UTS Library finds its place in the heart of campus

Opening on Monday 25 November in UTS Central on Broadway, following the closure of its facilities in Haymarket, the Library and Reading Room have all the advantages of being located in a brand new building. But it is as much the where as the what that is significant for these two key spaces.

Traditionally, the library of a major institution – including a grand reading room for quiet reflection and focused research – would be located in centre of the action. For many years, however, UTS’s Blake Library has been at the northern edge of the campus footprint. 

Now, with the Library’s relocation close to a number of faculty buildings, more UTS students and staff will be within a stone’s throw of this updated scholarly resource.

UTS Library

The three-level UTS Library occupies levels 7 to 9 of UTS Central. From the main entry on level 7, the library’s floors are linked by internal stairs. These encourage informal connection as students move through the space, whether browsing the stacks – located largely on levels 8 and 9 – or looking for the study space that best suits them. And there is plenty of choice, from collaborative AV-equipped pods to silent spaces and computer workstations to bookable rooms.

Librarians are on hand to help – just ask at the service desk inside the entry. There’s a laptop lending system and recharge stations for your own devices and even a book lift to whisk items up from the underground Library Retrieval System (LRS), which has housed the bigger part of the UTS collection since 2014. A time capsule (staff-only link) that is set to be ‘buried’ in the LRS, not to be opened until 2050, is also on display under the stairs on level 7.

For alfresco study or socialising, two expansive terraces are located on level 8, with the northern terrace likely to be a hit for its views over Alumni Green, shady seating and a dramatic view down through a huge skylight into the Reading Room below. You can even power-up your device thanks to three solar-powered recharge benches. The southern terrace offers a high-up perspective of Broadway with views that are breathtaking.

For hours of operation and floor plans, visit the UTS Library website.

Don’t miss: A UTS Library exhibition, Our Changing Campus, takes a journey through the evolution of the UTS campus, including the Master Plan that delivered UTS Central and other major new buildings. The exhibition is on until February outside the main Library entrance on level 7.

UTS Reading Room

In the Reading Room, UTS has a dedicated, public space designed to inspire and foster big ideas.

As Professor Attila Brungs, the UTS Vice-Chancellor, says, “An inspiring reading room has always been at the heart of great institutions of learning throughout the centuries, but even our most recent student surveys highlight their desire for exactly this type of space.

“Through the UTS Reading Room, I wanted to give our university a place where really profound thinking can take place, free from interruptions or deadlines. In a fast-moving world dominated by technology, I think that’s important.”

The two-level Reading Room with a dramatic triple-height atrium is a first for UTS. Putting a contemporary spin on the grand reading rooms of traditional institutions, the UTS version may be scholarly but it’s anything but gloomy and dusty, thanks to the vast expanses of glass looking out over Alumni Green.

Soaring floor-to-ceiling joinery houses a range of reference books from the UTS collection – all that knowledge adding to the uplifting ambiance of the space. 

“Serendipity and books retain a fundamental connection to the great discoveries and breakthroughs that have transformed our world,” explains Professor Brungs.

Banks of desks are located on level 5 under a light-filled void and around the void on level 6, providing a dedicated space for focused work, while seating around the perimeter is perfectly positioned for quiet contemplation. Anyone seeking a breath of fresh air will find it on the level 5 wintergarden balcony overlooking Alumni Green.

Don’t miss: A spiral stairway in the far west corner links the two floors of the UTS Reading Room and is the easiest way to move between the two floors. Be alert also for the soft sound of the complex sunshade system as it responds automatically to the position of the sun. This feature helps maintain a comfortable environment for Reading Room users.