Cabinet Secretary opens £6million library

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, opened the £6million extension to the University's main library in early October.

The library extension has literally turned the facility around and given a stunning new face to the building The entrance to the library now opens out on to Cross Row, the opposite side of the building from the old entrance.

The Cabinet Secretary said the new-look library was exactly the sort of facility the Scottish Government wanted to see, offering high-quality, modern facilities for students.

'The Scottish Government wants all Scots to have access to learning throughout their lives and the facilities provided by our universities play an important role in delivering this,' said Ms Hyslop.

'This excellent new library extension offers students at Dundee a high quality, modern environment in which to study.' After a tour of the new library, Ms Hyslop praised the intelligent use of space and lighting and the way the designers had recognised changing educational styles.

Once inside the new-look library students are welcomed into a state-of-the-art facility with space for teaching and research rooms, e-learning areas, study areas, office accommodation and a glass-fronted, ground-floor Internet café. The building is also fully wi-fi equipped.

The creation of these areas has opened up more room in the old building for traditional library space and the extremely popular 'social learning' spaces which turn the stereotypical picture of a quiet, hushed library on its head.

'The social learning aspect, where we often have groups of up to a dozen students all debating and conversing and studying as a group, has become hugely popular and when the library is busy that floor is now one of the most active spaces on campus,' said John Bagnall, University Librarian.

'At the same time we also have plenty of room for traditional quiet study space. The addition of the café and some of the other new areas has made a huge difference to the experience for our students.

'Students have been using the new library for a few months now and the reaction has been extremely positive.'

The new extension was designed by Glasgow-based architects Austin-Smith:Lord.