With its emblematic shiny colour, The Hive is literally a gold mine of information. Yes, the giant golden library is University of Worcester’s beautiful new project.
As a student, I spend a lot of time in The Hive, in fact, I’m there right now. I love coming in here to study, it’s as magnificent and useful as a library can get. Here’s a detailed review of the building that is a crucial part of every University of Worcester student’s life.
Studying
Obviously the imperative factor in every library is studying and The Hive doesn’t fail to bring tons of features to improve your studying experience.
Firstly there’s a gazillion of books – I’ve always found a book that’s on my reading lists without a problem. Finding a quiet space to study is even easier, with its four floors The Hive doesn’t come short in space. I personally enjoy to lie across a soft window bench and throw a glance outside when tired of reading.
Also, for those who prefer large screens over the smell of paper, there’s a digital catalogue via which you can access your reading material as a student. There’s always computers available and a spacious desk is there for you to keep your stuff on.
I must note, however, that the computers at the nearby City Campus are much faster and equipped with a lot more software than the library ones. This is of course reasonable but does annoy me a little bit when I want to do my editing in Adobe.
Nevertheless, the study experience in The Hive is extraordinary. Meeting rooms, shared study experience, extra large presentation screens, private study areas, and vast resources all wrapped in a stunning design will make your time fly past.
Innovative and unique
Here’s a bullet list of things The Hive is special for
- Have you ever seen a PlayStation in a library? The Hive has three of them.
- It’s a first University-Council joint library in the UK.
- Lots of the public members come from low-income families.
- It’s the largest children’s library in the UK.
- It displays one of the most innovative and unique designs that imitates a beehive. Hence the name.
- Its working hours are longer than those of most libraries totaling 90 hours per week.
- The library was opened by the Queen herself.
Makes you feel at home
With plentiful eminent events held frequently and announced online, The Hive is a great business and social hub.
You can read your favourite newspaper in here or immerse in the recent bestseller. I love how the staff put personalized pieces of papers with recommendations on certain novels. The Hive really is all about coziness.
Visitors and members are able to buy a snack and coffee at the ground floor café (at quite a hefty price I’d say) and enjoy a view through grand glass windows. They don’t let you bring in your own food sadly, I’ve tried that already.
Be careful when borrowing books
Although there’s only a 17p per day late return charge for blue-labelled, course books, the red labelled books that are crucial to the students have to be returned within three days or you will be charged £3 a day. I’ve managed to accumulate £14 in fines throughout the year. Not by being a giant reader, just a giant sloth.
An altogether amazing place for busy bees
In general, you can come in to have some fun, relax, or study for hours in your favourite beehive.
If you want to explore its four floors filled with archives, journals, fiction and non-fiction books and so much more here’s an interactive 3D map – http://web.wagnerguide.com/worcesterLibrary.aspx?Lang=en&Style=widescreen32
Oh yeah, the free Wi-Fi works flawlessly too.
Worcester Student Life 