Borchardt Library has had a refurbishment under a $10.6 million redevelopment project, that sees a new entrance and state of the art learning facilities open to students.

Transcript

Narrator:

It was a show bag frenzy that marked the opening of the new ground level of the La Trobe University Borchardt Library, as 150 students made the dash to grab their goody bag. The new level of the Library has delighted staff and students alike, impressed by its modern design where students are encouraged to working in groups and practice class presentations.

Ainsley Dewe:

Level 1 was designed and much of level 2 for collaborative learning because the curriculum has changed and students have to work together in groups and work on their assignments. So its been designed with a variety of study spaces, with group study rooms, with booths where there are plasma screens, where they can all work together on an assignment, and its just wonderful to see that learning happening in the Library.

Narrator:

In peak times more than 9000 students use the Library every day. This number is expected to climb as students flock to use the new facilities.

Ainsley Dewe:

Well right from the beginning when we opened the collaborative learning spaces, before the front door was opened today, even on the first day they were wondering around and saying 'its awesome', but then you could see they were immediately using them how we'd planned.

Mariama Ali (student):

Well I think that the new library is state of the art and very modern and, somewhere I can actually come and study and, yeh.

Narrator:

The new entrance will also transform the streetscape of the Agora and is expected to make the Library more visible.

Ainsley Dewe:

The Library has always been in the heart of the campus, but its been difficult to sometimes even find where the doors are.

Narrator:

The new entrance is a key milestone in the $10.6 million redevelopment project, which is partly subsidized by the Federal Government's Better University's Renewal Funding Initiative.

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