We are very excited to announce that the new study spaces on the Lower Ground Floor are now open!

We know how hard it can be to find a study spot, so we listened to our students and added 358 new study spaces to the Main Library over the summer, as this blog has documented. Today we celebrated the grand opening of the Lower Ground Floor, which has been renovated for student use.

Bryan MacGregor, Director of User Services and Alec Edgecliffe-Johnson, President of the Edinburgh University Students’ Association, did the honours, cutting the ribbon to officially open the new spaces.

In the coming weeks we will be running competitions in the new space, so keep your eye on our Facebook and Twitter for the chance to win prizes! We would also love to hear your feedback about the new spaces, and about any further changes you want to see in the Library, so please get in touch via Facebook or Twitter, or use the survey forms we will be distributing in the Lower Ground Floor.

We hope that these new study spaces will make the upcoming deadlines a little easier!

Everything is almost ready for the study spaces on the Lower Ground Floor of the Main Library to open, we just have a few last minute things to put in place for you and the space will be open to students on Monday 17^th October.

 All of the new furniture has been delivered and the new desktop power outlets have been put in place to make your studying here as easy as possible.

We’ve got new signs on the lower ground floor directing you to the space too!

Come and see the space on Monday and let us know what you think!

We are almost there – thanks for your continued patience!

 New furniture for the 358 additional study spaces will start to arrive next week – please see below for details.

 Tuesday 13^th September – 2^nd & 4^th Floors

Thursday 15^th September – Lower Ground Floor

Tuesday 20^th September – 1^st & 3^rd Floors

 Whilst every attempt will be taken to avoid the minimum of disruption to users as the new furniture is assembled there will be an element of unavoidable noise as these works get carried out.

 The installation of the new desk top power modules will be installed quickly after the new study desks have been assembled, the desktop power will enable you to charge your devices via a plug or a USB port. These works will be carried out in the evening as there will be an element of drilling work involved.  As with previous works, barriers will be put in place to alert users of the areas where the contractors will be working in.  

 Tuesday 13th , Wednesday 14^th & Thursday 15^th September – 2^nd & 4^th Floors

Monday 19^th September – Lower Ground Floor

Tuesday 20^th &  Wednesday 21^st September –   1^st & 3^rd Floor

Part of the refurbishment works to create new study areas will also involve an upgrade to the existing desk top power modules on a number of new and existing desks.  We are confident that these new desk top power modules will help address the many issues that users have been experiencing, each desk will be fitted with a single socket and double USB charging point.

 Additional electrical enabling works have been planned to accommodate these new desk top power modules which will see a number of areas affected, these works have been scheduled in order to minimise disruption to users.  These areas will be cordoned off to users whilst the work is taking place.

 Please see below for details

 4^th Floor: from 6pm to 6am on Monday 29^th August – Tuesday 30^th August 2016 electrical enabling work will take place throughout the floor to prepare for the installation of additional desk top power supply units.

 3^rd Floor: from 6pm to 6am on Tuesday 29^th August – Wednesday 31st August 2016 electrical enabling work will take place throughout the floor to prepare for the installation of additional desk top power supply units.

 2^nd Floor: from 6pm to 6am on Wednesday 31^st August, Thursday 1^st & Friday 2^nd September 2016 electrical enabling work will take place throughout the floor to prepare for the installation of additional desk top power supply units.

 1st Floor: from 6pm to 6am on Thursday 1^st September – Friday 2^nd September 2016 electrical enabling work will take place throughout the floor to prepare for the installation of additional desk top power supply units.

Please note PC’s and Key Boards within the Ground, 1^st and 2^nd Floors will undergo a deep clean from Monday 15^th August. The contractors  will start from the 2^nd floor and then continue to the ground floor, the work is likely to last approximately 3 days.  PC’s will be temporarily unavailable whilst the deep clean  is undertaken which includes keyboard and monitor sanitising. PC’s will then quickly become available on each floor as the cleaning contractors progress to all areas of the floor.

Thank you for your patience.

 Work is continuing in the Main Library on a programme of works to bring significant improvements for library users through increasing the number of study spaces by 350 and providing additional power and data facilities at study desks.

Work underway this week (8^th-15^th August)

3^rd floor – Construction work to remove empty shelves and carry out electrical works is underway on the south side of the 3^rd floor. The collections PC-Q are currently cordoned off and access to these items is through consultation with Helpdesk staff located on the 3^rd floor or Ground Floor 9.15-4.45 Monday to Friday, or through emailing collections-management@ed.ac.uk at other times.

 Apologies for the continuing noise and disruption – thank you for your patience while work is underway.

Electrical work underway on the 3^rd floor              Shelving being removed  on the                                                                                                        3^rd floor

Over recent weeks we have been progressing well with our project to compress the Library collections on the 2^nd floor.

We now have lots of empty shelves (photo below) so are able to begin to move some books down from the 3^rd floor to the 2^nd floor; this will continue with the plan to free up space throughout all floors so that we can introduce additional study spaces.

During this move access to lifts and collections may be restricted, but we will have staff available to help you if necessary.

 Apologies for the continuing disruption at this time.

The sample furniture has now started to arrive and is being displayed on the first floor Mezzanine.  Below are some images of the new study desks.

We do value your feedback so please pop along, take a look and provide comments on the link below by 5.00pm on 8th July.

The move of collections in the Main Library is now underway. Contract staff are working on the second floor to free up shelves which will be removed later in the summer to allow room for additional study spaces.

Thank you for your ongoing patience while the work is underway.

The empty shelves are beginning to appear!