Our Inclusive Library Services

The library supports the university in its objective to realise the potential of all students and staff whatever their protected characteristic (age, sex, race, gender reassignment, disability, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion and belief).

All students can make use of our Request and Collect service. This may be particularly helpful to meet the needs of those who are part-time, living at a distance, work-based learners, on placement, disabled or have caring responsibilities.

Assistive Technology

Productivity tools are available on all campus PCs

A classroom with desks and PCs. All the PCs are on and show the login screen.

Enhanced Guides to Singleton Park Library and to Bay Library

The guides have been written for anyone who may feel daunted or anxious about coming into the library. They also highlight aspects of the buildings that may be challenging for students on the autistic spectrum.

The Singleton Park Library guide is available here as a PDF.

The Bay Library guide is available here as a PDF.

Height adjustable desks

There are some height adjustable desks in Bay Library and Singleton Park Library. You can electronically adjust the height of the desks for a more comfortable and accessible study space. Disabled users have priority use of these desks. Please ask at the Information Desk to find out where in the library the desks are situated.

Subject-specific support for your study and research

You can get support from the library on using e-resources and research skills for your subject. The Home page of your Library Guide has information about Library Skills classes and links to book an appointment if you need one-to-one help. Contact Libraries and Collections if you need help finding your Library Guide.

Automatic renewals

Most items will be renewed automatically for you unless someone else has placed a Request on that title. Please see our page on Borrowing, Renewing, Requesting Items for full information.

Please note that automatic renewals do not apply to short loan items, 24 hour loans, theses, laptop loans, or any items borrowed by external borrowers. Other exceptions may apply.

Laptops

Bay and Singleton Park Libraries have laptops that any student can borrow for a two-week loan period, subject to availability. Please see our webpage for more information on Laptop Lockers for more information on borrowing a laptop. Please note, laptop loans cannot be renewed.

E-books

We have a number of e-book collections available at Swansea University. All our e-books appear in iFind, the library catalogue.

We have a guide available which explains how to find and access e-books via iFind. The guide also looks at the features of our three main e-book providers - VLE Books, EBSCO eBooks and ProQuest Ebook Central.

E-books offer the convenience of off-campus access for students who may not be able to make regular visits to the library. A limited number of pages may be saved or printed from each e-book (restrictions due to copyright legislation). Our main e-book platforms offer the ability to search within the text of the book and to make notes for future reference.

Wellbeing Collection

We have a special bibliotherapy collection of books selected by the Wellbeing Service. The books provide expert self-help on a wide range of issues. The Wellbeing Collection is available to all students and staff. You can find the books in the Study Area on Level 1 West in Singleton Park Library and in the Wellbeing Corner near the group study pod in Bay Library. There are also e-books available for some titles.

The full list of titles in the Wellbeing Collection is available online. You can:

Browse by category
Check location and availability of a book by clicking on the title
Use the Request function to collect a book from a different Swansea University library
Read an ebook by clicking on the link to Full Text

The Wellbeing Collection is supplemented by a selection of fiction titles. Reading for pleasure can be an effective form of stress relief. Find out more about the benefits of reading for pleasure on our Better Read pages.

Library Services for Students with Specific Needs

Services for students with a disability, medical condition or other needs

We aim to make our library services inclusive to all, but we recognise that some students benefit from specific facilities that we can offer as appropriate. The services and facilities detailed below are available to students who have had particular needs identified after assessment by the Wellbeing and Disability Service. Please contact the Wellbeing and Disability Service if you think that you would benefit from any of these services.

Alternative formats

If you have a print disability (cognitive or physical), you may be entitled to access books, lecture notes and other material in an alternative format. For example, you may be provided with a PDF copy of a book if you have a disability which inhibits your handling of a print copy, or if you have a specific learning difficulty that means you would benefit from being able to use screen reading software with the text. Alternative formats are provided by the Transcription Centre, but the service is authorised by the Wellbeing and Disability Service. Please contact the Wellbeing and Disability Service if you think you would benefit from this service.

All open access campus PCs have a range of assistive technology tools, including read aloud software, which may also be helpful.

Specialist Equipment for Loan

Use of the Visually Impaired Resources Room

A dedicated study space is available on Level 3 of Singleton Park Library where visually impaired students and their helpers can work. Students must have their card activated to enable access to the room, which has specialist equipment available for specific students. If you have been identified as needing access to the room, staff at the Transcription Centre will arrange for your card to be activated.

In Bay Library, there is a dedicated study space for visually impaired students in the back of the main study hall, on the left.

Lockers

Lockers for storage are available to students who have this identified in their needs assessment. Lockers are located next to the self-issue kiosks near the Welcome Desk at Singleton Park Library, and near the entrance to the South Wing in Bay Library. Visit the MyUni Library Information Desk in Singleton Park Library or Bay Library with the form from the Wellbeing and Disability Service to get a locker assigned.

Library Membership for Helpers

Helpers are allowed to have their own borrowing facilities in the library. Please visit the Information Desk in Singleton Park Library or in Bay Library to arrange this.