At DTU Library, the last books have been moved down to the basement. Instead, the furnishings now comprise Fatboy beanbags and group tables, and the wall between the library and the Polyteknisk Boghandel book store has been torn down. The newly renovated premises have been inaugurated at an event featuring a mayoral visit, speeches and a party.
After a renovation project lasting almost a year, DTU Library was officially reopened on Friday, 4 October 2013. Over the past year, the library has undergone a major makeover, whose purpose was to accommodate student wishes and requirements—for networking, in-depth study, relaxation, social interaction and some fun ...
Many turned up to celebrate the opening of the new facilities. From the podium, Martin E. Vigild, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs, welcomed students to the new library, which he called “the new heart of student life at DTU.” He went on to explain that the furnishing of the three floors of the library building follow an invisible structure known as a ‘pyramid of study needs’:
“At the bottom—i.e. on the ground floor—we have a ‘festival area’, where you are permitted to make some noise. The first floor is given over to an area where you are allowed to talk quietly and murmur. On the second floor, however, you must be absolutely quiet as it is devoted to working and concentration,” said Martin Vigild. He then added, “And do yourselves a favour—go check out the basement ...”
This level of the library is reserved for fun and relaxation with Xbox and PlayStation consoles. It has also been set up to include two ‘pitch rooms’ where students can use cameras and editing equipment to create presentations of products and ideas. The basement is also home to the library’s collection of 65,000 books.
Student influence
DTU students have had a great deal of influence on the makeover. The planners listened carefully to their wishes and requirements, and the results are clear to see: numerous colourful Fatboy beanbags complement the round work tables and small sofa settings, providing the perfect environment for both work and relaxation.
The central floor area by the entrance to the library is taken up by a stage used for various events. A 12 m2 big screen can be used to stream ongoing DTU events. This floor is laid out to include cosy meeting nooks, and 11 walls provide ample space for presentations of student activities such as the Polyteknisk Studenterforening (the PF student association), Grøn Dyst and Venture Cup.
At the inauguration, Kim Louise Ettrup, President of Polyteknisk Studenterforening, stated that from what she has experienced, her fellow students are delighted with the changes: “Every time I walk by, I can see students sitting in all the cosy corners. It is often a case of ‘standing room only’. In fact, I have been here many times where I simply couldn’t find a place to sit. I’m really pleased that it’s such a success.”
Benefiting the community
DTU Library is a public library, and Søren P. Rasmussen, Mayor of Lyngby-Taarbæk, was invited to help celebrate the opening of the refurbished premises, which he hopes will help make DTU even more accessible to the local population:
“It may well be the case that there is some knowledge just the other side of Sletten (DTU Lyngby Campus, ed.) that might help redefine some contexts so that we all gain insight into the truly amazing things that are happening at DTU.”
A book store and a library are not necessarily competitors as visitors to both share a common purpose: their hunger for more knowledge. DTU Library and the Polyteknisk Boghandel book store have accepted this premise, and as a part of the renovation a wall separating the two was torn down to promote the benefits of their being neighbours.
Full speed ahead on developing the study environment
The renovation and remodelling of DTU Library forms part of DTU’s ambitious project to create a unique study environment at the university. In 2013, DTU has also inaugurated a new teaching facility—building 127—for students of Architectural Engineering, and new auditoriums in building 421.