Sinéad Baker | Deputy Online Editor
Plans to extend the 24-hour section of the Berkeley/Lecky/Ussher (BLU) Library to include the entire Ussher Library have been delayed, with works expected to begin in summer 2014. Work on this extension was originally planned to begin in January of this year.
The project, which will see the entire Ussher tower re-modelled to be open 24 hours a day like the bottom floor, was agreed last year between the then-Dean of Students, the Vice Provost and last year’s Students’ Union.
The library and the Students’ Union have been meeting since July to discuss the project; however, a lack of sufficient preparation as well as the absence of a librarian to oversee the project have caused the delays.
The University Times has learnt that the project has recently been put out to tender and quotes have been received. The refurbishment of the tower is expected to take roughly one week per floor, necessitating the closure of collections during that time. Although access to reading spaces will remain open, concerns have been expressed that the work will impede on study work for the exams.
Plans to increase the seating capacity of the reading areas of each floor are also being discussed.
Students’ Union Education Officer Jack Leahy has expressed dissatisfaction at the delay, stating: “it’s hugely disappointing that these developments will have to be postponed. The proposed works have been agreed for over a year and students have been looking forward to their realisation for some time.”
Funding for the project has come from a case in 2012 in which the Higher Education Authority ruled that Trinity was giving excess allowances to teaching staff. Trinity was fined €1,000,000 towards the government and was ordered to spend €500,000 on additional student services. The first use of this fund came last year in which the entire BLU Library was opened 24/7 for ten weeks and the Hamilton Library also saw extended opening hours during supplemental exams.
Acting Librarian Jessie Kurtz issued the following statement to The University Times: “Unavoidable delays have meant that work on this will not now start until summer 2014, although it had previously been scheduled for January this year. The work is being supported by funding arranged by the SU and a philanthropic donation.”
Photo by Andrew Murphy
