Robinson Library refurbishment FAQ (Jan 2012)
- What is happening in the Robinson Library?
- Why are you moving material out of the Robinson Library?
- How have you decided what to move?
- When will these moves take place?
- What is Newcastle University Library's Research Reserve?
- How can I request something from the Research Reserve?
- Can I visit the Research Reserve?
- How can I browse for material which isn't available on the open shelves?
- How will you make sure you create the type of study space students want?
- How can I find out what's happening?
What is happening in the Robinson Library?
The Robinson Library is changing and will soon be undergoing a major refurbishment, due to be completed by the start of the 2012/3 academic year. This will include the creation of new learning and research spaces in the Robinson Library and additional IT enabled workspaces. The main ISS cluster in the Robinson Library has also been refurbished as part of this project.
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Why are you moving material out of the Robinson Library?
The Robinson Library is almost full and new purchases each year fill up remaining space very quickly. In the academic year 2010-11, our print book collection grew in space terms by over 380 linear metres and our print journal collection grew by around 75 linear metres.
Newcastle University Library is not alone in having a sustainable collection development policy which ensures that we make best use of valuable on-campus library space.
The redevelopment of the Robinson and Walton Libraries is motivated by the overwhelming use that students and researchers are making of our facilities. Providing research materials and developing our collections are still very much part of our “core functions”; the amount of money we spend on collections continues to increase, and the proportion of our budget spent on materials is amongst the highest in the sector.
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How have you decided what to move?
We have moved backruns of print journals (over 10 years old) and any journals which are also available electronically to our Research Reserve. Newcastle University is a member of the UK Research Reserve (UKRR) which is allowing member libraries to create a consolidated, secure collection of low-use journals, thus enabling libraries to release space for other purposes. We are also continuing with our existing policy of moving books and other material which has not been used over a sustained period. These items remain part of our collection and are available on request.
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When will these moves take place?
We moved the journals during summer 2011 and these are all available from our Research Reserve. We are currently moving books which haven't been used for at least 5 years.
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| What is Newcastle University Library's Research Reserve?
Unlike many academic libraries, Newcastle University Library has access to state-of-the-art off-campus storage facilities, meaning we can keep less-used material for much longer than some other academic libraries. Our facilities have just been refurbished and in total provide us with an additional 29 kilometres of storage space, which we're currently using to house back-runs of journals and books which haven't been consulted for over 5 years (longer in some subject areas). |
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How can I request something from the Research Reserve?
Material held in our Research Reserve is available on demand, with collections and deliveries taking place every week-day, meaning that material is usually available within 24 hours. Request forms are available here.
We provide desk-top delivery of journal articles from our Research Reserve. Careful management of the stock held in our Research Reserve means we can reinstate material in our on-campus libraries, should demand for certain items increase in the future.
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| Can I visit the Research Reserve?
Yes you can. Normal daily access is available by appointment with the Research Reserve Team, Monday - Friday between the hours of 11.00am and 1.00pm. Access outside of these hours can usually be organised given sufficient notice. Trolleys of books or journals, or archive boxes, can be brought directly to your desk. For browsing long journal runs, access to the compact shelving can be organised by special arrangement. There's more information about arranging a visit to the Research Reserve here. |
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| How can I browse for material which isn't available on the open shelves?
We are currently developing systems and tools which will make it easier for people to “browse” in a virtual environment. In addition, people are welcome to visit the Research Reserve at the Team Valley, where we have provided dedicated research space for visitors and where material can be made readily available for consultation and browsing. |
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How will you make sure you create the type of study space students want?
We are currently involved in consultations with our users to ensure we create the types of study and research space that people want. We're engaged in discussions at staff-student committees and other university meetings, we've recruited work experience students to help us gather feedback and undertake observational research into how and where students study, both in the library and in other study spaces on campus and elsewhere. These findings will all help inform our decisions on how we design the space. If you would like to contribute to this discussion, we'd welcome your comments, ideas and suggestions.
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How can I find out what's happening?
Read the Library's blog which will be updated regularly with news and information about the project.
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