Trevs Library – Saoirse McDonagh

Our humble Trevelyan College Library has a unique sort of charm. There are armchairs to curl up in, bookshelves you can browse peacefully, and a calm quiet of studying. I don’t believe I have ever seen a furious Overheard post about incessant talking in Trevs library. The smallness of a College library absolutely eliminates the risk of one of the Bill Bryson’s biggest flaws: the yappers.

Of course, the main feature of the library is the hexagon table, where you get the unique experience of facing five different people at once while studying, maximising the study peer pressure and absolutely guaranteeing that you lock-in. That’s interior design brilliance if you ask me. Plus, what would our college be if we didn’t sneak in a hexagon here and there?

The unique experience of facing five different people at once while studying

If you’re a people watcher and you’re in any way involved in a society or the Trevs JCR, you’re bound to see someone you know as you pass in and out of the main doors, or as you look out from those perfectly positioned window seats. Either you get a little wave from a friend (or a glare from a foe), or in the case that they don’t notice you, you get to observe your peers in hardcore study mode.

Consider the novelty of a college library; the exclusivity, the community, the quaintness; the loud buzz of the door as you tap your Trevs card reminding you that this is YOUR SPACE and it is OFF BOUNDS to members of any other college. Think of it as the equivalent of an airport business class lounge, except you’re not waiting to jet off somewhere glamourous and are instead falling asleep on your keyboard.

 Sure, you can’t reserve a study space and there isn’t a canteen to go to, but who needs a canteen when you’re nourished by your Trevs community.

The Billy B – Megan Beach

The Bill Bryson Library, more colloquially known as the Billy B, or even the BBL, is a mainstay of student life at Durham University. From freshers to postgrads, every level of the Durham ecosystem passes through those barriers. Since its inception in 1965 the Billy B’s aisles have guided countless students through the turmoil of their degree. When it comes to libraries, the Billy B tops them all; Trevs doesn’t stand a chance…

Firstly, the sheer size of the Bill Bryson Library completely dominates any competition. Together with Palace Green library, the BBL houses 1.6 million printed items: enough for a summative on any conceivable topic, from visual culture in the Soviet Union to crop biotechnology. The space available means the Billy B provides for all your studying needs.

The sheer size of the Bill Bryson Library completely dominates any competition

Whether you need to do group work (level 1), fancy a chill study session (level 2), or seriously need to focus (level 4), the Bill Bryson has got you. Not to mention its extensive facilities, including computer rooms, café, and study spots with views of the cathedral- what more could you possibly want?

Furthermore, due to its role as the beating heart of the academic side of student life at Durham, the Billy B is the perfect spot for people watching. In my opinion, there is no better way to take a break from working (read: procrastinate) than sitting outside the library on a sunny afternoon and watching the world go by. Plus, during summative season, spotting a course friend who is battling through the same essay offers a chance for camaraderie, commiseration, and, of course, complaining.

Trevs library just can’t compete with the Bill Bryson: in terms of size, resources, and atmosphere, the Billy B is the superior study space in every sense of the word.

Image: Elliot Burrin