LibAnswers

This page is used to inform you of any disruptions to the services we provide.

For the latest IT service updates please see the IT System Updates webpage.

Service Issues

✅ Transport strikes - Libraries remain open 

During the London Transport Strikes, 7-11 September we plan to open with our normal opening hours at all campus libraries, the Foyle Special Collections Library and Archives in the Strand Building.

The strike action may have a detrimental impact on our ability to provide in-person services.

Date added: 05 September 2025

❌ FW Library - Postgraduate Room Closed

Due to a leak, we had to close the Postgraduate-only room at the Franklin-Wilkins Library for the time being.

We have alerted our colleagues in Estates to help us repair it and hope to have it ready for you again soon.

Should you need Postgraduate-only space in the meantime, please take at our list of what else is available to you.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to ask you to please plan ahead accordingly.

Date added: 11 August 2025

Maughan Library - Computer/Teaching room upgrade works

From Monday 16 June, selected teaching rooms in the Maughan Library will be closed to enable essential upgrade works. Rooms impacted are -1.63, -1.69, G.63, 1.23, 1.63 and 2.23.

These rooms will reopen in September 2025.

To find alternative study spaces or computer access see the Maughan Study Spaces guide PDF.

Date added: 13 June 2025

🌧️ Maughan Library - Prayer Room closed during rainfall

Unfortunately, it has been discovered that a leak appears outside the Maughan Library prayer room during times of rainfall. We have alerted colleagues in both the Estates and Security teams, and they are working to contain and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. However, in the meantime, we regret that we will need to close the Maughan Library prayer room during times of rainfall. This decision has been taken to ensure the safety of library users owing to the slipping hazard created by the leak.

To confirm, the Maughan Library prayer room will remain open unless it is raining. During rainfall, the room will likely have to be closed.

An alternative prayer room can be found on the Strand Campus (Room S-1.03, first basement Strand Building) - please use this alternative prayer room until the leak at the Maughan Library has been resolved. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.

Date added: 13 March 2025

Electronic Resources Issues

Ebook Central unavailable for 4 hour maintenance period 

Due to maintenance to improve functionality and security Ebook Central books will be unavailable for the four hour period above.

Date added: 04 August 2025

Springer and Nature Journals on Springer Link - login process

There is an ongoing functionality issue where the 'Log in' option in the top right-hand corner of the Springer site is requesting that users register a new account or 'continue with Google or ORCiD' - this log in method cannot be supported. At present as a workaround, we suggest that users first navigate to an article on the Springer platform (or navigate directly to an article by searching for the article on King's Library Search) and use the 'Log in via an institution' option displayed midway down the Springer Link page under the 'Access this article' heading - this method allows users to search for 'King's College London' as a subscribing institution and use their King's credentials to authenticate access.

Note that King's does not subscribe to all Springer journals. To check for availability, please search for an article or journal on Library Search.

Date added: 18 December 2023, Last updated: 17 January 2025 as ongoing

Problems logging in to Taylor and Francis Online

Please note, there is an ongoing issue where users are occasionally required to log-in twice to the Taylor and Francis platform in order to view material that King's is subscribed to.

To access Taylor and Francis resources: 

• Once you are on Taylor and Francis Online home page, click on ‘Log in’ at the top of the page.
• Under ‘Log in via your institution’, click on ‘Access through your institution’.
• Start typing ‘King’s College London’ in the search box and select the relevant entry for King’s which appears.
• This may take you to the King’s 'Sign in' page. Enter your K number, followed by ‘@kcl.ac.uk’ and password. Please note, at this stage, you may be prompted to complete an additional Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) step on your mobile device using an appropriate MFA authenticator.
• You will then be taken back to the page you were previously on in Taylor & Francis. You can see you are logged in from the words ‘Access provided by King's College London’ at the top of the screen.

Date added: 20 January 2022, Last updated: 17 January 2025 as ongoing