There are only 100 seats available across all Leeds uni libraries

The new Uni of Leeds library booking system has been released, and there’s currently only 100 seats per day up for grabs. With 38,000 students enrolled at the university, that means there is one seat per 380 students.

Michael Fake, from Leeds University libraries, told The Tab Leeds: “Currently, there are are 100 seats across both Edward Boyle and Laidlaw”. This is as opposed to the 4,800 usually available across all university libraries.

The 50 seats in Laidlaw have already sold out for Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. And seats in Edward Boyle are sold out for Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday.

How will the new library system work?

In line with social distancing rules, seats now have to be booked via Eventbrite, and are available to book until 2pm the day before you wish to attend the library. You will be allocated a seat which you must stick to. You will have access to the seat all day and must show your ticket upon arrival to be granted entry.

Whilst inside, you must wear a mask whilst moving around inside the building, but are able to take it off whilst seated. Bookshelves are out of bounds and texts are only available via the click and collect service in order to minimise contamination.

You may have to compete with 379 other people to see this pretty view any time soon

Will more study space be opening?

Michael Fake, from Leeds University libraries assured The Leeds Tab more work space will be opening soon. There will be 50 seats in the Brotherton made available from Monday 21st September and more seats made available in each library in the future, as well as new study spaces opening across campus.

He told The Tab Leeds: “The Library is prioritising the reopening of buildings in a safe and COVID secure way for use as study space. The approach we are taking is to reopen one building at a time, with a limited number of seats, in order to test the processes and safety of each location. We will then be expanding seat capacity in each building, opening additional floors, and monitoring the impact this is having on queueing and traffic flows within and around the building.”

Other libraries will gradually reopen, and capacity will be increased: “We are extremely conscious of the need to provide as much safe study space as possible, and are working hard to make this available. Currently, there are are 100 seats across both Edward Boyle and Laidlaw, and we will open the Brotherton Library for next week with a minimum of 50 additional seats. The Health Science Library will follow shortly after this. We will then be extending capacity in each open location.”

How many seats will eventually be available?

Fake told us that hopefully 1,500 library seats will eventually be available for students, and the booking terms and systems may change as they discover what works best for students. This still roughly equates to one seat per 25 students, as opposed to one seat per eight students the university usually operates at.

Fake says: “The patterns and level of takeup are under constant review, and we will continue to adjust the booking process as we learn from the initial launch of the space.

“The University is also intending to make additional study spaces available around campus in a number of locations, to supplement Library space.”

Just the outside of eddy b for you if you don’t book before 2pm the day before!!

Will some students be prioritised for library spaces?

We asked Fake if final year and postgrad students will be prioritised when trying to book a seat: “At the moment we are not prioritising any particular group for booking, though we are exploring ways in which we might be able to do so.”

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Leeds Uni students could be fined up to £100 for breaching social distancing in halls

• IT’S OFFICIAL: These are the most and least popular halls at Leeds Uni

• Students are entitled to a refund for poor teaching during coronavirus, gov suggests