EXTRA STUDY space will be made available in the Central Area campus before the winter exam diet this year in a response to growing pressure from students.

Almost 500 students ‘liked’ a Facebook page entitled ‘Find more study space at Edinburgh University’, calling for the university to address the growing need for study space.

The redevelopment of the library has meant that the fourth floor of the building is currently closed, while half of the third floor is now taken up by the Counselling, Disability and Careers Services.

In an open letter to library users, Sheila Cannell, Director of Library Services, responded to student concerns, admitting that the library had been very popular this semester and that there had been problems with the availability of space to work.

The letter, which is displayed in the library, outlined the measures being taken to create more space before the fourth floor of the library is reopened in March next year.

Extra desks have already been placed in the library and ‘student helpers’ have been employed to assist library users in finding free space. Students have been encouraged to submit their own suggestions directly to Cannell.

From December 5 quiet study space will be made available by the Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) in Teviot and the university will open rooms in David Hume Tower.

Study space maps will also be distributed to students to assist them in finding the new study spaces.

However, this will not address the obvious issues of the shortage of study space at the university in the long term. The University of Edinburgh has never before taken a strategic approach to planning study space for the future.

An open meeting will take place on Wednesday November 23 between senior university staff and students to discuss what future study space requirements will be and how these can be accommodated. Short term solutions to the problems will also be discussed at the meeting.

Hugh Murdoch, third year politics student and EUSA Academic Services Convener, welcomed the opportunity to meet with university staff to address the study space problems.

He told The Student, “For the first time ever the university will be taking a strategic approach to study space. This would not have been possible without the hundreds of people who put pressure on the university.

“We’ll be continuing to use the Facebook group and we’ll also be hosting open meetings with senior university staff for students to input directly into the strategic plan.

“I’d encourage any student who has ideas about study space to come along to these meetings.”

The first open meeting between students and staff will take place Wednesday November 23 in the Teviot Balcony Room at 10:30.