by Richard Buckley, Editor, Business Eye

Following a substantial summer refurbishment, with an investment of £1.3m, Ulster University has opened its new look Magee library, aligning with the commencement of the new academic semester.


 

 

The state-of-the-art facility will provide a significant boost both to the Magee campus and the city with new social and collaborative learning spaces, group study pods and digital information hubs all designed to promote academic collaboration and social learning experiences, connecting the indoor academic environment with the external landscaped area at the heart of the campus.

 

All Ulster University students and staff can now avail of the newly developed, modern and user-friendly environment which will provide unique opportunities to learn, collaborate and carry out research.

 

The £1.3 million refurbishment project spans across three floors and delivers a range of modern, learning environment that includes study desks, quiet study areas, a silent research lounge and a new café area to cater for a wide range of options in terms of learning styles and preferences.

Dr. Malachy Ó’Néill, Provost of the Magee Campus, commented on the transformation:

“The Magee library has been at the heart of this campus for decades, so to see it transformed in this manner is a positive development for the university and the wider North West region. We now have a world class library facility which will boost our academic offering and significantly enhance the student experience on the Magee campus. Through this revamp, we have ensured that our learning spaces and resources are fit for the present and the future and will contribute positively to the studies of our students.”

The new-look Magee Library has benefitted from significant improvements to the layout and study environment, improving service delivery in line with Library Services Strategy. Students and staff can now avail of study spaces in open areas near the main book and journal collections, and spaces offering fixed PCs that are near printing, scanning and photocopying facilities.

To encourage more collaborative approaches in teaching and learning, group study rooms will be available, with online booking facilities, as well as flexible learning areas with furniture and equipment that can be configured to adapt to the requirements of the individual or group. For those wanting a traditional library space, designated quiet and silent study zones will also be available.

Janet Peden, Ulster University Librarian, added:

“This is an exciting time for the Magee campus, with the Library now able to realise its vision to transform the experience of all users through the introduction of new and innovative services.

“The improvements will deliver a first- class library learning environment to support teaching, learning and research activities in the Magee campus library.  The provision of active and collaborative spaces will benefit all library users and support the development of new knowledge in a fully supported environment.”

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Janet Peden, University Librarian & Deputy Chief Digital and Information Officer (white jacket) Collette Cassidy VP Magee Students' Union (black jacket) & Dr Malachy Ó Néill, Provost of the Magee campus.

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