Staff go the extra mile to ensure minimum disruption.

Sewell Construction is back on site at the university to complete the second phase of the Sheila Silver Library refurbishment following phase one last year.

As work involved closing the library floor for three weeks, members of the team worked hand in hand with the University to learn how to operate the library book system, logging books in and out and making sure students who had requested or returned books experienced business as usual.

Ann Nash, Customer Service Team Manager in Libraries and Learning Innovation at the library, said it was a great support while the work was carried out.

Ann said:

“It’s been great and Terry Horner, who knows the system, is always on the end of the phone. He came every day to collect the list of reserved books and got them from where it was cordoned off.

“He knows where all of the books are and it’s been a huge help to us because it meant we could keep the service running. The disruption to students has been minimal and it’s looking good.

Sewell Construction Site Manager Carl Hurdus said some of the refurbishment work was completed out of hours during the first phase of the project to ensure staff and students were not disrupted.

He said: “We carried out penetration and noisy work at 4am or 5am before the library opens, leaving the non-invasive work until opening hours. We have built up a really good relationship with the team here.

“It’s a lovely, super modern floor space and a great area for students.”