Main Library - Edinburgh

Sascha O.

Schön ruhige und große Bibliothek – ideal zum Lernen.

Marie D.

The light inside the library is rather white. It serves a purpose, the students are kept awake and can work longer hours.

Unfortunately, we are polluting the natural world with the light trespass. But we could protect nature by lowering the existing blind? This simple action, that many of us already carry out every day, will help reduce light pollution and the impact it has on nature.

shiva S.

The views are breathtaking. It is the best place for personal growth and development.

eggie

It’s a 24/7 hour library but there are no hot food points that reflect these times e.g. after 10pm during the weekday the cafe is closed (sometimes earlier if understaffed or not busy) and the hot food choices in the cafe are very limited. You could eat there a few times and get sick of it because the only hot food you can get there are e.g. soup of the day, toasted panini, and that’s about it. Think of students who have to study there for at least 4 years. There is no microwave for students to heat up their food, while other places in central campus do have a heating station (but these places close at 5pm). So where do students go to heat up their food after this time? Not everyone lives close to campus. Now, we can only eat in the cafe but the seats there are very dirty and get filled up during peak times (whereas before we could also sit in the foyer seats and eat). Important thing is the university needs to invest more in building 24/7 tea points (as they call it in and did for the new Future Institutes building and the Nucleus building which sadly closes at like 5pm) that have microwaves & boiling water so that students have access to warm food 24/7 and not just the vending machine crap which just sells snacks. Literally just building ONE tea point in the main library (with the usual two microwaves that the other tea points have) would be life changing. This is the feedback that a lot of students have as evidenced recently in the whiteboard located in the foyer of the main library that was gathering student’s hand written feedback. Will this impact the cafe’s sales - maybe; negligibly; probably, but there’s always a way for both strategies to benefit.

Niko G.

The main library of the Univ of Edinburgh, a big building with different layout and study spaces for various study needs. You have book shelves, desks with computers, quiet study space, and group study space. During end of term, it can be very crowded and you can't get any space, which means better you find other alternative libraries such as your school libraries like the Moray House library school of education and sports.

Channie S.

Always a lovely place to study and most staff members are helpful. 24hr access, showers etc. are all perfect. Leave a comment specially for those rude staff, who sadly not belong to this warm and friendly team 🙂

Kamilia

Calm and spacious place to study with many computers that can be used as a second monitor. Great views of the meadows, arthur seat, and the city. Borrowing and returning books are automated and always a very smooth process.

During exam periods it can be hard to find a spot and some people leave their belongings unattended for hours.

Abdul R. S.

Great library, plenty of space, Wi-Fi. Books. Although during exams time you will struggle to find places to sit. Dedicated floor for postgraduates. Great book lending system. IT helpdesk inside.
Restricted access to non-students