Leaking library closes recently re-opened area
The leak comes only a month after the library reopened.
A water leak has closed part of Central Library. The stairs connecting floors 4 and 5 were closed off on Monday and, at time of writing, remain inaccessible.
The news was announced by the library’s Twitter account on Monday morning. Despite the disruption, floor 5 remained open and accessible via the elevator and alternative staircases. No electronics were affected. The ceiling, however, appears to show signs of water damage.
One student who was on floor 5 at the time told Felix: “Security asked half of floor 5 to clear out while they started taping around the area near the leak. They already had four empty bins around the stairs to collect water dripping from the ceiling. They then asked a small part of floor 4 to clear out too, in order to tape off the stairs. It took about 30 minutes total.”
Levels 4 and 5 re-opened last month after several months of improvements to the cooling and ventilation systems. 400 desks were also replaced, most of which now have plug sockets and USB charging points.
Levels 2 and 3 are expected to undergo similar renovations this summer, with work expected to be completed by the start of the next academic year. The total cost of these developments is reported to be £11 million. A Freedom of Information request made by Felix last June revealed this to be the most expensive refurbishment Central Library has undergone in the past decade.
