The holidays will soon be upon us and we hope you enjoy the winter break. If you are thinking about studying and borrowing items over the holidays, here’s what you need to know.

Studying in the Library during the holidays

Augustine House, Canterbury

Augustine House is open throughout the winter break, except for 25-26 December and 1 January where the building will be closed.

16 December	Building – 7:30-1:00 Library Point, email, telephone – 09:00-15:00
17 December – 19 December	Building  – 7:30-1:00  Library Point, email, telephone – 09:00-20:00
20 December	Building – 7:30-17:00 Library Point, email, telephone – 09:00-17:00
21 December – 24 December	Building - 9:00-17:00   Library Point, email, telephone 11:00-16:00
25 December – 26 December	CLOSED
27 December – 31 December	Building - 9:00-17:00   Library Point, email, telephone – 11:00-16:00
1 January	CLOSED
2 January*	Building reopens at 7:30am and 24/7 recommences Library Point, email, telephone – 9:00-17:00
3 January – 17 January*	Building is open 24/7  Library Point, email, telephone (see our opening hours)

Access arrangements

Student, staff and alumni – From 16-20 December you will require a University ID card to access the building before 8am and after 6pm. You will need a University ID card to access the building at all times on 21-24 December and 27-31 December. Alumni will need to ring the doorbell and present their card to security during these opening hours.

Paid, SCONUL, ex-staff members and visitors – 16-20 December members and visitors have access to the library 9:00-18:00. The building will be University ID card access only 21-24 December and 27-31 December. You will need to ring the doorbell and report to security during these opening hours.

*24/7 recommences at 7:30am on 2 January. We regret that due to pressure on study spaces during 24/7, there is no study space access to visitors. See our website for 24/7 arrangements.

Salomons Institute Library, Tunbridge Wells

Salomons Library will close at 16:30 on Friday 20 December 2024 and reopen at 8:00 on Thursday 2 January 2025.

Drill Hall Library, Medway

Medway Campus is closed from 5pm on Friday 20 December until Thursday 2 January 2025. The Drill Hall Library will be operating different opening hours from 14 December. From 21 December there will be a reduced service in C block only from 10am – 4pm. The Drill Hall Library is completely closed on the 25-26 December and 1 January.

14 December – 20 December	Drill Hall Library 9:00 – 17:00
21 December – 24 December	C Block* access only 10:00 – 16:00
25 December – 26 December	Closed
27 December – 31 December	C Block* access only 10:00 – 16:00
1 January	Closed
2 January	Drill Hall Library returns to normal term time opening.

* Only university ID card holders can access the study rooms in C Block. Please access via the side door by the car park barriers. All access doors into the main library floor will remain locked. There will be no access to the main library to borrow or use books, printers, scanners or vending machines. Book returns will be available via a box in C block.

• This facility is not available to our external access membership holders.
• The area will be supervised and patrolled by security staff and monitored by CCTV.
• For security purposes you must present your valid student ID card to be permitted entry, no card no entry.    

To view Drill Hall library opening hours please visit the Drill Hall Library website.

Return dates

No items will be due for return during the winter break. Any items which would be due between 21 December and 5 January will have their borrowing period automatically extended to the 6 January instead.

Intersite loans, document delivery and suggest an e-book

If you need to borrow an item from another campus before the holiday break, we recommend a reservation is placed no later than Sunday 15 December. Please note there is no courier service during the main holiday period and no access to book stock at the Salomons and Drill Hall libraries from 21 December – 1 January inclusive.

Requests for physical document delivery items should be made no later than the 30 November. The postal service is much busier at this time of year, so we cannot guarantee delivery dates of items but will make every effort to fulfill requests.

Requests for digital items to be supplied before the winter holidays either through document delivery or suggest an e-book should be made no later than Sunday 15 December. Any subsequent requests will start to be processed from 2 January onward.

Before you go away

If you are going to be away from campus for the holidays, here are our top tips of what to do before you go away:

• Return any books you do not need or have been reserved by another user.
• If you have a 7-day loan, check to see if there is a longer 4-week loan available.
• Check LibrarySearch to see if there is an e-book you could use instead of a print copy while you’re away.

While you are away…

• Your items will automatically renew unless they are reserved. No loans will be due from Monday 16 December to Sunday 5 January inclusive.
• If you have returned home and found that one of your items has already been reserved, please contact us for help. Email us on library.canterbury@canterbury.ac.uk or call 01227 922352.

Essential winter reading

• Our Digital Library is available to support your assignments. Access e-books, e-journals and more through LibrarySearch.
• Why not try and complete some of the modules on the Learning Skills hub over the break? Each module will offer you the opportunity to develop the skills you need to make your time at university a success.
• Relax with some leisure reads. Install the Libby app and take advantage of free access to a range of e-books, audiobooks, magazines and graphic novels. You can also subscribe to iNDIEFLIX and Qello Concerts for free.

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Featured image – Educational Licence – rangizzz/stock.adobe.com