The Saltire Centre

The Saltire Centre is a modern and stylish library located on the Glasgow Caledonian University campus, near Buchanan Bus Station.

It is also a public library, though if you do not have a student card you cannot take the books out of the library itself.

Given the student population, there is not as many books as you might expect. It does have some you wont find elsewhere, including older ones and a good variety of academic journals.

It has a speedy free wifi connection and a good cafe on level 0, with regular events ongoing in the building.

It is also open 24 hours, seasonally.

A great open plan environment that stimulates the senses and is always bustling with life. A great place to work, study and on occasion, play.

When it is time to get down to some work, there are quiet floors that generate a more library-like feel.
It is ALSO ideal if you are bursting for the toilet at Buchanan Bus Station and dont want to give them a billion pounds or whatever it is now to use their toilets.

Power to the people.

If you have been a student at Caledonian in the last 5 years you will realise that the old library and the new library have no comparison to one another. The Saltire Centre, otherwise known as the new library is a wide expanse of computers and space, with books scattered throughout.

The Saltire works so well in cold wintery Scotland because it joins most of the academic buildings, four in total can be navigated through this fine construction. I have heard a little on the architecture and the effect I think is achieved as a lively and yet calming environment to work individually and as a group. This is something that most universities do not have, instead it is silence as the traditional library is known.

Well, I would say the Saltire with rather lax rules can be a bit too noisey and probably doesn't have enough computers for the student number. The cafe sells bananas for 25p though and scones with raisins which are often nice.