Finding the library

Finding the library

Listen to a conversation about the university library to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

Transcript

Student: Hi. Excuse me.

Student B: Yes?

Student: Where's the library?

Student B: The library? It's next to the registration office.

Student: Ah ... sorry, I'm new. Where's the registration office?

Student B: No problem. See the big building over there?

Student: Yes.

Student B: OK, so that's the lecture theatre. Next to that, on the right, is the registration office. And next to that is the library.

Student: I see. Thanks!


Student: Hello?

Librarian: Hello.

Student: Is this the library?

Librarian: Yes, it is. Quiet, please.

Student: Oh, sorry. Thank you.

Librarian: Can I help you?

Student: Er, yes, please. I want to borrow some books. What do I need?

Librarian: You need a library card. Here's the application form. You can take up to six books maximum today.

Student: OK. Six books.

Librarian: Yes. You have two weeks to read the books. Then you bring them back.

Student: And if I'm late?

Librarian: Every day you are late there is a fee of fifty pence.

Student: OK, 50p a day. Er, anything else?

Librarian: Mobile phones must be switched off in the library. You can bring your laptop, but please use headphones to watch videos or listen to music.

Student: OK, great.

Librarian: And you can't bring food or drink.

Student: No food, no drink. And ...?

Librarian: And please speak quietly! People are working here.

Student: Oh! Oh, OK. Thank you.

Librarian: You're welcome.

Task 1

Task 2

Discussion

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Average: 4.3 (252 votes)
Profile picture for user marsan29

Submitted by marsan29 on Mon, 19/01/2026 - 03:25

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Do you have a local library? How often do you go there? What do you do there?

Yes, I live near a library.

It is about 30 minutes from my home.

I live in El Salvador, and the library's name is BINAES.
I go there twice a month, but I wish  I could go every day.
When I go, I read science books, and after reading I play video games (yes, there are video games in the library, but you must read for at least 30 - 45 minutes you can play)

 

Submitted by wanderintin on Sun, 11/01/2026 - 11:45

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There's a local library in my town. The library is comfortable and has mini theater, too. I usually go there twice a week. I do my homework or just read a book there. 

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Submitted by homoitiner on Fri, 26/12/2025 - 17:41

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Yes, I'm so lucky to have a big local library in my neighborhood. I go there once a week with my kids. We read, do homework, and borrow some books, especially bedtime stories. Since I moved to London, I don’t buy books anymore.

Submitted by Jorge _HP on Sat, 13/12/2025 - 03:58

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I hardly ever go to the library, but when I do, I sometimes stop by to listen to and read music to relax.

Hello, I am Juan  Where I live there´s not a local library but in the university there´s one and I usually go there to study

Submitted by moaz_shamekh on Tue, 09/12/2025 - 17:07

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Unfortunately, No, I don't, but when I was in the middle school,  I went to the school's library one or twice, but it wasn't a very good experience, because the books there were very old and a boring.

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Submitted by Yayo on Sat, 29/11/2025 - 08:42

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t's interesting to remember those times! Now that I think about it, there isn't any public library close to my house. To go to one, I would have to take a bus and walk several blocks to another area of the city.

But this brings back memories of my study habits from when the internet didn't exist, and we didn't have access to all the information that is now just a click away. In those days, when I needed to research a topic, my ritual was as follows:
I would arrive at the library, head to the card catalog area, and patiently search for the code of the book that dealt with the topic I was interested in. Once I had the code, I would go to the shelves, find the book, and if I located it, I would sit down in silence to use it. I carefully copied important data and references into my notebook. When I finished, I would place the book in a special cart for the library staff to correctly reshelve it.

Everything I did inside the library was in complete silence and with great calm. When leaving, I rarely said an extra word; a simple "thank you" and "goodbye" were enough. It's a very different experience from how we get information nowadays.

Submitted by NECO66 on Wed, 05/11/2025 - 19:10

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yes,I do

I always  borrow books from the local library .

I sometimes go to  speaking club too. 

Submitted by NGUYEN Hang on Wed, 29/10/2025 - 00:37

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There used to be a huge library in the city where I live. When I was student, I sometimes went there to study because it was quiet and comfortable.

I’m not sure if it still exists nowadays especially with the development of internet resources and e-books. I think the library is still there but perhaps smaller than before. Maybe they’ve developed an internet research room inside, with laptops and computers for students to use.

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