News
Refurbishment news
From April 2009
The third phase of the Senate House refurbishment is due to start in 2009 and the University has now confirmed some of the details that will affect the Library.
Phase 2 of the Senate House project involves complete rewiring, full-scale refurbishment and space remodeling of the South Block of Senate House, including the Library. The spaces are benefiting from rewiring, new lighting, new data and telephone services and redecoration.
Work began on this major undertaking in September 2006 with completion originally scheduled for 31st October 2008. The work has proved more complicated than predicted and so, regrettably, the original deadline has not been achieved. The University appreciates the frustration and inconvenience that this delay will cause, however a revised completion date has now been agreed with the contractor Tolent, which means that staff moves can commence from the beginning of March 2009.
Those for the Senate House Library and its collections, which are dependent on other enabling moves, will be confirmed in the near future. They will involve the Senate House Library removing from the North block into the South and to other locations within the Senate House Library envelope. At the same time the institute libraries of Institute of Commonwealth Studies, Institute of Germanic and the Institute for the Study of the Americas will move within Senate House Library. Please note that the Institute of Historical Research Library will not be moving but the Institute of Classical Studies library will be re-locating back to the 3rd floor in the North block.
Under the original contract the plan was to move Senate House Library and its books during the Christmas break 2008 in order to minimize disruption to users. The revised timescale calls for this move to take place over Easter ( April 2009) This timing is not ideal however it is important to move the library as soon as the South block is completed so that the contractors can move on to Phase 3 to work on the Tower. Any delay would incur heavy costs for the University.
We ask you to note that the on-site situation remains extremely fluid, with a delay in one area quickly having knock-on effects elsewhere. The University is confident that the contractor should be able to complete the work by the revised deadlines but there is no guarantee of this. Progress will continue to be monitored and we will inform you if there are any further delays.
It is expected that Phase 3, which includes the Tower and remaining Senate House Library areas, will now be completed in the first half of 2010.
Information concerning the dates of moves and availability of collections will be issued as it becomes available.
From the present to April 2009
As part of the re-wiring and refurbishment programme many collections have been moved. The following table shows the collections affected:
| Collection | Moved from | Moved to |
|---|---|---|
| Art | 6th floor | Middlesex North Reading Room, 4th floor |
| Australian Studies books | Middlesex North Reading Room, 4th floor | Stack (closed access) |
| Book Studies | Exhibition Hall, 4th floor | Small Hall, ground floor, North Block |
| Geography | 6th floor | Books – Palaeography Reading Room, 4th floor and Stack – closed access |
| Government Publications | 6th floor | Depository – Stack – closed access |
| History | 6th floor, south | Books – 6th floor, centre and north |
| Law | Middlesex North Reading Room, 4th floor | Books – 6th floor, north |
| Music | Music Library, 5th floor | PS Stack (collected works only) and 5th floor centre (all other items), 5th floor |
| Palaeography | Special Collections Reading Room, 4th floor | Small Hall, ground floor, North Block |
Geography |
6th floor | Books – Palaeography Reading Room, 4th floor and Stack (closed access) |
| Periodicals | PS Stack, 5th floor |
Upper Library, 3rd floor, North Block The most recent issues of periodicals will remain in the Periodicals Room, as at present |
| Philosophy | 6th floor, centre and north | Books – 6th floor, north |
| Psychology | 6th floor, centre and north | Books and Periodicals – 6th floor, north |
| Social Sciences | 6th floor, south | 6th floor, centre and north |
| US Studies | 5th floor and Middlesex North Reading Room gallery | PS Stack, 5th floor |
If you have any queries regarding collection locations, please ask staff at the Information Desk, 4th floor either in person, by email shl.enquiries@london.ac.uk or by telephone 020 7862 8461.
All government publications material formerly available on the 6th Floor has been sent to the Depository, as part of the rewiring and refurbishment project. The 19th-century parliamentary papers are available in full text online, and 20th-century parliamentary papers are available on microfiche. For other categories of material (eg Acts of Parliament, Hansard Parliamentary Debates etc) it will be necessary to request material from the Depository at the Stack Service Desk, 4th floor. For further information please contact the Information Desk on 020 7862 8461.
The Palaeography Room - the Special Collections Reading Room - has relocated to the Small Hall, ground floor, North Block, Senate House.
Access to Senate House Library:
- The entrance to Senate House Library is on the 4th floor, North Block and can be reached through the entrance leading to the Institute of Classical Studies Library, 2nd floor, North Block
- Take the stairs or lift from the ground to the 2nd floor, turn left and go straight through a set of doors leading to the Institute of Classical Studies Library, then go straight ahead through the next set of doors which leads to the Institute of Historical Research and up the stairs or lift to the 4th floor
- This will take you into the Exhibition Hall, 4th floor, where the Membership Desk and returns counter will be re-located
- The Issue desk and stack request service have been re-located in the Palaeography Reading Room
- There is no separate Photocopying Office Desk. All requests for the reprographics / scanning service are taken at the Issue Desk
While every effort has been made to keep materials on open access, on occasion some have been temporarily re-shelved in the stack. These will remain available on request.
We apologise for any inconvenience or disruption the moves may cause.
Please watch the website, newsletter and notices in the Library for the latest information about the moves.
