September saw another important inauguration at CERN: that of the refurbished CERN library. Following 12 months of renovation work, on 28 September the library and bookshop welcomed users of the new spaces with a two-day event packed with activities and entertainment.
The library renovation project had two main goals. One was to lower the library’s carbon footprint using state-of-the-art cooling and ventilation, LED lights, the replacement of all windows and the renovation of the roof. The second aim was to improve the comfort of library users thanks to an optimised layout of the reading room, which is fitted out with modern, high-quality furniture and ergonomic workspaces. A first-stone ceremony was held in March during which a time capsule containing photos of the library through the years, personal messages from users and librarians, and a key holder that opened the old library desk, was sealed into the walls.
Designed by UK architects Bisset Adams, the new CERN library is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Sixty new workplaces await users, and more than 16,000 books are available in open stacks with many more available upon request or as e-books. The library desk and bookshop are open from 09:00 to 18:00 during weekdays, and books can be borrowed outside these hours by emailing library.desk@cern.ch.
