Sinéad Baker | Co-Editor-at-Large
The official opening of Kinsella Hall, the extended 24-hour section of the Ussher library, is to take place on Thursday October 16th, after work on the conversion was completed over the summer.
The second and third floors of the Ussher library have been converted so that the study spaces can remain open 24 hours a day, like the current 24-hour library, which up to now, consisted of just the first floor of the library. The second and third floors are due to be opened for 24-hour use on a phased basis.
The event is being held to thank Eric Kinsella, an alumnus of Trinity College Dublin who donated money towards the project. The section of the Ussher tower in use for the 24-hour library has been renamed Kinsella Hall in his honour.
Trinity has said that Kinsella, with his donation, has helped the college “to realise [their] long held dream of making three floors of the Ussher Tower into overnight study space.”
Present at the event will be College Officials, including the Provost and library staff, as well as student representatives and guests.
Speaking to The University Times, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Education Officer, Katie Byrne, commented: “The addition of this extra 24-hour space will make such a difference to so many students and the SU would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Mr Kinsella for facilitating the refurbishments”.
The conversion went ahead after data from the 2012/2013 academic year showed high usage of the Berkley Lecky Ussher library complex when it remained open 24/7 for ten weeks.
The extension of the 24-hour library space was agreed upon in 2013 between the then-Dean of Students, the Vice Provost and TCDSU officers. As well as Mr Kinsella’s donation, the project was part-financed by a fund that is under the direction of the Dean of Students and TCDSU. The fund came about after a case in 2012 in which the Higher Education Authority ruled that College was giving excess allowances to teaching staff. Trinity was ordered to spend €500,000 on additional student services.
The library and TCDSU have been meeting since July 2013 to discuss the project.
Work on converting the additional floors of the Ussher library was due to begin in January 2014, but the project was delayed until the summer.
Photo by Andrew Murphy for The University Times
