Whether you're brand new to York, or just haven't used the library much so far, here are 6 essential things you need to know.
Whether you're brand new to York, or just haven't used the library much so far, here are 6 essential things you need to know.
From the 1st September we will be introducing new email addresses for our Faculty Librarians and our Reading List team.
We recently conducted a research project with postgraduate researchers to find out more about how you identify library resources and use our tools and services. Read on for a summary of what we found and our proposed actions.
If you're about to graduate, huge congratulations! Please remember your peers still need to use the books, so get any you've borrowed back to the library soon.
The Morrell Library entrance area will be redeveloped over the Summer, as part of the University’s long term investment in campus infrastructure. The refurbishment will provide more study spaces and a more welcoming, modern look and feel. This post will tell you all you need to know about what will happen when and how it will affect library services.
The main library is open 24 hours a day for the four weeks of the exam period. But 24/7 opening doesn't mean 24/7 studying!
As you work on your dissertation, project or other assignments this semester, you’ll want to make best use of the library’s wide range of resources. The tips below suggest useful tools, strategies and resources to enable you to find the literature you need as efficiently as possible.
The Library makes many past papers available via YorSearch to help you prepare for exams; 7 departments have shared their past papers with us.
To support exam preparation and revision, we are now open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from 8am on Monday 5 January until we close at midnight on 1 February.
Welcome to the library!
Posted on Thursday 3 September 2026
1. It’s free to use the library resources.
You don’t need to pay to use the study spaces, or borrow the books, or use the online resources we provide via YorSearch (the library catalogue which tells you what we have and where to find it). You’ll have to pay for things like printing, and there’s a charge if you lose something, but generally the library is free to use - we don’t even charge fines for overdue books. Even things like the 3D printers in YorCreate (see point 4, below) are free for members of our University.
2. You don’t need to register: you’re already a member of the library.
Your IT username and password is your library username and password, and your University Card is your library card. You can use your Uni card or the MyUoY app to get in and out of the library building, and to borrow books using our self-issue machines. Talking of which…
3. Anyone can borrow anything borrowable.
As a member of the University you can access all of our books (and scores, and audiovisual materials, and other borrowable items) whether you need them for your degree or not. As well as all the academic materials we’ve also got a reading-for-pleasure section, and a life-skills section with cookbooks etc - find them in the Fairhurst Living Room. You can take books out yourself using the self-issue machines - if the book you need is on the shelf, you don’t need to request it; just borrow it right away. You can borrow up to 75 items at once, but please don’t take this as a challenge…
4. We have loads of extra facilities beyond books and eResources, which are all free to use too.
For example we’ve got two digital labs (the Creativity Lab and YorCreate, our maker space); two Skills Centres (the Maths Skills Centre and the Writing Centre, plus Study Coaching and support for Speaking and Listening); four Sensory Rooms that allow you to moderate your sensory environment; a Family Study Room for students with children to study alongside them; a Student Kitchen, free laptop loans… There’s so much good stuff at the library - come and explore. Plus if you need more info, just ask.
5. We have a temporary front door...
The main Library on Campus West consists of three connected buildings: the Fairhurst, the Morrell (in the middle), and the Burton. You will spend almost all of your time at York entering and exiting the library through the main Morrell. However, we're currently refurbishing that area and expanding the number of study spaces we have to over 1500 - so for the first month or two, you'll enter and exit through our temporary front door the Fairhurst. Don't worry, there are plenty of signs to point you in the right direction when you get to the library, and normal service will resume shortly!
6. You can and should ask questions!
This sounds trite but we really don’t expect everyone to know how everything works or where everything is. It takes a while to get used to the scale of it all: just come and ask at the Help Desk (Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm in the Morrell) or you can email or use Chat, or DM us on Instagram or TikTok. It doesn’t matter how you get in touch, the important thing is to just get in touch and ask for guidance when you want it.
Have a look at our quick-start guide, and welcome to the library!