December 10th marks the 50th anniversary of the Library which was opened in 1973. To commemorate this landmark anniversary, we have created an exhibition that showcases the Library’s history.
Not long after the Brunel Campus opened, plans were made to build a university Library that brought the existing Library collections together which previously had been distributed across different buildings including the engineering centre and lecture centre. The architects Richard Sheppard, Robson and Partners designed the building and construction began in April 1971 by the contractors William Moss and sons. The building took approximately two years to build and cost £532,682 (the equivalent of around £8 million in today’s money (excluding furniture and fittings)).
In 1996, a merger took place with the West London Institute of Higher Education resulting in the previous four campuses being incorporated into the Uxbridge site. This development alongside the increased number of students meant the library was no longer large enough and presented the opportunity to extend the Library building.
In 2003, the architects Rivington St Studio designed the new extension and construction was undertaken by the contractors Bluestone. The year of construction resulted in many challenges for the Library staff to maintain a library service for users but the Library stayed open throughout. Runnymede staff and stock were integrated into the Uxbridge Library during the summer of 2004 and the extension opened to users in October 2004.
In the present the Library has expanded the services it offers to support staff and students in their work. The Library offer physical and electronic resources, study and teaching spaces, support in referencing, sharing, publishing and preserving research outputs and IT to name a few. The Library is also home to the Archives and Special Collections on the third floor which support research through the rich collections they hold.
As we look to the future, the Library will soon be undergoing a refurbishment to enhance the space further for current and future users, ensuring this space remains at the heart of campus.
Click here to see the exhibition cases.
