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UoB to reduce number of seats in the ASS library, as dissertation deadlines loom

‘Urgent’ health and safety works to begin shortly


The University of Bristol will temporarily be reducing the capacity of the Arts and Social Sciences Library to allow for health and safety improvements.

The timing of this couldn’t be worse for students, with dissertation deadlines nearly upon us, not to mention the upcoming exam season.

A recent report conducted externally has described the "urgent" need to improve the fire safety of the ASS.

"These works will cause some temporary disruption to our study spaces," says an email from Phillip Kent, Director of Library Services.

"Temporary" is the key word here, as the works are hopefully to be completed over the summer, so that the library is spic and span in time for the new term.

This means that the library will be offering a reduced capacity during the exam season, something that will do nothing to ease the anxieties of dissertation writing and exam-taking students.

The university will be providing 200 study seats on the fifth floor of Senate House and 300 in Ivy Gate.

However, this may not be a sufficient replacement, as Will Stewart, second year Maths and Philosophy student, suggests. "It’s ridiculous that they want to take seats away from the busiest library during exam season, and then they claim that they are adding additional seating in Senate House, when in reality people such as myself used that same space during the January exam season anyway," Stewart told The Bristol Tab.

Kate Bilton, second year English student added: "Genuinely impressed at the university’s inability to put two and two together. Good job Bristol."

The university will keep students updated on the proceedings, and have apologised that these changes have had to made on such short notice.