How to waste 35million
There have been mixed opinions on the new 35million pound library, but the question I’d like answered, is what did 35million actually buy?
When talking about the library most students will point out the distance of the library as being the main issue. Before, the library was on campus, but now it is a good thirteen minute walk away (and yes I was sad enough to time it!) and that was walking quickly, let alone carrying books, bags, in the rain, sleet and snow – treacherous times for us ladies in our heels!!
However, I don’t think this is the main issue. It’s all very well for the uni to bleat on endlessly about their fantastic, new, multi million pound, state of the art library, but lets look beyond the glassy exterior into what we actually get for such a extortionate price. (except blindness when the sun shines on it!).
Ok, so let’s take this from the beginning. You walk up to the giant eye sore and are immediately eye-balled by a leering security guard (he certainly didn’t cost 35million). Excuse me for pointing out the obvious, but isn’t that why you have security gates by the main door – don’t they detect if you’ve stolen something…? Or is the security guard there to man handle you if you’ve accidentally walked out with a book?
Once past the bobby wannabe you’r faced with spaghetti – junction style stairway system, and do you think I could see a directory of which floor I needed….of course not! Instead there’s a rather Allan Titchmarsh style sun dial on the floor (very useful I must say). Right so 35 million and you get to guess which floor you need – genius!
Once you’re through the glass doors on the ground floor, and then located all the books you need, you make your way over to the bored looking woman, who then tells you all the books on the ground floor are 24 hour loan only AND you’re not allowed to renew them. Thanks love, could have done with that information BEFORE I spent half hour searching out the books!
Does anyone carry much, if any cash around with them these days? Well I don’t, because what’s a debit card for after all? Anyway, I have a little confession, I had a fine on my card of 9 pounds and twenty pence (I know beat about the head and lynch me) so what do you think the method of payments were? Cash or cheque. Yep that’s it. Card machine? No of course not, who uses those things these days anyway? 35million smackers and no sign of a card machine – brilliant! Maybe they have a cash machine built in somewhere like the SU bar does – after all they do insist on cash or cheque (and who has cheques these days anyway) oh but no that would make far too much sense. Instead you have to trek into town, which means navigating the underpass system or past the fire station for the nearest cash point. OK so you might argue that you shouldn’t have the fine in the first place, but we are only human, god forbid we should make an innocent mistake, and then be punished for it. Anyway isn’t a card machine a basic human right these days? They say the cheque is on its way out…well not at this library, 35 million pounds and they can still manage to stay in the dark ages! I did ask a member of staff who does not wish to be named (do they ever) if there are any plans to get card machines, to which the reply was “I think so, sometime after Christmas.” Not a very reliable answer I must say, “think so” and “sometime” – so you don’t actually know, and sometime after Christmas could be anytime – I won’t hold my breath.
After my little trek to get money out I returned to a queue which initially didn’t look too bad as there were only four people in it. But it took me TEN MINUTES to get to the front. With 35million as the budget, a monkey could have done it quicker! Once at the front of the desk, I get a very insincere “sorry about the wait” (yeah I bet you are!) I paid my fine and took the opportunity to ask if there was any other desks in the building, where you could pay fines, ask questions etc. Of course I had already spent half an hour trudging round each floor in search of one, so I knew what the answer would be. She replied “no there isn’t unfortunately, sorry.” Sorry? Sorry? Perhaps I should forward you the bill for my worn out shoe leather!
Whilst on my trek upstairs, I noticed each door has a button you press to open the door. Well this particular door I tried to open, wouldn’t, what would a disabled person do I ask? And what if I had my hands full? The doors only open if you pull them or press the button – design fault or just plain stupidity? Not only this, the door was decorated with duck tape! Duck tape! 35 million pound duck tape! Brilliant!
What does the new library remind you of? Well I’d say big brother. Can’t see it? Let me explain…
I counted numerous CCTV cameras dotted all around, in various different positions covering all sorts of places. Er…it’s a library! Is it really necessary to rig the place up like Big Brother?? To finish off the BB look, they’ve decorated the rooms with hideous, garish, big brother style furniture scattered all over the place. I over heard one student describe it all as “snazzy.” Ok love since when did we use the word snazzy in the twenty first century. Plus I don’t call colour clashed, rock hard chairs snazzy!!
Remind me why a library needs two cafés? Probably to get some of that wasted 35million back!
On the ground and first floor the ‘staff area’ takes up almost half the entire right hand side of the library, plus there’s a third ‘staff area’ on the second floor. How many staff have they employed to sit their back sides in these ‘staff areas?’ well, I asked at reception how many staff are employed at the library, and she gave me a disapproving look (something I should get used to I suppose) at the words ‘journalism students’ and answered in a very un-interested and monotone voice saying “I don’t know, the systems haven’t updated.” Yes that’s right if all else fails blame it on the systems. I even saw a member of staff instant messaging on facebook! Instead of wasting time perhaps more staff should be allocated at help desks all over the library, rather than taking up half the library staring at a computer screen!
