Student support page for the reservation of study spots
Quickstart guide
FAQ
Reservations
I get an "Internal server error"
You were probably enrolled again last year for a different course or with a different e-mail address. It may also be that you work part-time for the university, or were previously registered as a guest.
If changes have been made to your account, then this may mean that we no longer correctly recognise your account and e-mail address. If this is the case, then send an e-mail to shareddesk@ufb.leidenuniv.nl.
I get an "Account already exists"
You were probably enrolled again last year for a different course or with a different e-mail address. It may also be that you work part-time for the university, or were previously registered as a guest.
If changes have been made to your account, then this may mean that we no longer correctly recognise your account and e-mail address. If this is the case, then send an e-mail to shareddesk@ufb.leidenuniv.nl.
Why can I only make a single reservation per day, even if they are for different buildings?
One of the principles of SharedDesk is to share the limited number of available study desks fairly between the students. Part of this fair use policy is that we have agreed that each day, each student can only make a single reservation for a maximum period of 4 hours.
As soon as your reserved period has ended, then you can make a new reservation.
I am a PhD student/employee/alumnus/guest and want to reserve a study desk.
There are three types of individual study desks:
- Study desks that you always have to reserve. These are usually study desks with a PC. You can recognise them by the dark blue sticker.
- Study desks that you only have to reserve during exam time. You can recognise them by the light blue sticker.
- And thirdly, study desks that you never have to reserve, not even during exam time. You can recognise these by their white sticker.
All libraries have a number of white study desks that anyone can use without a reservation. A number of white desks are also available at the UB Witte Singel site on the Ingang 1 floor, but there are a limited number of places at other locations too.
- There is no longer a separate department for PhDs.
When I want to reserve a study desk, I get the message ‘Reserving this desk is not allowed between the requested times.’. Why can’t I reserve a desk?
From 24 August 2021, study desks can only be reserved by students of Leiden University. The following groups cannot make a reservation: employees, alumni, guests and doctoral students.
How can I see which workstations are available at which times?
If you want to see if there is still a desk available for another timeslot, then click on the calendar icon and change the date and time. You only have the option of viewing availability for the same day or the next day, because you cannot reserve further ahead.
I can no longer make a reservation, and/or can no longer see a timeslot to select.
From 24 August 2021, study desks can only be reserved by students of Leiden University. The following groups cannot make a reservation: employees, alumni, guests and doctoral students.
How do I reserve a study desk?
Click here for the Quickstart Guide to reserving a study desk.
Where can I find my reservations?
In the mobile screen, you can find ‘my reservations’ by clicking on the three lines. In the desktop screen, you can find ‘my reservations’ in the main menu at page top.
I cannot see any data, or else the system is working strangely.
As a security measure, you are logged out after a certain time. If refreshing the page doesn’t work, then try to login again.
I want to reserve a study desk for a month ahead, but I can’t.
Study desks can only be reserved for the same day and the next day. Per day, you can only make one reservation for up to a 4-hour period. As soon as this reserved period ends, you can make another reservation.
I have reserved a study place and have received confirmation. What should I do with this?
Save the confirmation, it must be shown at the location. Show your confirmation via a smart device upon entering the location. Don’t have a smart device? You can also print the confirmation.
I want to change or delete a reservation.
Go to ‘my reservations’. In the desktop screen, you will find this in the main menu at page top. In the mobile screen, you can find ‘my reservations’ by clicking on the three lines.
You can delete your reservations here. You cannot change a reservation.
I have already reserved a study desk, but want to reserve another desk for later the same day.
Currently, you cannot have more than one reservation per day. As soon as your reserved period ends, you can make a new reservation.
Logging in
Where can I log into the system?
You can login on this page using your personal ULCN account.
How can I get an account?
You can use your personal ULCN-account.
Reservation confirmation
Where can I find my reservations?
After booking a desk, you receive a confirmation by e-mail. If you haven’t received it, then you can also retrieve the confirmation from ‘my reservations’. Click on ‘my reservations’. Here, you will find all your reservations and the accompanying confirmation links.
I am being asked to show my reservation confirmation - why is this?
In some situations, you will asked to show your reservation confirmation on-site. You can always find your reservation confirmation under ‘my reservations’. You may need to do so, for instance, because another student who has not reserved your desk is sitting at it, or because your reservation has been automatically cancelled because you did not check in within half an hour of it starting. See also: checking in and automatic cancellation.
Checking in and automatic cancellation
How can I check in?
For library locations with doors/gates, you check in automatically by presenting your LU Card; at other locations you do so by scanning the QR code.
I can’t (yet) check in at my desk, why is this?
You can check in from a time 15 minutes before your reserved period starts until 30 minutes after it starts. If you are too late, then your desk reservation will be automatically cancelled and released so that another student can reserve it.
Why has my desk reservation been cancelled?
You can check in from a time 15 minutes before your reserved period starts until 30 minutes after it starts. If you are too late, then your desk reservation will be automatically cancelled and released so that another student can reserve it.
I want to cancel my reservation - how do I do this?
You can only cancel your reserved period before it starts. If the reserved period has already started, then it can no longer be cancelled. If you fail to check in, then your reserved period will be automatically cancelled 30 minutes after it starts.
Can I check out too?
It is not possible to check out. The reservation ends when the reserved period ends.
Other
Why can’t I reserve all the study desks?
There are three types of individual study desks:
- Study desks that you always have to reserve. These are usually study desks with a PC. You can recognise them by the dark blue sticker.
- Study desks that you only have to reserve during exam time. You can recognise them by the light blue sticker.
- And thirdly, study desks that you never have to reserve, not even during exam time. You can recognise these by their white sticker.
Study desks may have already been reserved, or else cannot be reserved, due to applicable measures or circumstances (such as malfunction or maintenance).
I see in the system that a desk has been reserved, but when I get there I find an empty chair. How can this be?
If students fail to use a reservation, then we call this a ‘no show’. There can be a number of reasons for this:
- The student has not (yet) arrived at the study desk. This is possible because students may still arrive up to half an hour after their reserved period starts;
- The student is not at his/her desk, possibly temporarily;
- The student has made a reservation, but is not using it and hasn’t cancelled the reservation.
May I sit in another student’s reserved spot if he/she doesn’t turn up?
No, you must use the desk that you reserved, because the student may still turn up in a while. If the student has failed to check in half an hour after the reserved period starts, then the desk is automatically released and can be reserved again.
Can’t the university cancel the reservation if a student fails to turn up?
If the student has failed to check in half an hour after the reserved period starts then the reservation is automatically cancelled. For library locations with doors/gates, you check in automatically by presenting your LU Card; at other locations, you do so by scanning the QR code. If this is the case, then the system releases the study desk again after half an hour. The student is informed of this by e-mail.