, as all transferred stock will now be listed with the new location. Items in the store can be brought to the UL for consultation or you can make a Scan and Deliver request. The large proportion of this stock is available online and generally the physical copy has seen extremely low use in recent years.

a 'fish-eye' style view of most of the glass room study space showing desk spaces and glass walls