As for the i-zone help desk…is it necessary to wrap the desk in a sheet of disco lights? Is that what cost 35million? And dare I even mention that they have chosen to build this ‘state of the art’ library miles from everyone with no car park! I’m not bothered why there’s no car park, all I know is that most students have to go out of their way to go the library and this doesn’t even warrant a car park!
Last but not least, I noticed several large screen TV’s dotted all over the library, no signs and blank screens. I asked the bored receptionist what they were for and she informed me that if you touch the screen, they bring up an interactive view of the campus. Shouldn’t they be on campus then?
Clearly multi million pounds doesn’t mean quality or usability.
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This is too true! Brilliant!
The only part not mentioned in this article that I can guess most people would also agree with is that the moving shelves holding journal articles rarely work. Apparently they were going to use manually operated sliding shelves, but decided that would not be ‘snazzy’ enough.
Couldn’t have put it better myself. A complete disappointment, in addition to the article i would like to add its only until recently did they realise that we need a quiet study zone. What a “joke” you’d think that would come as standard wouldn’t you??? most libraries are affliated with silent study zones, after all thats the reason why we are there in the first place.
Loved the review, look forward to other articles
xx
I completely disagree with this article! The new building is fantastic, it’s marketed as a learning area and that’s just what it is! The comment about distance surely insinuated the author was plain lazy. It’s actually only a ten minute stroll from the student union gate! The size of Augustine house allows more collections to be added to the library catalogue and the cafes offer a place of relaxation and a break from studying! The problem lies for first years who live in Parham Road as it is a fair old trek but still, it’s money well spent and a great investment for the university! Thanks Christ Church!
Has the writer basically just gone into the building with a notebook thinking ‘Right, I’m going to note down everything you can possibly even find fault with’? I mean come on! Complaining about a security desk, you do realise that if there is no one to confront a book thief then security gates aren’t actually much use. And allocating space to allow the staff to get their work done does not seem like that much of heinous crime to me. And complaining about the furniture almost seems like playground bitching to me, how dare they attempt to brighten up the otherwise drab looking rooms, what fascists!! And the idea of moaning about actually having to look for your books really does make it seem like the other expected them to come to her when she clicked her fingers. While there are flaws (the iZone being one of them and the fact that half the computers never seem to work) there can be ironed out and it seems to me that our new library outstrips our old library by miles, not just a good variety of books but also a good meeting place and something the university can boast about and be proud of. And generally I like to see the positive in most situations rather than try and be as negative a humanly possible. Well done Christ Church, I appreciate it
P.S. 2 things that personally bothered me about the article
‘treacherous times for us ladies in our heels!!’
I don’t dig the gender stereotyping there, I think you’ll find quite a lot of girls where sensible shoes
And it’s spelled ‘duct’ tape, not ‘duck’ tape
Calm down love!
Your article is a little biased don’t you think. The place has only been open a month, one expects a few teething problems.
* The TV screens are now working.
* I quite like the funky furniture, it beats worn out brown tables and creaky old chairs. Each to their own there though.
* Its hardly a trek to a cash machine, most people carry cash around with them these days, we aren’t totally cashless yet!
* The whole point of having less staff is to encourage students and staff to use the self service points dotted around the library.
* The staff spaces are not just for library staff. If you had done your homework you would know that the whole point of Augustine House is a one stop shop for all student services. So it incorporates library, registry, student support services etc. And as for seeing the Facebook messaging, staff are allowed lunch breaks too you know!
* Two cafes! Oh no! If there were no cafes you would be moaning that you have to walk into town to get a cup of tea…. can’t win. The addition of the two cafes means you can spend the day in here studying etc if you need to without having to leave and also think of the poor workers, they need feeding too!
All in all I think Augustine House is a massive improvement on the previous library. Yes ok it is a little far from the main campus but you can’t exactly flatten all the surrounding houses to build a library, the space just wasn’t there to build on!
x
This is a very poorly written and inadequately researched article that is extremely disrespectful to the staff of CCCU. Adam, Rose and JW all made really good comments. I worry about the quality of the journalism programme at CCCU. Could £35 million buy Hannah a brain? (Or a dictionary at the very least?)
I have to agree with LA and JW- this is an appallingly biased article, so much for balanced journalism! CCCU staff work extremely hard on behalf of students; it’s the largely unseen & unacknowledged efforts of staff “sitting on their backsides” in these offices that ensure the majority of students’ experience at uni is a positive one. So they are meant to do this 24/7, with no breaks, and nowhere to get a cup of tea…how draconian is that! The fact is, the money has been spent, AH is here, so instead of whinging, suggest some positive improvements!
Totally agree with LA JW and L what a biased account of the new building. Yes it has some faults but also a lot of good points. The distance I feel is a major disadavantage to disabled students. The hourly bus is totally inadaquate, if you miss this then it can be a difficult journey for us disabled students. Also the staff are not aloud to put stickers on the desks that have controls to raise them, even though this may prevent damage to the controls (which has already happened to one of the adjustable desks) this is stupid. Surely a warning sticker is better than damaged equipment.
