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£1m investment to maintain inspiring learning spaces

30 November 2016

UCL Library Services and UCL Estates are delighted to announce, that we will be investing £1 million this academic year, to develop new learning spaces and enhance existing ones as part of our commitment to putting our users' experience first.

£1m investment to maintain inspiring learning spaces

Following a formal bidding process, the UCL Central Estates Strategy Board approved Library Services' proposals and awarded £830k to develop its spaces, with UCL Library Services committing a further £200K. The proposal will create an extra 91 seats for study.

Improvement projects will run across a number of the 18 site libraries located across London, which are all available to be used by UCL students and staff. The addition of power to desks in the UCL Institute of Education Library, in particular, will ensure that all library study spaces provide power and wi-fi as standard, allowing users to work for as long as they wish, rather than until their device's batteries run out.

More study spaces

Benjamin Meunier, Assistant Director of UCL Library Services said, "I am delighted that the Central Estate Strategy Board approved the full set of proposals from Library Services. This enables us to take action now and improve the number of study spaces available while we build the New Student Centre.

"The new centre, which is part of the Transforming UCL project, will add 1,000 cutting-edge learning spaces at the heart of the Bloomsbury campus in early 2019. This is all part of our commitment to provide an excellent user experience and to maintain inspiring learning spaces where students can engage with research at UCL.

"We are already working to complete the first of these projects, refurbishing the ground floor of the UCL Science Library, by February 2017 in order to provide 21 new study spaces and establish a new combined ISD and Library HelpDesk."

Completed refurbishment projects in Library Services have received praise from users.

Speaking about the Research Grid in the Science Library, Naveed Khan, a former MSc Global Health & Development student said, "My favourite [library] spot was in the new postgraduate suite in the Science Library. I found this private office like room and it was brand new, out of the way, soundproof, and with tea and coffee facilities right next door - what more do you want?!"

Another project Library Services are currently working on with ISD and Estates is a space occupancy system, where any Library user will be able to see where there are free seats on campus. This should offer UCL students and staff better choice of where to study.

Read more about the Library Services strategy, phase 2 of our Science Library refurbishment and building work on the new Student Centre.

Sustainability requirements

In addition to improving occupant wellbeing, these refurbishments will incorporate UCL's rigorous sustainability requirements. UCL require FSC certified timber, or equivalent, on all our projects to ensure we are sourcing from environmentally friendly forestries.

We look at other materials too - such as carpets and furniture - to ensure we use those with industry best practise credentials for sustainability. While any lighting and AV installed, is specified to meet high energy efficiency requirements.

Wellbeing based measures are also key, such as use of benign paints and finishes, excluding many products which emit harmful chemicals into the surrounding air.

Delivering these sustainability requirements ensures sustainable materials are procured for all the Library Services improvements whilst enhancing the workplace environment for staff and students.

Karen Flood, UCL Library Services