Changes to opening times at Bill Bryson Library

From Monday 27 January and for the remainder of Epiphany term, opening times at Bill Bryson Library will be as follows: 

• Monday-Friday between 8am-midnight 
• Saturday-Sunday between 9am-midnight 

The decision to end 24/7 opening has been taken by the University Executive Committee as part of a series of measures to reduce energy consumption and costs. 

Bill Bryson Library will be open 24/7 during the main revision and examination period, between Saturday 26 April and Friday 23 May 2025. 

• You can continue to access online resources at any time and return books using our external book drop facility – more details can be found in the FAQs below. 
• Our 24/7 live chat service continues to be available if you have any questions about our library services or finding and accessing electronic resources.   
• If you need urgent support, the usual out-of-hours arrangements are in place through your College – you can find details in the FAQs below. 

In the coming months, there will be a consultation on Bill Bryson Library opening times for the 2025/2026 academic year, where you will be able to share your views. 
 

FAQs
 

Q. What are the revised opening hours for Bill Bryson Library during Epiphany Term? 

A. From Monday 27 January, Bill Bryson Library will be open 

• Monday-Friday, 8am-midnight 
• Saturday-Sunday, 9am-midnight 
   

Q. What are the opening hours for Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) during Epiphany Term? 

A. The TLC is open: 

• Monday-Friday 8am-9pm (swipe access after 6pm)

 
Q. Why are you changing the opening hours? 

A. This decision has been taken by the University Executive Committee (UEC) as part of a series of measures to reduce energy consumption and costs. 
 

Q. Why didn’t you make the change for the start of term? 

A. This was a decision made by UEC at the start of this term. 
 

Q. Is there an alternative 24/7 study option? 

A. Colleges Libraries remain open and Colleges provide study provision that is available to students living in or out of College - please check with your College for details. 

If your College capacity for study space is low, please engage with other neighbouring Colleges to find study spaces. If visiting another College, you must take your Campus Card with you as identification. 
 

Q. What if I want to borrow a book? 

A. You can borrow books from us during our opening times. We also have many books available online - you can find out more about using them in our online guide. You can search for them using our library catalogue, Discover. 
 

Q. What if I want to return a book? 

A. There is an external Book Drop facility available to the left of the main entrance door. Books can be returned here when we are closed. They will not be taken off your account until later the next day when staff process them. 
 

Q. Will the Breakfast Club still be available? 

A. Yes, this will continue to run Monday to Friday 8am-9.30am during term time. 
 

Q. What will your opening hours be during the Exam period? 

A. From Saturday 26 April until Friday 23 May, Bill Bryson Library will be open 24/7. 
 

Q. Where can I go if I need any help or support? 

A. The Library 24/7 live chat service is still available if you have any questions about using the library or accessing electronic resources. There are guides and tutorials about using electronic resources on our website. 

Wellbeing and welfare 

For any wellbeing or welfare concerns out of hours, you can: 

• contact your College RSA (Porter) who will be able to route urgent concerns to the appropriate on-call duty officer - this will be a member of College staff from your own or another College. This service is available to all students, whether they live in or out of College. 
• In a life-threatening emergency, call 999. Once you have phoned the emergency services, you should alert the University's Security Hub to the incident. You can reach them on 0191 334 2222 - calls to this number are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by a trained Security Operator. Alternatively, you can alert your College RSA (Porter). 

College RSA phone numbers can be found on the Emergency Contacts page. Save your College RSA’s number in your phone in case of emergency.   
 

If you feel you are at risk due to your mental health, or you are in need of urgent emotional support, you should call the local 24-hour NHS crisis team on NHS 111 to speak to a professional who will be able to offer support. 
 

How to find out more 

To find out more about any of the support services available to you, including out-of-hours provision and mental wellbeing support services, speak to your College or Department Student Support Team, or visit the Student Support Hub: durham.ac.uk/student-support-hub 
 

How do I access Student Support at Durham? 

• In person, via the Student Support Teams in your College or Department 
• Visit the Student Support Hub: durham.ac.uk/student-support-hub 
• In a life-threatening emergency, call 999