Whilst the university has taken appropriate actions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 on campus, current restrictions at Hartley Library are inhibiting opportunities for proper focus and study amongst students.

Current booking slots are not long enough to settle into a work space and properly focus on work. This is made worse by the queues and under-trained check-in procedure at the door. Although the booking slots are intended to be used by students with in-person lectures on campus to fill gaps in their timetable, the library is not being filled by these students due to the hassle of booking, the fact that lectures finish at quarter to the hour and not on the hour (which is the only time you can enter Hartley library), the hostility provided by library staff, and the availability of cafes and other seating areas. I believe that the current restrictions at Hartley Library are too strict and inflexible for proper use.

Students are resorting to other study locations on campus, mainly building 100, for longer stays, where students are keeping to their social distancing, mask-wearing and desk-cleaning habits without a check-in procedure or persistent authority present. There is, therefore, little reason for the much stricter controls on Hartley library, which is extremely empty anyway. There is huge demand for proper study spaces currently and the university is letting down students who cannot focus at home. I encourage SUSU to lobby for longer booking slots and a less formal check-in procedure.