The 1930s building of the Library, with its awe-inspiring vaulted timber ceiling, was complemented in 2005 by a multi-award-winning extension. This created a spacious IT resources area and a state-of-the-art repository to house the Archive and the Special Collections. These collections range from rare Sanskrit manuscripts to gifts of books from Girton’s most notable early supporters such as Tennyson, Ruskin, and George Eliot. There are extensive and internationally important collections on the history of women and work, the suffrage movement, and women’s education, as well as an extensive archive of the College’s ground-breaking history.
Library News
Library vacation opening hours
Monday – Friday only (closed weekends)
9am – 5pm, with an hour closed for lunch
However, some days may have shorter opening hours depending on staff availability.
The Library will be closed from 5pm on Friday 19 August until 9am on Monday 5 September.
If planning a journey specifically to use the Library, it would be worth contacting us in advance — tel. 01223 338970 or email library@girton.cam.ac.uk.
Study rooms
Study rooms D33 and D35 will remain available for use throughout the Long Vacation, including while the Library is closed. Please remember to book online.
Study room D34 will become available for booking from Wednesday 16 August. Please remember to book online.
Please note:-
- If you wish to check whether a study room is available for use, please look at the booking software. Popping your head round the door to see if the room is empty is very disturbing for the person already using it!
- Each room has slightly different opening hours. Please pick the one that suits your needs and use the confirmation emails to remind yourself of which one you've booked. If you're not sure what you've booked, please email library@girton.cam.ac.uk and we can check for you.
- We have installed CO2 monitors in these rooms. Please follow the instructions if the monitors turn amber or red, and open more windows to increase the ventilation.
End of Easter Term and vacation arrangements
All items on loan from Girton College Library are due to be returned by 11pm on Monday 13 June except:
- If we have already agreed a later date with you.
- If you have a supervision or work due later that week — if you are, please email library@girton.cam.ac.uk as soon as possible to agree a new date with us for the return of your loans.
- If you are in self-isolation or quarantine — if you are, please tell us as soon as possible by emailing library@girton.cam.ac.uk.
- If you are a member of staff or Fellow — if you are, we will be in touch separately.
**Graduands: Please remember You might not be allowed to attend the graduation ceremony if you owe money to the College or to the University. This includes the value of items that have not been returned to libraries and any unpaid library fines. You should therefore return all library loans and pay any fines by Monday 13 June. Any fines still outstanding at noon on Friday 17 June will be charged to your College bill. If items have not been returned by this time, their full replacement cost plus fines will be charged.**
There will be no borrowing via "click & collect" between Friday 10 June and Wednesday 15 June (until 1.30pm). Any online forms submitted between these dates will be disregarded. Please email library@girton.cam.ac.uk to make a special arrangement.
Vacation borrowing starts on Wednesday 15 June.
You may borrow up to 10 items for the vacation. No vacation borrowing is permitted until all term loans have been returned.
From 1:30pm on Wednesday 15 June, you can borrow via "click & collect" or in-person in the Library (if you borrow via "click & collect", please, pay close attention to emails containing collection information. If you need to nominate someone else to collect on your behalf, please make sure you forward the collection information to them).
Please note that there is no borrowing from the study rooms.
Anything borrowed for or during the vacation will due back by 11pm on Wednesday 5 October 2022.
We regret that graduands may not borrow from the College Library after Monday 13 June 2022.
Library’s Vacation opening hours:
- The Library will be open 10am–11pm on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June.
- Thereafter, the Library will be open Mondays to Fridays, 9am–5pm (closed over lunch & weekends). However, some days may have shorter opening hours, depending on staff availability.
- Full Term opening hours will resume the weekend immediately before the start of the Michaelmas Full Term (Saturday 1 October and Sunday 2 October).
The Library will be closed completely for a fortnight beginning Monday 22 August.
It may also be necessary to close at other times, possibly at short notice. If making a journey specifically to use the Library, please phone 01223 338970.
Tuesday 18 May 2021
We are please to announce that researchers can now make appointments to use Girton College Archive: please see the full information at https://www.girton.cam.ac.uk/about-girton/library-archive/archive-special-collections#archive-re-opening.
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