Explore Top 4 Libraries to Visit in Exeter: A Comprehensive Guide

Exeter city is the capital of Devon, a town in England. It is a modern and vibrant city with a historical touch dating back to the Roman era. Did you know much of the city was rebuilt after the second World war and is now a centre for education, business, and tourism in Devon and Cornwall? Yes, it is home to two of the constituent campuses of the University of Exeter: Streatham and St Luke’s. Being the education centre it has produced some of the top libraries too. If you’re in the city, you should check out these top libraries in Exeter.

Libraries to Visit in Exeter

1) Exeter Library

Exeter Library is one of the top and the most extensive library in Devon. It is open seven days a week & welcomes an average of 1,500 visitors daily. The library has over 1km of shelves containing over 60,000 books, CDs, and DVDs. Unbelievable! 

• FabLab: The library also houses the first FabLab to be located within a public library in England. What’s a FabLab? FabLab Devon is a creative community space that provides access to a range of digital equipment and machinery. It’s An area full of flexible computer-controlled machines that allow you to invent, make and share. How cool! 

• BIPC: That’s not it, they also have a Business and Intellectual Property (IP) Centre, where you can access information and attend business events and workshops to support your business or start-up. Now, who wouldn’t like to enrol in this library? 

• Cafe: I am just getting started here. This top library in Exeter also has an on-site cafe/restaurant for its members and visitors. The Owl and the Pussycat Cafe is an in-house cafe where you can relax with a coffee or homemade cake. Mmm, delicious..!!

• Meeting Rooms: It is rated one of the top libraries in Exeter for a reason. This library has top amenities and facilities. Exeter Library has a range of meeting rooms available for hire. Located within the centre of Exeter, the rooms have access to Wi-Fi, power supplies, and an overhead projector with a screen. Flipcharts, and sound systems including microphones and laptops available on request.  Meeting room 1 offers a space for twelve people in boardroom style and the Rougemont Suite is suitable for conferences and events and can cater to up to 80 people in theatre style. Meeting Rooms 3 and 5 are perfect for smaller meetings, interviews, or 1-1’s. The Owl and The Pussycat Coffee House also provide catering for all meeting room bookings, events, and conferences.

• Services

• Free public computers and WiFi
• Printing, copying, and scanning facilities
• Self-service machines
• Meeting rooms for hire
• Variety of events for all audiences
• FabLab maker space
• Business and Intellectual Property (IP) Centre
• Owl and the Pussycat Cafe with garden terrace
• Home library service

• Public Transport Directions

The Library is a short walk (approximately 10 minutes) from the main bus station and 5 minutes from all High Street bus stops. The Library is a 10-minute walk from Exeter Central Train Station (approximately 30 minutes from Exeter St Davids).

2)Forum Library

It is located in the University of Exeter and is open 24/7 including public holidays. Visitors can access the library during working hours. The library is available for self-service study space bookings and borrowing/returning. One must bring their Unicard for ID and borrowing. They also welcome large school/college groups to use their libraries for research, or would simply like them to gain first-hand experience with a university library.

3)University Of Exeter:

The University of Exeter has outstanding teaching and research facilities and laboratories for science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine, as well as humanities and science across all of its campuses. The majority of the top libraries in Exeter fall under the University of Exeter. The few well-known libraries in Exeter are Forum Library, Old Library, St. Luke’s Library, Exeter Cathedral Library, etc. They are constantly changing and transforming lives through education since 1851. 

Their research is at the heart of what they do and is making a difference across the world. The university believes that sport is an important part of the student experience. The University of Exeter is the number 1 sports university in the South of England and Wales and consistently finishes top 10 in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) rankings each year. Students based in Exeter also have access to a range of facilities off-site such as the Boathouse and sports grounds.

4)Pinhoe Library

Pinhoe Library is located just past the Pinhoe Bridge, on Lower Harrington Lane. It has limited computers to access for free up to 2 hours a day. Pinhoe library can be hired for events and can act as an informal meeting area.

• Services include: 

• Children’s events
• Book groups and events
• Free public computers and WiFi
• Printing, copying, and scanning facilities
• Home library service
• Meeting space available out of hours

I am certain, after reading the blog, it might help you to choose the right Universities or libraries in Exeter for your career perspective. Apart from the educational institutions, Exeter has a lot to offer.

Thank you for reading Top Libraries in Exeter Students Must Visit! I hope you enjoyed it.

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