University gets the go-ahead for new ‘world class’ £27.5m library

The new undergraduate library at the University of Leeds

Work is set to begin in July on the four-storey development which the university hopes will complement its Parkinson Building.

The university’s librarian Stella Butler said the new facility would help students to study online, work in groups or in the traditional way from textbooks.

She said: “This will be a real landmark building for the university and it will signal our commitment to providing the best education for our students.

“We have always been good at providing a traditional library but this will include spaces that allow students to work collaboratively in groups and online.

“The new library will provide our students with a state-of-the-art, high-quality study environment.

“When complete, the library will provide a world-class learning environment that befits a world-class university like Leeds.”

Along with around five kilometres of shelving for textbooks, the library will have 1,000 study spaces, WiFi, two training rooms, a new café, and more than 170 fixed computers. It has been designed to complement its surroundings, with a Portland stone finish that echoes the Parkinson Building.

Professor Vivien Jones, Leeds University’s pro vice chancellor for student education, said: “This exciting investment in the new library is a measure of our commitment to provide an exceptional educational experience for our students.”