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Library study space launched after £1.6m revamp

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The University of Bradford library’s new study space has officially opened following a £1.6 million makeover.

Five members of staff stand next to each other in a new library building at the university

The Study Hub, located in the lower ground floor of the JB Priestley Library, has received a re-fit to expand and transform the group learning area available for students. 

The site features a host of seating and 12 bookable rooms for students to study in, each with names including Beehive, Bracken and Butterfly. It also includes tables and booths equipped with screens for quiet group work. Technology to support a range of group learning is also incorporated.

A preserved moss wall, located near the Hub’s entrance, continues the peaceful moorland theme.

The inside of a large new library area with tables and chairs and an orange footstall

The Hub’s Nexus Gallery will have regular displays throughout the site to showcase art celebrating the creativity of the University and the Bradford community. The Hub’s first gallery display features entries for the University’s photograph competition which had a theme of Yorkshire moorlands. Competition winners received their certificates at the launch event. 

Speaking at the Study Hub launch, Professor Shirley Congdon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford, said: “We want our students to be inspired and tap into their intellectual strengths. This space is an outstanding example of that. 

“It is calming, accessible and stimulates imagination. This is what we want for our students. We live in a connected world; we are connected by our work, learning and imaginations. This is a place for connecting.”

a patchwork display of green moss on the wall of a building

The work is part of upgrade projects taking place across campus for the University’s study and social spaces. 

The Student Central area has been converted into a modern, welcoming space, following a £2m refurbishment. The facilities, which opened to students last month, include an updated bar with a huge TV screen for watching sports, a dance floor, garden hide-away, new games area with pool tables, shuffleboard and interactive darts and a new food and drinks offering.

The library’s new-look Study Hub was officially launched on Tuesday 15 October.

Four staff members stand next to each other three of them holding certificates in a new library area

Kirsty Carver, Head of Library Services at the University of Bradford, said: “It is a unique academic library with character. It is a calming, collaborative workspace. This is what we set out to achieve. 

“We are delighted with the student feedback that we have received. The Study Hub complements the social space in Student Central.”

Other work at the University of Bradford includes a £3.5m campus-wide upgrade of new technology to enhance the student experience. New IT equipment, worth around £600,000, has been installed in the University's computer science labs.