Thank you for your amazing response to our Christmas feedback tree - you hung over 1250 tags on it and, as you can see from the photo, it looked beautiful.

Thank you, too, for your Christmas wishes and messages of thanks. Library staff would like to wish you all a Happy New Year and wish you success in your exams and in the future.

Here is our response to your feedback.

We need more seats and spaces particularly for group and silent study

Since reopening the Abdus Salam Library after the COVID-19 pandemic, with a cap on library spaces of 738 due to COVID safety measures, we finally opened to full capacity of 1,411 in April 2022. We are aware that more space is required and encourage you to use the GoStudy spaces on levels 4 and 5 of the Chemistry Building if you are unable to find a seat. Following the addition of a new silent study room of 70 study booths the seating capacity of GoStudy is now up to 415.  

Please clean and fix the toilets

The toilets are regularly cleaned and inspected, and any reported faults attended to by the College Estates department. If you find any toilet in an unacceptable condition, please report it to one of our Attendants who will arrange for a cleaner or someone from the Estates department to attend urgently. You can speak to an Attendant at the Information Hub or text them anonymously on 0207 594 8883.

We need somewhere to sleep

We do not currently have any plans to add sleeping facilities in Abdus Salam Library. For sleep and relaxation advice, and recommended sleep apps and podcasts, see Sleep Easy, part of the College's Kind Mind series.

Can you buy the book I need?

We welcome your suggestions for new books, journals and online resources purchases and will consider all suggestions, bearing in mind their suitability for our collections as well as any budget constraints that may be in place. 

You can suggest a book for purchase at any time:

• Go to Library Search
• Check we don't already have what you're looking for
• If we don't, choose ASK THE LIBRARY TO BUY A NEW ITEM

To find out more about book suggestions, including estimated delivery times, see frequently asked questions.

We need hot water and microwaves

Unfortunately, it is not feasible to provide hot water and microwaves at the Abdus Salam Library however, a communal kitchen with hot water and microwaves is available in the GoStudy spaces in the Chemistry Building on the South Kensington Campus.

It's too noisy, especially on the quiet floors

We installed acoustic baffling panels on level 1 of the Abdus Salam Library during the 2022 summer vacation. This has reduced sound bouncing off the walls and reverberating around the entrance foyer, making it easier to hear and be heard at the Welcome desk and Information Hub, as well as reducing the noise travelling up the central stairwell to the open quiet study areas on levels 4 and 5. We will continue to investigate ways to reduce noise in this area. 
 
We provide different types of study space to suit your style of working. Each floor is clearly signed with its designated study environment. Please make sure you are in the correct space to meet your study requirements:  

• Silent study - levels 2 and 3
• Quiet study - levels 1, 4 and 5
• Group study - level 1 

Group study, Silent study and Breakout spaces are also available in GoStudy.

Our Library Attendants regularly patrol all floors and will be pleased to help maintain the study environment. You can also speak to them at the Information Hub, call or text them anonymously on 0207 594 8883.

The sockets don't work

If you find the sockets are not working at your desk please report this to the Attendants, with the desk number and floor you are on. The Attendant will report this to the college Estates department to investigate immediately. You can speak to an Attendant at the Information Hub or call or text them anonymously on 0207 594 8883.

Please provide a coffee machine and cheaper or better food in the Library Café

The Library Café offers an extensive range of hot and cold food and drink, however we will pass your suggestion to College catering for their consideration. The café is staffed between 08.00 - 23.00. Vending machines and seating are available 24 hours a day.