Welcome to your Library

Your Library team has been busy during the summer months making changes that will enhance your library experience.

We have:
1.  Changed the food policy. You can now eat cold food or snacks anywhere in the library. Please note: to keep the library a clean and pleasant place to study you cannot bring in any hot or greasy food from fast food outlets or have food delivered to the building.
2.  Added extra microwaves in the Archibald Hay Mess café for those of you who bring in your homemade food. Please note: any heated food can only be consumed in the café area, it must not be taken into the library space.
3.  Added more soft seating in the café area.
4.  Added bring your own device spaces in the Group Zone.
5.  Moved the Library Helpdesk alongside the Reception desk so there will always be someone on hand to help or signpost you to the most suitable service.
6.  Added laptop docking stations across all three zones.
7.  Increased laptop loans from three days to seven.
8.  Revamped the Family Study Space and moved it to room DC016.

Please let us know what you think of the changes or send us your ideas for further improvements to dhlhelp@medway.ac.uk.

For the start of the new Academic year our opening hours will be:

• Monday September 18 to Sunday 1 October 2023
  Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 21:00
  Weekends: 09:00 to 17:00
• Monday 2 October to Friday 15 December 2023
  Monday  to Friday: 08:00 to  midnight
  Weekends: 09:00 to midnight

The Drill Hall Library will be reverting to summer opening hours from Saturday 17 June to Sunday 17 September.

• Monday to Sunday 09:00 to 17:00
• Bank Holiday Monday 28 August Closed

During this period a number of service and space improvement projects will be taking place, which may restrict access to some areas of the library at times. We thank you for your patience while we get the library ready for the start of the new academic year.

To support the Universities at Medway students and staff during the main exam period, the Drill Hall Library will be extending our opening to 24 hours a day for 4 days a week.

From Monday 24 April until Friday 16 June 2023, we will open at 08:00 on Mondays and stay open until Friday when we close at midnight. 

Weekend opening hours will remain at 09:00 – midnight.

Due to the increased demand on study spaces and staff resources during the universities main exam revision period, we will be suspending all new applications for Public Access memberships from 1st March – 16th June 2023 inclusive. 

Existing membership holders of any our external access schemes will not be able to access the library between midnight and 08:00.

To help support your study needs, the Drill Hall Library will be open over the Easter holidays. Please check our opening hours below and the services available before travelling to campus.

Friday 7 April (Good Friday Bank Holiday) – Monday 10 April (Easter Monday Bank Holiday) our opening hours will be 09:00 to Midnight.

Available services
• Study spaces
• Laptop loans, book loans, printers, copiers and scanners
• The Helpdesk will be open from 10:00 to 17:00 for basic library support
• Access to the Family room and Post Grad room will be available on request only
• There will be no catering facilities on campus, but microwaves and vending machines will be available in the Archibald Hay Mess.

With the rise of cost of living the last thing you should worry about is library fines for a book being a few days late.
From Friday 3 February 2023 we will no longer charge you fines for overdue books and will clear existing overdue fines so you are starting again with a clear account.

You will still receive email reminders about any books you have that are needed back, please return the books for others to use and to avoid your library account being blocked or having a lost book charge sent to you for the cost of replacing the book. For further details about book recalls, look under Borrowing Books section of our Library Services page.

As your library we believe our role is to empower students, teachers and researchers to study, educate and discover by using resources and information technologies in the library and shared spaces. Staying fine-free will help us achieve these aims.