More accessible

More space

There will be 30% more reader spaces in the newly restored Library, enabling more Exeter students to make use of this wonderful facility. The Library is often full, especially during exam periods. The extra reader space will reduce some of the associated stress for students and provide an environment that is much more conducive to thinking and learning.

One of the most significant changes to the Library will be the Annexe. The Annexe in its current shape was the result of a somewhat brutal remodelling in the 1950s, when the false floor was inserted to divide the space into two separate rooms, with the lower room housing the archives and special collections. During the restoration, the 1950s floor will be removed to reveal the obscured windows, which will bathe the new space in natural light. In its place, a halfwidth mezzanine will be inserted, which will allow for the increase in workspaces for students. New shelving along the walls in the lower half of the Annexe means that the modern bookcases in the main body of the Library, which currently make the space look and feel cluttered, can be removed. One of the other major changes enabled by the restoration will be the positioning of a new entrance to the Library at the other end of the building, through what is currently a garden store. Moving the entrance allows for the creation of a bright and spacious lobby area with lockers for student belongings, an accessible toilet (which the Library has never had) and access to a new lift. The new space will be used to create a dedicated work space for the College’s librarians. The current entrance to the Library will be transformed into a meeting space, enabling students and staff to work collaboratively within the Library. The original door will remain in use so that the meeting area can be accessed separately from the main Library entrance.

More accessible

Making the Library fully accessible to everyone for the first time is one of the most important aspects of the restoration project. The College is committed to improving diversity and inclusion – there should be no barrier, physical or otherwise, to deter excellent people from learning and working at Exeter.

In order to make every area of the Library accessible, part of the project will involve the installation of a lift to all floors. The lift will be located next to the spiral staircase and will provide access to both the Annexe mezzanine level and the upper floor of the main wing. The lift shaft will stand out discreetly next to the exterior turret and will only be visible from the Rector’s Garden. A door at the far end of the Annexe (which is currently blocked by bookcases) will be revealed to provide an additional stepfree emergency exit. There will also be a fully accessible toilet at ground level near the new entrance meaning that students no longer have to leave the Library to use the facilities elsewhere on site.

Although making the Library fully accessible has presented the biggest architectural challenge, it has been at the heart of every conversation since planning began. This is testament to the strength of Exeter’s commitment to being an inclusive environment for everyone who joins the College community. In fact, the alterations to the Library are just the first elements in a sitewide plan to ensure the whole College is open and accessible to all.

“Currently I can’t use the Library because the building isn’t easily accessible, and I have a health condition that can cause extreme fatigue, so getting there and back is difficult for me. The plans to make the Library fully accessible would make a big difference to my experience as a student at Exeter, especially during those times when I use a wheelchair. At the moment it’s too much of a faff, but once a lift is installed I look forward to having the opportunity to work in there.” Amber Waite (2020, Biological Sciences)