Visit and study

Our main library on Campus West consists of the Morrell, Fairhurst and Burton. You enter all of them through the Morrell, and they're currently open 8am to 12 midnight, seven days a week. The Help Desk in the main Library is staffed 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. 

Outside of these times, the Library operates self-service. You can use the self-issue machines, return books and use the York Print Plus machines; however, you cannot get specialist help from Library staff or the IT Support team.

During term time the library tends to get busy by around 11am; remember you can book a study space if you wish. View the locations of subject resources, study spaces, PCs and other facilities:

Floor plans (PDF , 1,601kb)

The JB Morrell Library 

The Morrell houses most of our collections, including over 1 million print items. Study spaces are in Quiet and Silent Zones, with a mix of bookable and non-bookable desks and rooms for single study as well as group study rooms.

During the colder times of year you're welcome to grab a blanket on the way in. There are also vending machines in the Lounge area opposite the turnstiles. 

Postgraduate students can use the Postgraduate Study Room (LMO/111) on Floor 1 of the Morrell. Talk to a Library staff member at the Help Desk to get access to this room.

The Harry Fairhurst Library 

The Fairhurst houses the Music and Audio Visual collections, and offers study space with Studious Buzz Zones throughout. The mix of bookable and non-bookable spaces with a variety of desks, chairs and sofas give options for single or group study. The Fairhurst Kitchen on the Floor 1 has a sink, hot water dispenser and microwave for drink and food preparation; there are also vending machines near the stairs. Floor 1 also has a shower room available for use.

Postgraduate students can use the Postgraduate Study Lounge on Floor 2 of the Fairhurst. Talk to a Library staff member at the Help Desk to get access to this room.

Access the Harry Fairhurst Library via the JB Morrell Library - enter through the main doors and turn left through the link corridor.

The Raymond Burton Library 

The Burton houses our humanities research collections for reference use only. The Silent Zone study space offers a focused environment for single study and all desks and pod chairs are bookable. Researchers can also get access to the SafePod for viewing sensitive datasets. 

Access the Raymond Burton Library via the JB Morrell Library - enter through the main doors and turn right.

We have three Library Study Areas located on our East and West campuses. These are designed to give students flexibility about when and where they study and they don’t contain any of our collections; they're designed purely as places to work. 

Library@Piazza

The Piazza Library is located on Campus East in the Piazza Learning Centre. It is open 7.30am to 10pm, seven days a week. The study space contains approximately 50 non-bookable seats, and borrowable lockers. The area is a Silent Zone.

Ron Cooke Hub 

The Ron Cooke Hub houses our Campus East 24 hour library study area. It is a Studious Buzz Zone that also contains the Booklocker, our Campus East location for the Book Delivery Service.

Vanbrugh 

There is a 24 hour library study area in V/N/058, located on the ground floor next to one of the entrances to the History of Art department. You will need your University card to access this room, which contains 21 study spaces and will soon have a wallpaper bookshelf full of books chosen by York staff and students as their all time favourites. This is a Quiet Zone. 

King's Manor Library (KML) is in the city centre (KML address and phone number here) and is open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and 11am to 5pm on Saturday outside of vacations. For those with mobility issues, an entrance is available on the ground floor. Please enquire at the main King's Manor reception desk on the ground floor for access.

The library is in a Grade I listed building and offers non-bookable desks across two floors, for individual study in a traditional library atmosphere. The entire library is a Quiet Zone. 

King's Manor houses collections relating to:

• architecture and building planning (including building conservation and heritage management)
• gardening and landscape design
• stained glass

You can request items from the JB Morrell Library to be delivered to the King's Manor Library (and vice versa) via our book delivery service.

You can return flexible loan books from the JB Morrell Library to the King's Manor Library and vice versa. You can also return books from York Minster Library to the King’s Manor Library.

• King's Manor library layout (PDF , 304kb)

The Minster Library and Archives provides access to printed books, manuscripts and records of the Chapter of York that spans 1000 years of history. Because it is shared between the Minster and the University it works slightly differently from our other libraries. 

You can visit with a prior appointment to see rare books and archives, or use the book delivery service to have items delivered to the main University Library for collection. 

To find out more about the service, including current opening times:

• The Minster Library and Archives

The Borthwick Institute's collection includes archives from around the world, from the 12th century to the present day.

They also provide access to the Library's Rare Books Collection.

Visiting the Borthwick Institute for Archives

The Borthwick Institute is accessed via the JB Morrell Library. Further information, including booking details and opening hours can be found on their website:

• The Borthwick Institute for Archives