Join in the debate on Facebook. The iBorrow@CCCU Facebook Group is looking for students to share their views, opinions and suggestions as well as photographs of you and your friends using the iBorrow netbooks in Augustine House. Be a member of the group today and post your views and photos at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=174968861330
This article has hit the nail right on the head. What a waste of 35 million. I would have liked to have seen more book, not more book shelves. I am unhappy with my high tuition fees being wasted on a building that offers no more than what we had to begin with!
…How ungrateful…
oh, and just don’t wear heels to uni!
I just love how all the people who have decided to simply disregard this article as ‘whinging’ ‘playground bitching’ and an ‘appallingly biased article’ do not wish to publish their names!
They also seem to have forgotten that the purpose of using this website is for students to voice their views on issues which concern their time at university. Therefore Hannah has every right to give and publish her opinions, and as far as i last checked under the Human Rights Act 1998 “everyone has the right to freedom of expression”! Which obviously means you are all entitled to hold your opinions however personal attacks on the author are utterly ridiculous, especially when your opinions are based on ONE article!
I agree with the points rasied in the article there are MAJOR flaws with the library. I can only assume that those who claim that the distance is not a problem live very close to the library, what about those who have to drive miles to get to the uni let alone the library which as the article pointed out has no car park!! Only to find that the books you need are nowhere to be found, a helpful hand is not there, or the books you need are stuck between the oh so brilliant moving book shelves, which i assume took up a vast majority of the 35 million!
Those who have disagreed with the article have actually not pointed out any obvious positives or benefits to the library and have instead decided to respond based on spelling errors or petty responses to common phrases which have been used! Also to those who have strongly disagreed and stated that the article is biased, this article is clearly a comment piece and all comments are going to be biased one way or the other!
All in all i think this article raises a number of issues with the new “state of the art” library and highlights the fact that 35 million is a lot to spend when there are so many disgruntled students as a result!
Certainly not a waste! If someone cannot appreciate the importance of a modern and fully supportive(resources and computers) library, then that’s disappointing. Don’t know what I would do if we didnt have it. I’m proud for it and we should appreciate what we were given!
I understand the library will have teething problems to start with, which is fair enough. But it seems to me that there has been no improvement on the old library in terms of range and amount of books that it has. I guess it will take time to buy and put in new books, but it is quite frustrating given the amount of money that has been spent; could they not have the books already? I presume more books will be arriving, but I have spoken to people on other courses and they tell me it is no better than the old library for this. I just wonder how long it will take them to sort this one out?
Isn’t it funny how the reply to this piece was put in the actual paper yet this wasn’t? Unfair don’t you think, considering the reply is on here as well? A bit of favouritism going on I think.
Oh, and also, love how the reply was put in the ‘news’ section. Last time i checked bitching about another person is NOT news.
I find it funny that a 1st year could be so opinionated about something, when she doesnt know the way students used to have it!
I wouldn’t call it bitching Alex I’d call it more “putting in your place” how can you come into any establishment? Educational or otherwise and be so out spoken and rude towards members of staff.
You say the article “How to waste an article” is bitching about another person how many people did this article slate!
Also you can strike out all the comments she made about the architecture and interior as she doesnt have a clue what she’s on about there is a reason for those colours and shapes its all to do with personal space etc. not gonna get too much into it.
Now why don’t you all go and write about floods! I believe thats the new buzz topic!?
i noticed how this article doesn’t actually name any one in particular, but the other one does, which is a bit unfair on the girl who wrote it really.
p.s. surely she is allowed her opinion on the new library, if anything it has definately got people talking
Did you know that 5 million of the 35 spent on Augustine house would have extended the also very new sports centre to be big enough to hold an indoor Hockey pitch not to metion a number of other sports. I mean why throw 12 million at it and not get exactly what is needed? With the olympics around the corner and sporting profiles having to being raised at a considerable rate it seems ludacris to ( in ym opinion) cut a project short. This facility could have been used locally, regionally and even nationally in some sports and events. If your going to go the whole 9 yards, go the whole 9 yards.
Although I agree with Touche, about a first year not knowing “how students used to have it”, I have to agree that the new library really isn’t as user-friendly as the old one! Although the old library was cramped and computers were…well…non existant, at least the books were immediately and easily accessible and there wasn’t the irritating walk from campus! Maybe this is the Uni’s way of encouraging exercise?!
A problem i have just discovered with out library.
I look around for a computer for 20 mins, so i choose a IBORROM LAPTOP. When trying to log on to the IBORROW i find that the server in the library for the IBORROWS is only big enough for a certain amount of laptops. Ok, so i go down to the help desk, they tell me that too many people are logged on to them, HOWEVER, there seems to be so many IBORROWS still not in use. So what is the point in having these extra IBORROWS if the server is not big enough to allow them to be used????
People who say ‘I’d rather they’d spent the money on books rather than shelves.’ use your heads.. If we have the books where do they go without shelves? On the floor? window sill?.. No you invest in the shelves to store the books bought in the future.
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