Transforming Cardiff University's Libraries
The University Library has seen major developments in its services since the Library Review of 2005:
- Significant increases in the purchase of electronic information resources, especially eBooks and e-only journal subscriptions
- Increased online delivery of other key services - for example the 'Ask a Librarian Live' online enquiry service
- The roll-out of self-service borrowing and return facilities across many of our Library sites
- Major refurbishment of a number of Libraries to provide enhanced IT facilities, facilities for group and individual study and learning
- A reduction in the number of Library sites from 18 to 14
- Extended opening hours in many of our Libraries, including 24/7 opening in the Health Library in the Cochrane Building
- The growth of the requirement for digital and information literacy skills for staff and students.
Our ambitions for the Library service are to be able to provide a seamless and streamlined service focusing on enhanced support for both students and staff.
A major element of this transformation is the proposed development of a new Library facility on the Cathays campus; consolidating the 11 sites into two or three larger facilities, providing both strategic and operational benefits.
This would create a prestigious new learning and research environment; with the ability to enhance the University's profile and reputation, attracting the best students and world-class researchers. A multi-disciplinary learning and research environment would directly reflect the University's strategic goals around collaboration and inter-disciplinary research.
Staff and students would benefit from flexibly-designed, purpose-built spaces, encouraging a variety of learning styles alongside quiet study. The Library would also be able to offer longer opening hours across a smaller number of sites, benefiting from economies of scale.
Examples of similar library developments include the following:
University of Sheffield Information Commons (built 2007)
Leicester University David Wilson Library (built 2009)
Aberdeen University Sir Duncan Rice Library (built 2012)
Manchester University Alan Gilbert Learning Commons (built 2012)
A Task and Finish Group, chaired by Professor Patricia Price, is currently reviewing the business case for a major new building project. We would like hear your views. Please contact us by email at library@cardiff.ac.uk if you have any comments.