Morrell

About the JB Morrell Library

JB Morrell Library opening hours

Autumn term 2020

From Monday 28 September, the Library will be open 8am to midnight every day.

Opening times are split into full service hours and self-service hours.

Find out what you can and can't do during these hours:

• Full service and self-service hours

Floor plans

View the location of subject resources, study areas, PCs and other facilities:

• Floor plans (PDF , 1,121kb)

The Library houses collections to support your study and research in all subject areas.

The resources we provide include:

• More than 1 million print books
• Print journals
• Electronic journals and books
• Databases which index thousands more journals
• DVDs, videos, CDs and tapes
• Music scores, maps, theses by York students and other specialist resources
• Collections of rare and valuable items

The Library Cafe is located in the JB Morrell Library, near the entrance.

About John Bowes Morrell

The Library is named after John Bowes Morrell, a former Lord Mayor of York and a leading figure in the local movement to establish a university in York.

Fairhurst

About the Harry Fairhurst Building

About Harry Fairhurst

Harry Fairhurst was the first librarian at the University of York.

He was the fourth person to be employed by the University and began work before the Library had actually been built.

The Harry Fairhurst Building is open 24/7, 362 days a year.

The building offers a welcoming and stimulating environment for learning and research and provides over 500 study spaces across three floors.

Find out more about studying in the Harry Fairhurst Building:

• Study Spaces

These areas include easy access to power sockets and there is wifi throughout the building.

Fairhurst Kitchen in LFA/124 on the first floor with a sink, microwave, filtered cold water and hot water dispenser for drink and food preparation during normal 24/7 opening hours. Please note the housekeeping rules along with instructions for using the microwave oven.

Shower room on the first floor, available for all to use. 

To access the Harry Fairhurst Building, enter through the JB Morrell Library and continue left through the link corridor.

Books can be taken into the Fairhurst Building from the Library without the need to check them out.

Floor plans

View the location of subject resources, study areas, PCs and other facilities:

• Floor plans (PDF , 1,121kb)
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Study skills help

The Harry Fairhurst is home to the Writing Centre and the Maths Skills Centre.

Postgraduate space

The following areas on the second floor of the Harry Fairhurst Building are available for postgraduates:

• The Research Study is a specialist study area for postgraduates, and includes a silent study room (LFA/227).
• The Research Lounge is next to the Research Study, and provides an informal space for postgraduates to study or relax.

Burton

About the Raymond Burton Library for Humanities Research

Raymond Burton Library opening hours

Autumn term 2020

From Monday 28 September, the Library will be open 8am to midnight every day.

Collections housed in the Raymond Burton Library include:

• the Elton collection of history books
• the Humanities Research reference collection

All the material in this library is for reference use only.

Access the Raymond Burton Library via the JB Morrell Library - enter through the main doors and turn right.

Floor plans

View the location of subject resources, study areas, PCs and other facilities:

• Floor plans (PDF , 1,121kb)
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Studying in the Raymond Burton Library

The Reading Room provides an attractive and conducive working environment.

For more information on study areas in the Raymond Burton Library, see:

•  Study spaces

About Raymond Burton

Raymond Burton was a businessman and philanthropist, and an active supporter of the University.

The Raymond Burton Library was officially opened in September 2003 and was jointly funded by the University and a generous benefaction from the Raymond Burton Charitable Trust.

Raymond Burton joked that he needed the Library to house his own extensive collection of books, playbills and manuscripts relating to Yorkshire.

King's Manor

About the King's Manor Library

King's Manor Library opening hours

Autumn term 2020

Monday to Friday:  9am to 5pm
Saturday: 11am to 5pm
Sunday: closed

Vacation

Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday and Sunday: closed

The Library is closed between Christmas and New Year, and on all public holidays except the May Bank Holidays, when normal term-time hours operate.

University term dates

The King's Manor Library houses collections relating to:

• architecture and building planning (including building conservation and heritage management)
• gardening and landscape design
• heritage management
• stained glass.

It also has smaller collections on the medieval period, archaeology and the "long" 18th century, plus a collection of slides covering medieval art and architecture (especially stained glass).

Kings Manor Library Floor Plan:

• Kings Manor Layout (PDF , 592kb)

Book delivery service

You can request items from the JB Morrell Library to be delivered to the King's Manor Library (and vice versa) via our book delivery service.

You can return flexible loan books from the JB Morrell Library to the King's Manor Library and vice versa. You can also return books from York Minster Library to the King’s Manor Library.

King's Manor bookdrop

About the King's Manor

A Grade I listed building, the King's Manor has played host to royalty - Henry VIII, Charles I and James I have all stayed there.

The building was surrendered as headquarters of the Council in the North following the English Civil War (1642 to 1651). Since then it has been used as residential apartments, as the Yorkshire School for the Blind and by York City Council before being leased to the University of York in 1963.

It is currently home to the Department of Archaeology, the Centre for Eighteenth-Century Studies and the Centre for Medieval Studies.

Read more about the King’s Manor or see our timeline for an overview of the Manor’s history.

When the King's Manor Library is closed, but the building is open, it is possible to return items via the bookdrop.

The bookdrop is the large brass letter box, located in the door to the right of the Library entrance.

Items returned via the bookdrop will be returned from your account when the Library next opens.

