Northumbria University, City Campus Library, Newcastle upon Tyne
| Contact Details: | Christine Willoughby, Assistant Director Christine.Willoughby@northumbria.ac.uk Annie Kilner, Service Manager Annie.Kilner@northumbria.ac.uk |
| Type of Project: | Refurbishment. To upgrade infrastructure, increase Library IT provision (complaints and queues) and provide an up-to-date range of learning environments to meet diverse student needs in the 21st Century |
| Start/End Date: | 2003 - December 2006; with continuation of more minor works |
Background & Context
In 2001 the library was full to capacity and needed a major refurbishment to get the most out of the available space. It was also looking very old-fashioned - services and technology continued to be leading edge but the building and its learning spaces were not. Student satisfaction ratings were beginning to drop, particularly in the area of IT provision where spaces were limited and poor infrastructure prevented expansion.
Surveys and observations showed that students were trying to use the spaces in different ways but the layout and furniture worked against them. There was an increasing requirement for collaborative/group work due to a movement towards more social models of learning. Students also wanted a hybrid space with resources, study spaces, IT, secure environment and social space all under the one roof.
'Great Learning, Great Experience, Great Future' is the banner of Northumbria University and this was used to guide the design. The journey through the building had to be learner focussed; the promotion of a high quality student experience is central to the University's mission statement. The student voice is important and developments were based on sound pedagogy with support for innovation in learning and teaching.
What has been achieved is a university library that reflects the needs of learners in the 21st century. The whole building is wireless enabled, with a total of 9 floors comprising:
- the basement which houses the Learning Café
- the ground floor - the welcome point to the library and its loan services
- the first floor offers a choice of learning spaces and the hub of student support
- floors 2-6 house the extensive and regionally significant library stock with associated study areas
Sub basement houses lesser used stock in compact shelving with associated study areas.
The Basement Learning Café expresses the importance and understanding of social and informal learning as a fundamental part of the student experience. Bean bags, easy chairs, vending machines and a shop provide students with an informal, relaxed space to discuss their work and conduct group projects.
The Ground Floor houses the Welcome Desk, inviting students staff and visitors into the building, as well as orienting them around the campus and beyond. It is also the focus for borrowing and return of Library materials using the latest RFID and self service technologies.
The first floor is the hub of student support, offering face-to-face enquiries, telephone links from all the floors, a 24/7 helpline service and wireless laptop loans. It also offers a choice of learning spaces for group and individual use, including:
- An IT area with PCs
- Bookable Research hubs
- A flexible learning space which allows students to reconfigure furniture and IT to suit their changing requirements
- Information Skills teaching rooms
Floors 2-6 offer wireless-enabled study areas which are generally quiet study areas, fixed access to IT and access to the library stock. The Learner Support team visits all areas of the building to offer a one-to-one enquiry service at the student's workspace throughout the day.
