Planned £1.4m investment in UCL Library Services spaces in response to student feedback

UCL Library Services is to undergo a £1.4m investment programme this summer to improve the quality of learning spaces at UCL.

The programme of work has been designed in response to feedback from students through the national surveys (NSS and PTES) as well as through consultation with Library Services staff as part of a concerted effort to deliver high-quality customer service to Library users.

• Find out more about the library customer services charter

Students will see a further increase in the number of study spaces, as well as additional student lockers in several locations and improved service points, in time for the start of session 2018-19.

The work follows investment of £830,000 in 2016-17, which delivered a 15% increase in study spaces. A few months afterwards, in Spring 2019, the New Student Centre will deliver a further 1,000 study spaces.

The programme will make improvements to sites across UCL Library spaces:

• Users of the Science Library will benefit from a new entrance lobby and new turnstiles and the Library/ISD service point will be refurbished.
• The Digitisation Suite will be relocated within the basement of the Science Library.
• A quiet study zone will be created on Level 5 of the Institute of Education with an additional 100 study spaces. On Level 4, a further 80 new study spaces will be created as well as a new pod for disability support. An autosorter will be placed by the refurbished library entrance.
• The Royal Free Hospital Medical Library will be refurbished, with the addition of around 15 study spaces and the air-conditioning in the computer rooms will be upgraded.
• In the Main Library, the first floor Help Point will be remodelled in line with the customer service agenda, to provide more consultation space. The dedicated postgraduate rooms in the second floor Research Grid will be completely refurbished, and extra spaces created.
• Additional card-controlled student lockers will be installed in various locations in the Main and Science libraries and the Senate House Hub.
• The Language and Speech Sciences Library in Chandler House will have a redesigned reception with a new service desk, self-service and Print@UCL device. New desks in the main reading room will have power installed. 

Benjamin Meunier, Director of Operations for UCL Library Services, said:  

"This series of projects will significantly improve the quality of our physical spaces, recognising the needs of UCL students and our diverse community of users. I look forward to working with colleagues as we develop detailed designs and plans, with a view to completing these building works in summer 2018."