See the results of our latest Ping Pong Polls
Look out for our Ping Pong voting machine in the Library. We post the results of our polls on this page and on Instagram.
Halloween poll: What scares you about borrowing a book from the Library?
| Answer | Number of votes |
|---|---|
| Having to return it too quickly | 51 |
| Having to pay fines | 56 |
| Finding a book in the Library | 61 |
| Something else - Please write it on a post-it note and put it in the slot | 20 |
Some of the comments we received include:
- I don't know how the system works
- Walking up the stairs cos its online anyway
- To forget to read it or you want to know a lot but scared of the huge information
- Borrowing a book
- Quality of books
- I don't know how to borrow one
- Worry I'd damage it
- Too heavy!
- Finding some
- Breaking a bone from carrying all my favourite literature & matcha coffee
We ran this survey from 28 to 31 October 2025 inclusive.
This or That poll: computer keyboards on silent floors
Based on user feedback telling us the computer keyboards on Level 1 were loud when in use on a silent floor, we put out some new keyboards alongside the existing equipment and asked users of Level 1 which style they preferred.
We also conducted this poll online through Instagram Stories. We counted each in-person vote from users of Level 1 as two votes.
| Option | Online votes | In-person votes | Total votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current keyboards | 44 | 40 (doubled to 80) | 124 | 42% |
| 'Quiet' keyboards | 86 | 44 (doubled to 88) | 174 | 58% |
The quiet keyboards won the poll. As we update equipment on Level 1 and other silent floors in the Library we will buy quiet keyboards instead of the bulkier style keyboards which some users find to be too loud.
We ran this survey from 28 May to 10 October 2025 inclusive.
Is the new Short Loan period of 1 day + 6 auto-renewals good or gloomy?
Results:
- The books I need are never available for loan when I look: 16%
- Being able to reserve Short Loan books online saves me time and effort: 25%
- Auto-renewals are confusing and I never know when books are due: 6%
- Having the book for up to one week gives me the time to get the information I need: 53%
27 October to 3 November 2022.
What is your preferred method of contacting our Enquiries service?
Results:
- Face-to-face: 31%
- Email: 45%
- Chat: 18%
- Phone: 6%
February 2021.
Where do you store your University work files?
Results:
- On an external device (e.g. USB stick, phone): 62%
- University OneDrive: 16%
- Hard drive: 12%
- Cloud storage not run by the University (e.g. Dropbox or Google Drive): 10%
What we're doing about this result:
We will actively promote University-owned secure cloud-based storage to our students and staff.
Which of these icons would you prefer as a 'favourites' icon in the new SUPrimo search?
Results:
- Heart: 41%
- Star: 37%
- Pin: 12%
- Flag: 10%
What we're doing about this result:
We introduced a heart-shaped icon for favourites in SUPrimo. See our You Said, We Did page for more.
What horrifies you about the Library?
Results:
- Other people hog desk space: 37%
- I have to queue to get in: 20%
- Other people are noisy: 24%
- I can't find the book I want: 19%
What we're doing about this result:
We ran our campaign "Don't Be a Space Invader" and will repeat this at busy times.
Would you use a self-service binding machine?
Results:
- Yes: 67%
- No: 33%
What we're doing about this result:
Our plans to introduce a self-service binding station were interrupted by the COVID–19 pandemic. We will revisit this as soon as we can.
Undergraduates can borrow 15 items at a time. Postgraduates can borrow 20. Is this enough?
Results:
- Undergraduates:
- Yes: 57%
- No: 43%
- Postgraduates:
- Yes: 73%
- No: 27%
What we're doing about these results:
We have opted not to increase borrowing limits. See our You Said, We Did Not page for more.
How do you feel about copyright?
Results:
- Terrified: 65%
- Confident: 22%
- A bit worried: 13%
What we're doing about this result:
Our Information Governance team created a Copyright Skills Boost session. We actively promoted these sessions with a mini campaign.
How would you like to receive information about copyright?
Results:
- Online training: 76%
- Written guidance: 15%
- Face-to-face training: 9%
Are you aware we have a Media Library?
Results:
- No: 71%
- Yes, but I haven't used it: 16%
- Yes, and I've used it: 13%
What we're doing about this result:
Our efforts to make more people aware of the Media Library and its offerings were interrupted by the COVID–19 pandemic. We'll revisit this work as soon as we can.
Would you prefer to get an email when you borrow a book instead of a paper receipt?
Results:
- Yes: 87%
- No: 13%
What we're doing about this result:
We introduced e-receipts for all borrowers.
Which aspect/s of academic research do you feel ill-prepared for?
Results:
- Finding high-quality literature for assignments: 39%
- Finding somewhere quiet to study: 17%
- Referencing what I've read: 19%
- Finding materials for teaching placements: 25%
The poll ran from Monday 19 August 2019 to Sunday 25 August 2019.
Library Love Swipe: Library opening hours. Do you like them?
Results:
- I don't like them: 69%
- I do like them: 31%
The poll ran from Friday 15 February 2019 to Monday 18 February 2019.
Library Love Swipe: Library discussion rooms. Do you like them?
Results:
- I do like them: 80%
- I don't like them: 20%
The poll ran from Thursday 14 February 2019 to Friday 15 February 2019.
Library Love Swipe: eBooks. Do you like them?
Results:
- I do like them: 72%
- I don't like them: 28%
The poll ran from Wednesday 13 February 2019 to Thursday 14 February 2019.
Library Love Swipe: New designs for the Strathclyde mobile app. Do you like them?
Results:
- I do like them: 79%
- I don't like them: 21%
The poll ran from Tuesday 12 February 2019 to Wednesday 13 February 2019.
Library Love Swipe: Print books. Do you like them, yes or no?
Results:
- I do like them: 73%
- I don't like them: 27%
The poll ran from Monday 11 February 2019 to Tuesday 12 February 2019.