Bill Bryson Library (often referred to as the Billy B) is our main University Library. Located on Lower Mountjoy, the Library has 1,750 study spaces and fantastic range of resources to support your studies.
Library staff are always on hand to help you find your way around and answer your enquiries, and our 24/7 live chat service is available to you during your time in the Library or when working offsite.
From 9am on Saturday 26 April:
From Saturday 24 May – Friday 30 May:
From Saturday 31 May - Friday 27 June:
From Saturday 28 June (vacation opening times):
Durham University Library
Stockton Road
DURHAM
DH1 3LY
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)191 334 3042
Fax: +44 (0)191 334 2971
You can get in touch through our live chat service or by email, and search our FAQs for answers to your questions.
Keep up to date by following our library social media accounts:
For details of IT and equipment available within the Library, visit our website.
We have a mixture of bookable and non-bookable individual and group study spaces available at Bill Bryson Library with collaborative, quiet and silent study zones - please see our Study Spaces Guide for full details.
Lidded hot and cold soft drinks and cold food are currently allowed on all levels of the Library. Vending machines and access to hot water is available in Small Island Coffee and cold water fountains are located throughout the building.
Please don’t eat in our silent study zone on Level 1 out of consideration to others (lidded drinks are allowed).
Small Island Coffee is located on Level 2 of Bill Bryson Library and offers a range of sandwiches, salads, drinks and snacks. Please see Small Island Coffee webpages for current opening times.
Along with members of Durham University, we are also pleased to welcome external students, researchers and visitors to Bill Bryson Library.
For more information, visit our website.
Bill Bryson Library is on the Lower Mountjoy site on Stockton Road, across the road from Whitechurch and next door to the Palatine Centre. Use the postcode DH1 3LY if using a SatNav or GPS.
The main entrance to the building is on Library Square, opposite the Geography building. To enter the Library, you will need to scan your Campus Card on the access gates just inside the entrance.
There is no visitor car parking, except for disabled parking bays near the entrance. There are bike sheds available to both sides of the building.
Access is on level ground via a power-assisted door, with a card-operated accessible gate. There are two lifts available within the building. Please see our Accessibility and Support guide for further information.
There are disabled parking bays near the main entrance, adjacent to the Geography building. For more information on parking, please call 0191 334 6002 or email car.parking@durham.ac.uk prior to your visit.
The University welcomes the use of face coverings in shared indoor spaces on campus. If you are feeling unwell, please stay at home and try to avoid contact with people. Please visit the University webpages for more details.
Please review our floor maps to help you to:
Find out how many free study spaces there currently are at Bill Bryson Library by clicking the link above.
