Miles Kane steps out of the shadows
Exclusive withactor Mileson Kane of the Last Shadow Puppets Theinterview rapper and music, comic books and his new show at the REP Music, p19
Redbrick
The University of Birmingham's Student Newspaper since 1936 EXCLUSIVE
Library opening hours finally extended
Inside look at Birmingham's street art scene Lisk, the prince of Birmingham's underground scene, speaks for the first time, p12
Tom Byrne Reporter
After months of campaigning carried out by numerous officers at the Guild of Students, our University’s Main Library has agreed to extend their opening hours. Previous opening hours were from 8.30 in the morning until 10.30 in the evening from Monday to Thursday, 8.30 in the morning until 7 in the evening on a Friday and from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening on the weekends. However, those hours have now been extended considerably and the main library will now be open from 8am until midnight throughout the week and from 8 am until 8pm in the evening on weekends. The new hours will take effect from the beginning of the next academic year. Furthermore, the iLounge and ‘Just Ask’ service will also be available for extended periods, although the official opening hours of these services are yet to be disclosed. There will also be library staff working at all times, as opposed to security or untrained personnel, meaning that the high standard of resources and services that students are accustomed to will be available whenever the library is open. Library staff are looking at the possibility of beginning the later opening hours during the Easter vacation of this year, but this is not yet confirmed. Other universities, such as Warwick and Imperial College London, have had extensive library opening hours for some time, however they do not have trained library staff on site at all times. The issue has long been a fea-
New opening hours 8am-Midnight weekdays from Autumn term. 8am-8pm weekends. ture of the election manifestos of Guild officers, with several making it a key focal point of their election campaign. Vice President for Education and Access, Rob Hunter, was one of the individuals who vowed to tackle the issue during his successful campaign last year. Of the new opening hours he said: 'The substantial extension to Library opening hours is a fantastic win for students. From next academic year, students will be able to use the library before early morning lectures and much later into the night. Students whose personal and work commitments mean they need to spend a considerable amount of time in the Library over the weekend will no longer be held back and all of this will be delivered with a staff team on call to offer help and advice, something which few other universities are able to offer. 'Such flexibility is crucial when the student demographic is changing so rapidly. Increasing numbers of students study part time, have care responsibilities or have work commitments beyond the University and the services Continued on page 5
Friday 25th February 2011 Volume 75 | Issue 1386 redbrickonline.co.uk
Artwork by Lisk