The McClay Library — Attraction in Belfast

This is the best library I’ve ever been in. I spent many late nights in here as a young student, and am now back over a decade later as a mature student. With a different university this time but can still apply for access over holiday periods, which is a very useful feature. It has silent study areas and it’s the only library I’ve ever been able to fully concentrate in. The place is huge with masses of facilities including group work rooms, computers, individual study tables, and all the books a university student could ever want. They have a vending machine area and a cafe downstairs; they even have free feminine hygiene products in the...

This used to be my favorite place for self-study. But today, I feel very frustrated. When I entered the library, a staff member told me that I could only use the reading rooms, not the empty desks of ground floor, without providing any explanation. Naturally, the reading rooms were already full. I wonder if the library is unable to open fully due to special reasons or if only reading rooms are available, shouldn't there be a notice on Google Maps or the library's homepage to inform students? Otherwise, students may come all the way here only to find no available seats, wasting a...

As a first year I spent most of my days here until closing time, making sure I get all my work done and getting ahead as much as I could, so when this pandemic hit, it was a huge kick in the face when they obviously had to close. Saying that, before closing, it was always super clean and I never felt unsafe. Today is my first day back since the pandemic hit and everything is super organised. There are plenty of sanitising stations and social distancing measures. So...