Alan Gilbert Learning Commons

There are 30 Group Study Rooms throughout the building in the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons.

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• They vary in size from between two and 12 people maximum.
• The rooms are furnished with a whiteboard and a PC connected to a media screen, excepting the two-person rooms. Laptops can be connected to the screens if necessary.
• All the rooms are supplied with packs of whiteboard markers. Extra whiteboard markers are available from the Customer Services Desk near the building entrance.
• Rooms are bookable between 9am and 9pm from Monday to Friday, and 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, but the rooms remain open throughout the building’s normal opening hours.
• Apart from the Group Study Rooms there are 24 open plan group study areas (not bookable) each with a PC and media screen.

Visit My Manchester to book a group study room:

• Book a group study room

For more information about booking group study rooms visit Library Help.

The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons is one of the University's major computer cluster locations and provides access to over 400 PCs. As well as PC clusters and quick access PCs there are 18 open plan digital screens that can be connected to laptops.

‌There is a plug socket for each user at fixed furniture and additional plug sockets are available around the building. ‌

Multi-function devices (MFDs) can be found at each PC cluster in the Learning Commons and provide print, scan and photocopying facilities.

WiFi is also available throughout the building.

Visit the IT Services website for more details about PC availability, pull printing and other services for staff and students: 

• Manchester IT Services website

The Learning Commons hosts a range of ‌face-to-face, interactive training sessions on a broad range of topics to support your personal and academic development.

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Find out more about the range of modules, upcoming workshops and online resources we offer through our My Learning Essentials skills programme:

• My Learning Essentials

Check out the Zzz Zone on floor 2 of the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons and enjoy a 20-minute power nap in the Pod.

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Taking short naps can make you feel more alert, improve your productivity and reduce stress levels.

The Pod will time your nap, and provide ambient music and lighting to help you relax, re-energise and improve your concentration.

If you are having difficulty with equipment, need to report a problem with disruptive library users or are experiencing any other issues you can alert us using the Text us service.

Text us is available from Monday to Friday between 9am and 9pm, and Saturday to Sunday between 9am and 5pm.

To use Text us send your text to: 07721 515037

The Café located in the foyer serves a wide range of hot and cold food and drinks whilst providing a comfortable and relaxing environment for refreshment.

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Dishes are made fresh daily and where possible using vegetables sourced from farms in the local area making the ingredients the freshest available.

Café and vending machine facilities are also available throughout the building.

Our café facilities are easily accessible to all visitors between the following hours:

Term time:

• Monday to Friday, 7.30am - 11pm
• Saturday to Sunday 9am - 10pm

Out of term:

• Monday to Friday 9.30 am - 8.30 pm
• Saturday to Sunday 9.30 am - 4.30 pm