Summer Reading 2025: Top Picks from Durham University Library

Summer’s here – and for once it actually feels like summer! Hopefully you are all trying to make the most of the weather and any time off you might have.

Whether you’re jetting off somewhere sunny, staying local, or just enjoying a slower pace between terms, it’s the perfect time to get stuck into a good book (we are librarians, so of course we are going to think this a good idea).

At Durham University Library, we’ve got everything you need to build your perfect summer reading TBR (To Be Read) pile, from gripping thrillers and swoon-worthy romances to thought-provoking non-fiction and magical escapes. And the best part? You don’t even need to worry about baggage allowance for the flight. With the Libby app, you can borrow 5 eBooks/audiobooks (yes, audiobooks do count as reading!) at any one time, straight to your phone or tablet. Prefer the feel (and/or smell – we don’t judge) of a real book in your hands? We’ve got plenty of popular titles available in print as well.

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It’s all for nothing if you don’t have freedom

A post by Business Faculty Librarian Ben Taylorson

Earlier this month I presented a member’s paper at the annual Business Librarian’s Association conference, which this year was taking place at the University of Stirling.

If you’ve not been to Stirling, it’s well worth a visit. It was once the capital of Scotland, and the city is steeped in history and visually dominated by the imposing Stirling Castle. Around every other corner there’s a statue of Robert The Bruce or William Wallace (or at least, it feels that way). The University is a couple of miles outside of the city centre, situated on a magnificent 330-acre estate, centred around a large loch.

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The Lendrum Internship in Book Conservation

By Freya Chambers

Part 1: My First Book Conservation Projects

Last May, I started the Lendrum Internship in Book Conservation at Palace Green Library. The internship lasts for one year and gives the intern the opportunity to explore the world of rare books conservation through undertaking supervised practical projects to conserve books from PGL’s vast special collections library.

It was my first in depth taste of book conservation after completing my degree in Objects Conservation at Cardiff University and working as a student archive conservation intern at Glamorgan Archives.

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WellBEEing

By Graduate Intern Nancy Harber

Exam season is a familiar beast. Though admittedly many of the staff members here at the Bill Bryson Library have not met that beast head on in years, it’s not an experience that you easily forget.

The library has been filled (almost) to the brim these last few weeks with our students, just wanting to get their heads down and lock into the study zone. Seats have been sat in, study rooms have been constantly occupied, and when the sun decides to shine at midday our students congregate on the steps outside the library doors, soaking up some well-deserved Vitamin D and having a natter.

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Valentine’s Day feedback: you said, we did

You may remember back in February, we had a stand in the Billy B asking you “Tell us how you feel this Valentine’s Day.” You could write a note to us to tell us about something we’re doing that you love, or if you would like us to make some changes.

We loved hearing from everyone and got some great feedback from the people we spoke to; with both things you really like and things you want us to improve. We’ve gone through all the feedback and just wanted to share a brief update with where we’re up to with addressing some of the improvements.

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Define, develop and deliver

A post by Customer Services Coordinator Kate Williamson and User Experience Officer Kirsty Barnfather

At Durham, we’re lucky to be part of the Academic Libraries North (ALN) community and often join their sessions and workshops, especially within the User Experience (UX) Community of Practice (CoP) that we are members of. The ALN UX CoP allows groups of people from different institutions to get together (usually virtually) and discuss different User Experience methodologies, projects, and chat about what each library is currently doing or planning for the future. There are a variety of sessions, from workshops to ‘UX in one hour’ presentations, allowing members to expand their knowledge and encourage others to try out new techniques.

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Book Of The Month is BACK!

What is a library, without a celebration of its contents?

For the last few months, Book Of The Month has been revived, and this time all the titles in the running are suggested by our students!

When we put the word out via Instagram, students will suggest their favourite titles to compete for the crown. We’ll then choose three of those suggestions (that we have physical copies of) and pit them against one another. To keep the options balanced, we’ll usually try to include at least one fiction and one non-fiction title in the running, so everyone has an opportunity to vote for something that appeals to them. In a second Instagram vote, students will then have 24 hours to pick their favourite of the three!

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