We don’t want the new library

Brookes are planning a mid-term move and there’s a few of us who are less than impressed.


SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Just as we’d resigned ourselves to the fact that the new library wouldn’t be open until September (2020), an email was sent out.

It will open. In the middle of term.

Brookes are you insane? Has someone inhaled too much construction dust?

The building will open in sections. Because that’s helpful. The Terrace Restaurant is the final phase, available to all from the 24th March a month after the books have moved. This will mean a trek from your cosy spot amongst the books that you fought so hard to find back to the old cafeteria.

Call us lazy but we don’t care. Comfort eating is key during periods of stress and no one wants a half-mile ‘scenic’ scramble through other building work, inevitable rain and nasty architecture students. Food should always take priority over books.

Secondly there will be no library, new or old, for four days from 21st February. A month before people’s dissertation deadlines. Days before other deadlines. Madness. Supposedly there’s going to be quiet work spaces set aside for those who can’t study at home but we’re at a loss to see where these will be. Presumably they won’t be in the Abercrombie building as we all know what happens if you go in there.

We’re at a loss to explain why they don’t just wait until Easter or, even better, the summer holidays. Rumour has it that lecturers are equally unimpressed with the decision.

An idea of what might happen if we’re confined to our rooms

More to the point does anyone even know how you get into the building yet? We are yet to find the entrance and it might be a bit awkward if they forgot to put in a door after all this time and money. Apparently there is one tiny door on offer if you go the wrong way out the Tonge building (not difficult we admit). If that’s the main entrance however, we’re deeply unimpressed.

To build anticipation Brookes have helpfully released a ‘sneak peek’ of the new library. In all honesty, it looks a bit like a designer’s wet dream. All glass, white and glossy but is it really that practical? One thing it does have is its own hashtag (#JHBB) so you tell everyone just what you think.

This suddenly seems quite endearing

Brookes we’re afraid that mid-diss we’d rather stick to the comfort of the old asbestos-ridden library rather than re-learn some convoluted layout. But thanks for trying.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR_DtRyOD8c[/youtube]

 

Do you want to have your say? Email [email protected] or like The Tab on Facebook and send us a message.