UL President, Professor Don Barry has welcomed today’s announcement that the extension of the Glucksman Library is to be progressed with the selection of the preferred bidder for the Public Private Partnership to undertake this construction project.
The Glucksman Library is set to increase by over 6000m2, doubling the current library space at the University.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Mary Coughlan, today announced that Solas-Education for Life consortium (Robertson Capital Projects, AIB, O’Hare & McGovern Limited, Bennett (Construction) Limited and Brian McCarthy Contractors) have been selected as the preferred tenderer for the provision of the extension at UL as part of the first bundle of the Third-Level PPP Programme.
“We welcome this significant expansion to the Glucksman Library which will add over 800 extra study spaces to the UL Library. On completion in early 2013 the Library will have over 2,000 study spaces. This expansion will also provide specialist facilities for digital media archives, special collections and medical and law collections. It will also allow us to expand the dedicated spaces we have for postgraduate students engaged in vital Fourth Level research that is making a vital contribution to Ireland’s economic recovery,” said Professor Barry.
On completion, the new Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick will integrate seamlessly with the existing library to provide one facility to support the university’s research and learning needs.
The substantial increase in student numbers since phase 1 of the library was completed and the increased research activity experienced at the University has resulted in growing demand on library space, collections and specialist services and facilities.
The building will allow development of new facilities and redevelop existing service areas, including quiet study zones, collaborative learning spaces, a Special Collections Library, Exhibition and display space, Health Science Library and Law Library.
As an intellectual centre, the Library provides its users with facilities to access information resources from all over the world, to use these in conjunction with inhouse digital and print materials and to create new resources.
The dynamic nature of information and technology developments presents many challenges for libraries globally and the new building must incorporate the newest technologies alongside traditional services.
The Glucksman Library is named for Lewis Glucksman and his wife, Loretta Brennan Glucksman, who so generously supported the building of phase 1.
