The University of Manchester Main Library — Attraction in Manchester

The University of Manchester Library is the library system and information service of the University of Manchester. The main library is on the Oxford Road campus of the university, with its entrance on Burlington Street. There are also ten other library sites, eight spread out across the University's campus, plus The John Rylands Library on Deansgate and the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre situated inside Manchester Central Library.

In 1851 the library of Owens College was established at Cobden House on Quay Street, Manchester. This later became the Manchester University Library (of the Victoria University of Manchester) in 1904. In July 1972 this library merged with the John Rylands Library to become the John Rylands University Library of Manchester (JRULM).

On 1 October 2004 the library of the Victoria University of Manchester merged with the Joule Library of UMIST forming the John Rylands University Library (JRUL).[5] The Joule Library was the successor of the library of the Manchester Mechanics' Institute (established in 1824) which later became the library of the University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology (UMIST). One of the Institute's first actions was to establish a library, with a full-time librarian, at premises in King St., Manchester. The library changed its name in the summer of 2012 to become The University of Manchester Library.

The library is one of only five National Research Libraries – an award of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), and the only one in the north of England.[6] It is a member of the North West Academic Libraries consortium (NoWAL) and of Research Libraries UK consortium (RLUK). RLUK was formerly the Consortium of University Research Libraries (CURL) of which the library was a founder member in the 1980s.

The present University Librarian and Director, Christopher Pressler, is assisted by an executive team of one archivist and three librarians.

The library has the largest non-legal deposit academic collection in the United Kingdom, the largest collection of electronic resources of any library in the UK and supports all subject areas taught by the University. The library provides its members with a range of services and materials, including an extensive collection of electronic resources. A range of services is provided for members of the public and schools.

The main building is on Burlington Street, west of Oxford Road: (building no. 55 on the University's Campus Guide): its oldest part is the east wing built in 1936: it was extended by south and west wings in 1953–56 and by the Muriel Stott Hall in 1978. Until 1965 it was known as the Arts Library. The Christie Building contained the library's scientific section and the medical library was in a separate building until 1981. An extension to the north designed by architects Dane, Scherrer & Hicks opened in 1981. (It had been designed in 1972 as the first instalment of a larger building.) The University of Manchester Library has a number of site libraries in other university buildings, including the Eddie Davies Library in the Manchester Business School, the Joule Library in the Sackville Street Building, the Stopford Library in the Stopford Building and the Lenagan Library in the School of Music and Drama.

Notable collections housed in the main library are the Guardian Archives, the Manchester Collection of local medical history, maps and plans, and the Christian Brethren Archive. For many years the main library housed the offices of the Manchester Medical Society which had accommodation in the University since 1874.

Between summer 2009 and January 2010 part of the ground floor of the main library was refurbished.

Notable librarians of the library before 1972 were Charles W. E. Leigh (1903–1935), Moses Tyson (1935–1965) and Frederick William Ratcliffe (formerly assistant librarian, librarian 1965–1980) whose years of service amount to a total of 78 years. George Wilson was librarian of the Medical Library for...

The Main Library at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) is a key resource for students and staff, providing a comprehensive range of academic and research materials. Located centrally on the university’s campus, the library is a modern facility designed to support a diverse range of study and research needs.

The library boasts extensive collections, including books, journals, and electronic resources that cover various disciplines. It offers access to numerous databases and digital archives, facilitating research and learning. The Main Library also features study spaces designed to cater to different needs, from quiet individual study areas to collaborative workspaces for group projects.

Facilities include computer stations with internet access, printing and scanning services, and dedicated areas for academic support and advice. The library’s design emphasizes accessibility and comfort, with comfortable seating, natural lighting, and a conducive atmosphere for focused study.

The Main Library also hosts workshops and training sessions to help students and staff make the most of its resources, including research skills and information literacy programs. Overall, the Main Library at MMU is an essential academic resource, contributing significantly to the university's educational mission and supporting a productive learning...

Recent 5 stars; after they renovated the bathrooms and brought life into the university through more decor.

Previous review:

Awful “university” library aside from the abundance of seating. The library is outdated old and in a mix of too cold or too hot in certain areas. Toilets are abysmal absolutely filthy and awful smells with most of the time they are out of order due to the state they are in. Not enough cleaning to maintain the toilets to an acceptable standard. University computers are so slow you’d rather buy a new one if you ever had to rely on the university as by the time one works and loads you’ll have been in the next semester! Some study areas don’t have plugs, Some areas do but they’re too cold or too hot. Just a awful place to study...