The library at Oxford Brookes University, situated in the John Henry Brookes building, offers a silent area where students can work as well as do research in order to help them. As the library covers multiple floors it means that there is space for both individual and group work to be carried out. There are also group work pods which can be booked in advance to guarantee that you have a place to study. All these pods include computers which help students carry out their work and carry out research.
In order to help students with their studies the library has a catalogue which is an easy way to find books or articles. You can search for a certain subject area and the catalogue will show you what books are related to this so that you can find out more about the subject which will enhance your knowledge. It also shows whether the books are available and when they will become available so you can plan ahead and will know when you can get it.
The library also uses the Dewey Decimal Classification System which arranges all books into ten main categories which are:
000- Computer Science, information and general works
100- Philosophy and Psychology
200- Religion
300- Social sciences
400- Language
500- Science
600- Technology
700- Arts and recreation
800- Literature
900- History and Geography
These main categories are then divided into ten sub-categories which is then divided into ten specific topics. For example, if I was studying Physics, this would be a sub-category of science e.g 530 which can then be divided into specific topics such as Magnetism which would be categorised as 538 of Classical mechanics which would be 531. This system enables students to easily find precise information on topics they need to research as once you have found out what number your book is you can get it without having to look through the whole library.
If you need help, there are subject librarians which can help you with any enquiries you might have such as where to look for certain books and they can also give recommendations on useful books and articles related to their subject. This means that students will be able to find books, articles and journals which will be able to help them with their course and provide the information needed to successfully complete tasks.
There is access to computers and quiet workplaces on every floor which makes the library the perfect place to complete tasks and carry out research. From previous experience, it is best to book an area if you are working in a group to ensure that you will be able to find a place when you get there. As mentioned above the study pods offer a great way to complete group work effectively and the quiet zones mean that you can do your work in silence with no distractions which will help you achieve better grades.
