The JB Morrell Library will begin to open for 24 hours a day, starting from this summer term. The main library, as well as the Raymond Burton Library (reading room) and the Harry Fairhurst Building will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week during term-time.
The announcement came last month from the Students’ Union’s Academic Officer Graeme Osborn, via a blog on the YUSU website. Speaking to Vision, Osborn added: “I am delighted to announce that the library will be open 24 hours a day during term-time from Easter. This is an issue that is very important to me, and something I have lobbied the university for extensively over the last two years as a course rep and faculty rep, and it was very much my first priority once elected.
“With the completion of the library refurbishment we now have world-class facilities, and I am pleased that our students will now have the choice to study flexibly and access the library facilities whenever they need them. I am excited to have completed one of my three manifesto pledges, and will be working hard on the others for the rest of the year.”
Although the timing of the announcement came as a surprise to many, the University had already in fact agreed in theory to 24-hour opening back in 2008, following a YUSU backed campaign for longer hours. It was agreed at the time that the University would strive for 24 hours after the major library refurbishment was completed.
It was also confirmed by Osborn that the library is on schedule to be finished by March 2012, but due to “asbestos problems”, the library entrance has been delayed by one week, and will be ready by Monday Week One.
Over the summer the first and second floors of the library have been completely finished, and water fountains have been introduced for the first time ever on each floor. Freshers cafe has been temporarily relocated to the Harry Fairhurst Building while the refurbishment of the ground floor takes place.
Speaking to Vision, Director of Information Stephen Town said: “24-hour opening has long been high on the list of student demands and I am delighted that we will be able to open the Library on a 24-hours-a-day basis in the summer term.
“This will follow completion of a £20m refurbishment and extension of the Library into the Harry Fairhurst building. The new facilities will be second to none. They include hundreds of additional study spaces as well as a much improved and expanded cafe. We are confident that students will make full use of them.”
Third-year Politics student Gemma Egan-Perkins commented: “It’s fantastic that the Uni have stepped up to the plate and provided opening hours and facilities suitable for a top institution. The next step now is to get all works finished as soon as possible so that we can take full advantage of our new library.”
If it was 24 hour drinking then that’d be more like it!