In this survey, we asked two new open-ended questions:
We've captured a flavour of some of your comments here. Over the coming months, we will be working with student and staff groups to tease these out further and draft a prioritisation plan for suggested actions.
Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to feedback your comments.
Get full access to ebooks and ejournals and spend less on physical collections that are hardly ever used but use space and energy to maintain.
Not sure. I like having physical books - please don't go paperless!
I mainly use online resources, but I do think it is important to maintain a physical library presence. Perhaps decreasing the lending of books and emphasizing the use of reference books in the library would help to decrease the physical number of copies and promote sustainability.
More ebooks and digitise collections.
Not sure but please don’t move away from printed books!! I cannot spend much more of my day staring at screens, physical textbooks are the best.
More availability of online books accessible off campus, meaning fewer paper copies are needed and less travel to campus is required.
Data centres emit a lot of emissions so more actual paper books as opposed to online books.
A lot can come from accessing the hard copy of a book and we should not hastily get rid of hard copy of textbooks. some textbooks are very big and can be hard to navigate an e copy.
Digitise any book or academic journal that is set as part of a course syllabus.
Encourage people to use textbooks from the library rather than buy new.
Providing educational resources to users or facilitating events around sustainability would help the campus to learn about and implement sustainable practices.
Increasing accessibility to resources online + perhaps hosting more sustainable events, like plant swaps / book swaps?
The Library could introduce workshops focused on upcycling and repurposing materials such as turning old clothing into new fashion pieces, repurposing household items for new uses, or creating art from recycled materials.
Provide sustainability guides or access to sustainability related training etc.
Highlight books on sustainability and climate action for students, either in a social media post/email or as a separate bookshelf as was done for the Race and Ethnicities Reading List.
Maybe organising some activities or workshops to help students in guiding their academic ways.
Plants in clay pots should be installed all around to make the space more breathable (very important).
I think having a lot more plants around would help as they are good for mental health and help counter CO2.
Recycling and compost bins more present throughout library.
More charging stations- being able to keep a laptop charged ensures longer lifetime of the device.
Not so much about the Libray itself but it would be nice to have available scrap paper, even for the printers, whether it's misprints or already half-used paper, just so that we can avoid wasting brand new paper for things that don't require it.
If you let reusable coffee cups into the library I believe that would save a lot of people from buying them and then throwing them out before they have to go in.
Ban plastic water bottles (i.e. the ones you buy from the shop), use recyclable toilet paper in the loos, and use a compostable film to cover books instead of the conventional petroleum-based plastic ones.
More sockets, USB sockets, useable wi-fi, and seats. Some soundproof standing booths would be a nice addition.
Print double sided from all the printers. Would cut down on paper used.
Change taps in toilets that require you to open and close the tap, I often see them running.
The use of electric vehicles for transport of books OR less journeys between sites.
The lights over the desks in the Ussher are always on and cannot be manually turned off. These should be turned off during the day or given manual control so students can choose whether it is needed.
Make the lights at desks in Kinsella Hall timed to go off at night and enable them to be manually turned on by students if they are there.
Less artificial light in the Lecky during daytime.
Maybe using lights with motion sensors so that energy consumption can be minimized during non-peak hours.
Put solar panels on the roof so that the draw on electricity by students charging their devices can be reduced.
Only open certain spaces during hours that aren't very busy, to reduce the electricity being used on light.
Close the windows when the heat is on!
The 1937 reading room doesn't need to be this warm. On the other hand, the Hamilton library is extremely cold in winter, so better insulation would be a way to go.
Don’t need to pump so much heat into every room I’d rather wear a jumper than having to wear lighter clothes in November.
Please don't become more sustainable at the cost of heating the libraries properly, it has become extremely difficult to sit in the Hamilton library for longer than 2 hours.
More sense spaces - only 4 individual study rooms available in berkeley - more needed! they fill up so quickly and as someone who has sensory issues these spaces are very important to me. Some needed in ussher/kinsella hall as there are none there!
More spaces that are friendly towards introverts or neurodivergent students, such as more private and quiet study spaces
Needs to be more individual sensory spaces. The booking system recently introduced isn't working - people book them and then don't turn up, whilst others are unable to book but see empty rooms. People with sensory needs, fatigue, etc. can't always predict when they will be feeling 'up' to studying in advance.
More smaller study spaces, such as the tcd sense spaces. I cannot study in the large open spaces facing another person as I have ASD. The availability of TCD sense rooms is limited.
Continue brilliant initiatives such as curating and collating books highlighting Black History Month.
Asking minority groups -What books etc they would like to be available to further the inclusive curriculum.
A prayer space.
More diversity in journals.
Promote collections by diverse authors across all disciplines. Leverage extensive mailing lists - email about the importance of diversity in the research you draw on, spotlighting diverse authors and scholars.