Study space

King’s Manor Library is a quiet zone on both floors, providing desks for individual study. The main entrance to the Library is on the first floor with a spiral staircase leading to additional study space on the ground floor.

For those with mobility issues an entrance is available on the ground floor. Please enquire at the King's Manor reception desk for access.

Photocopying, printing and scanning

There is a York Print Plus multifunction device available for printing, copying and scanning. You can top up your printing account online or with cash (up to £5) at the King's Manor Library Help Desk.

Contact us

• Use Library chat
• Email us via LibAnswers
• Tel: +44 (0)1904 323969
• Address: King's Manor Library, Exhibition Square, York, YO1 7EP

York Minster

York Minster Library

Essential information

• An appointment must be made before visiting – there is currently no walk-in access
• Books and documents must be pre-ordered
• Contact information must be provided at the point of booking. You can read the York Minster Library & Archives privacy notice here.
• Please do not book if you live in a local lockdown area, if you have any symptoms of Coronavirus (Covid-19), if you are awaiting a test result, or if you have been contacted by NHS: Test and Trace

NEW: BOOK A LIBRARY OR ARCHIVES APPOINTMENT ONLINE. We will confirm your appointment within two working days. Please have your item references ready before using the booking form.

In September we will begin phased reopening of our building. This page will tell you a little more about what we’re planning to do, when we’re planning to do it, and what measures will be in place to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Library and archives services

Because of Covid-19 we’re making some changes to the way we operate. Unfortunately, we will not be offering walk-in access initially, so please do not visit the building unless you have made a prior appointment.

We will be offering:

• A limited number of research appointments on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only to view material from the library and archives
• A book delivery service for University of York staff and students* to enable collection and return at J.B. Morrell and Kings Manor libraries
• Photography and/or scanning of material – subject to availability - if you are unable to visit

*Non-University library members will be able to arrange returns and loan collection by email.

Book delivery will commence the week beginning September 14th. You will be able to request items directly from the University of York library catalogue.

Appointments will commence the week beginning September 28th. Bookings for these appointments can be made by email from Wednesday September 16th.

Appointments: key information

• Tuesdays and Wednesdays only
  • Morning session: 2 hours between 10.00 and 12.15
  • Afternoon session: 2 hours between 13.45 and 16.00
• Visitors should not book more than 2 sessions per week to allow as many people as possible to visit
• There is a limit of 2 visitors allowed in the Reading Room per session
• Arrival times will be staggered for each visitor
• You can request a research session by using our online booking form. We will confirm your request within two working days.

History of York Minster Library

Following a bequest of some 35 volumes in 1414, the Minster's book collection has grown through the centuries thanks both to new benefactions and active collecting.

By 1810 it had grown so much that new premises were needed, and the Library moved to the restored chapel of the former archbishop's palace, to the north of the Minster (The Old Palace).

The main subject coverage of the books in the Library is:

• York and Yorkshire history
• art and architecture (particularly ecclesiastical, and especially stained glass)
• history (particularly ecclesiastical)
• religious literature (all periods)
• theology (all periods)

York Minster Library is located in the Old Palace, based in Dean's Park on the north side of York Minster.

In the building

For the health and safety of staff and visitors, we are introducing:

• Appointment-only visits and a signing-in procedure for NHS Test and Trace data collection
• Mandatory face covering for visitors and staff (except where medically exempt)
• Full cleaning procedure of work spaces before and after appointments
• Cleaning stations, Perspex shield screens, signage and floor guides for distancing
• A quarantine system for books and documents that have been used by visitors and staff

Further details will be posted here in due course. We will also post updates on University Library Instagram and Twitter channels. You can always contact us directly at collections@yorkminster.org or via the University library lib-enquiry@york.ac.uk.

Other service information

• University of York staff and students may borrow without charge from the Minster Library
• You can return Minster Library items to the main University or King's Manor libraries
• Members of the public can borrow books from the Minster Library for an annual fee of £30
• Two wifi networks are available: Eduroam which can be used by members of participating universities (including University of York) and CityConnect which is available to all
• Photocopying is currently suspended but self-service photography is permitted (charges will apply)

Any questions?

• You can always contact us directly at collections@yorkminster.org
• For information on visiting York Minster, please see their open for worship and sightseeing page

Borthwick Institute

About the Borthwick Institute for Archives

William Borthwick

The Borthwick Institute for Archives was so named because the Trustees under the will of the late William Borthwick of Bridlington agreed to use his large legacy as an endowment for the new Institute in 1953.

The Borthwick Institute's collection includes archives from around the world, from the 12th century to the present day.

They also provide access to the Library's Rare Books Collection of rare and valuable items.

Visiting the Borthwick Institute for Archives

The Borthwick Institute is accessed via the JB Morrell Library - enter through the main doors and turn right. 

It is open to the public.

For more information, including opening hours, please see:

• Borthwick Institute for Archives

Library@Piazza

About the Library@Piazza

Library@Piazza opening hours

The Library@Piazza is currently open from 9am to 10pm daily. You will need to book a study space in advance.

The new Piazza Library, located on Campus East in the Piazza Learning Centre is a learning space containing approximately 50 seats. The Piazza Learning Centre also houses a range of high-quality learning spaces including:

• A 350-seat auditorium
• A large flat-floor learning space, available for student activities and societies
• A 350-seat restaurant with fantastic lake-views
• The administrative and teaching home for the new International Pathway College