Expand the library collection to non-Eurocentric and non-Euro language books.
Offer dedicated (group) study spaces for minority communities (LGBTQ+ space, Muslim Space), forging social links between and improving the academic lives of their members.
Lunchtime sessions during disability week, pride week, Africa week, traveller pride week etc.
I think you could ask student volunteers to lead tours in different languages, especially during orientation when it is hard for students to retain all the information they are being given, let alone via another language.
More female authors.
More lgbtq books, resources, journal access.
Provide more activities about culture.
Perhaps a book of the month series featuring books about & by minorities.
A culture board in the lobby area.
Sustainable sanitary products in the female toilets.
Multilingual Materials: Offer books in languages spoken by community members who are non-native English speakers, thus providing access to literature in their native languages.
Diverse Authorship: Actively seek out and acquire books written by authors from diverse backgrounds, including those from marginalized or underrepresented communities.
Some bookable spaces so that commuters are able to access study spaces during exam season despite not being able to arrive on campus as early as those who live nearby.
I think the signposting is difficult- the Lecky entrance is closed and it took me ages to realise (with the help of a very nice librarian) that I could go via the former Berkeley and that the entrance in the Arts building is not the only one. Similarly, I don't know how to access the 1937 reading room.
More accessible entries - not directed half way round the library to find which exit is open depending on the time of day.
Ensure that the library is physically accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms. Consider the layout to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility aids. Be mindful of sensory sensitivities.
Child-friendly space - for parents who are studying ; e.g. if a parent wants to spend a few hours studying on a Saturday, could there be space with games/computers/toys/etc. set up?
Pronoun aware language on signs.
More visible accessibility pathways. I know that the library *is* accessible for disabled persons, but just walking around it's not highly visible for those looking for it.
I would like to see more symbols with signage for those with language difficulties Also information provided in line with NALA to ensure it’s accessible.
Signs in braille.
Better plan maps of each of the libraries showing where study spaces are and how to access them.
Hourly communication with students about library busyness. If there is an app to check how empty libraries are, it will be easy to decide where to study.
Designate gender-neutral restrooms and consider creating inclusive spaces that are welcoming to all genders. This helps create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and respected.
I doubt the Library itself can do anything about it but global gender neutral bathrooms on campus instead of M/F would be nice.
Have private introductory sessions for people for ASD, social anxiety disorder etc. so they can become familiar with it and how it works without other people being around, exerting a perceived social pressure
Some areas of the former Berkeley library are quite awkward to navigate, and I find myself having to squeeze through chairs.
Wheelchair accessible desks. Signane and guiding lines for visually impaired people. learning rooms for visual impaired people with magnifiers.
More group study areas, there are a lot of people whispering at the desks that may benefit from a group study room. The whispering is distracting.
Controlled Lighting for Sensory issues.
Currently very inaccessible having to go to bottom floor/ leave the library completely to go to the bathroom. Not inclusive for students with bladder issues/pregnancy/mobility needs .
Have a few non-silent work-spaces. Libraries are well known for being places of quiet study, but by encouraging the use of a variety of spaces, you may find that more and more people use the library for more than just silent-study.
Strive for diversity in library staff to reflect the community. Having a staff with diverse backgrounds can enhance understanding, empathy, and the ability to connect with a wide range of library users.
Visibility other than on counters, the counter can be off putting for student starting off.
I have autism and I find it a little difficult in communicating with counter staff effectively when collecting books. I would prefer if the counter staff were maybe more chatty or inviting, as I would feel less awkward. The staff are generally very friendly, this is just a suggestion!
Better accessibility for students who struggle with face-to-face communication.
Easy 'how to start' guides - going into the library buildings is daunting; where to even begin. Some staff like me stay away because we don't want to look like we don't know what we are doing.
Engage administrative staff by showing them how use of the library could be beneficial for them in their work.
Ensure that library staff are trained in cultural competency, anti-racism, and inclusivity / disability (all types) practices. Additionally, strive for diversity in hiring to reflect the diverse community the Library serves.
Data gathering on how inclusive it really is in terms of hiring practices, promotions, customer service, and inclusivity of projects.
Sensory Spaces
More sense spaces - only 4 individual study rooms available in berkeley - more needed ! they fill up so quickly and as someone who has sensory issues these spaces are very important to me. Some needed in ussher/kinsella hall as there are none there!
More spaces that are friendly towards introverts or neurodivergent students, such as more private and quiet study spaces
Needs to be more individual sensory spaces. The booking system recently introduced isn't working - people book them and then don't turn up, whilst others are unable to book but see empty rooms. People with sensory needs, fatigue, etc. can't always predict when they will be feeling 'up' to studying in advance.
More smaller study spaces, such as the tcd sense spaces. I cannot study in the large open spaces facing another person as I have ASD. The availability of TCD sense rooms is limited.
