Sir Duncan Rice Library
{{Short description|Academic library in Aberdeen, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox library
| library_name = Sir Duncan Rice Library
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| image = File:Sir Duncan Rice Library 2018-04-21.jpg
| image_size =250
| caption = Front of the library, April 2018
| country = Scotland
| type = Academic library
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| established = 1451
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| location = University of Aberdeen
| coordinates = {{coord|57.164984|-2.105614|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
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| items_collected = Books, manuscripts, journals and electronic resources
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| website = {{URL|https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/using-libraries/the-sir-duncan-rice-library-123.php}}
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The Sir Duncan Rice Library is the main academic library for the University of Aberdeen. It was designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects and completed in 2011. It is named after Duncan Rice, a previous Principal of the university. The cube-shaped building can be seen prominently from the entire campus and much of the city. It is a seven-storey tower, clad in zebra-like jagged stripes of white and clear glass. The building has a floorspace of 15,500 square metres. It houses several of the University's historic collections, including more than a quarter of a million ancient and priceless books and manuscripts that have been collected over five centuries since the University's foundation. There is also public exhibition space. The library replaced the smaller Queen Mother Library as the university's main library.
History
The Queen Mother Library had been the university's main library since 1965. The university conducted a restricted international design competition for the new library in 2005.{{cite journal |url=http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/home/library-university-of-aberdeen-by-schmidt-hammer-lassen/8623549.fullarticle |title=Library, University of Aberdeen, by Schmidt Hammer Lassen |first=Alan |last=Dunlop |journal=Architects Journal |date=8 December 2011}} The Danish architectural firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen architects were successful.{{cite web |url=http://www.shl.dk/sir-duncan-rice-library/ |title=Sir Duncan Rice Library |publisher=Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects |accessdate=31 July 2016}} The project was the largest capital fundraising project ever undertaken by the university.{{cite news |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/library-for-aberdeen/209234.article |title=Library for Aberdeen |work=Times Higher Education |date=8 June 2007 |accessdate=31 July 2016}}{{cite news |url=http://stv.tv/news/north/191705-exciting-and-fabulous-queen-opens-university-of-aberdeens-57m-library/ |title='Exciting and fabulous': Queen opens University of Aberdeen's £57m library |work=STV News |date=24 September 2012 |accessdate=1 August 2016}} Plans were unveiled to the public in 2007.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/6944503.stm |title=Library of the future is revealed |work=BBC News |date=13 August 2007}}
Construction of the new library building started in August 2009.{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-14857446 |title=New £57m University of Aberdeen library opens |work=BBC News |date=12 September 2011}} Caithness Stone Industries was awarded the contract to provide stone for the construction.{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8609254.stm |title=Caithness stone for new £57m Aberdeen library |work=BBC News |date=8 April 2010}} A topping-out ceremony took place in October 2010.{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-11486765 |title=New University of Aberdeen library 'topping out' held |work=BBC News |date=6 October 2010}} The building was completed in September 2011 and was initially known simply as the Aberdeen University New Library.{{cite web |url=http://inhabitat.com/shimmering-an-efficient-aberdeen-university-new-library-officially-opens-in-scotland/ |title=Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s Shimmering & Efficient Aberdeen University New Library Opens in Scotland |first=Bridgette |last=Meinhold |publisher=inhabitat.com |date=10 October 2012 |accessdate=1 August 2016}} On 21 September 2012, the building's name was changed to honour Duncan Rice, who had been Principal of the university 1990–2006, during the time that the project was conceived and the funds were raised.{{cite web |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/316287/aberdeen-aberdeen-university-campus-sir-duncan-rice-library |title=Aberdeen, Aberdeen University Campus, Sir Duncan Rice Library |publisher=Canmore |accessdate=8 August 2016}} The library was then officially opened by the Queen on 24 September 2012.{{cite news |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-19707174 |title=Queen opens new library at Aberdeen University |work=BBC News |date=24 September 2012}} In the first year there had been 700,000 visitors.{{cite web |url=http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3770/Aberdeen’s_Sir_Duncan_Rice_Library_officially_opened.html |title=Aberdeen’s Sir Duncan Rice Library officially opened |publisher=www.urbanrealm.com |date=28 September 2012 |accessdate=31 July 2016}}
Design
File:Aberdeen University Library interior atrium, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.JPG
The building sits on a base of Scottish stone.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2012/jan/08/aberdeen-university-library-architecture |title=Swirl power: Aberdeen's new £57m university library |first=Jonathan |last=Glancey |work=The Guardian |date=8 January 2012 |accessdate=31 July 2016}} The ground floor is double-height with seven floors above. The building is clad in zebra-like jagged stripes of white and clear glass.{{cite web |url=https://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Awards/RIBANationalAwards/Winners2013/Scotland/UofAberdeenLibrary/SirDuncanRiceLibrary1.aspx |title=RIBA National awards: Winners 2013: Scotland: University of Aberdeen Library |publisher=Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) |accessdate=2 August 2016}} In the interior void spaces are located centrally. Contrasting with the geometric exterior, the central atrium formed by the void spaces has an organic form, shifting in location across the levels.{{cite news |url=http://www.architecturetoday.co.uk/?p=18812 |title=Light reading: Schmidt Hammer Lassen at Aberdeen University |first=Penny |last=Lewis |work=Architecture Today |date=21 November 2011 |access-date=31 July 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818091523/http://www.architecturetoday.co.uk/?p=18812 |archive-date=18 August 2016 |df=dmy-all }}
Across the levels above the ground there are 1,200 reading spaces. Above ground there are 13 km of shelving to hold 400,000 books. The building is rated as BREEAM Excellent. Features that help it achieve this include a system to harvest rainwater to use for flushing toilets, photovoltaic cells on the roof and programmed timers to control the use of fluorescent lighting.{{cite web |url=http://universitybusiness.co.uk/Article/off_the_books |title=Off the books |first=Hannah |last=Oakman |website=universitybusiness.co.uk |date=28 February 2014 |accessdate=1 August 2016}}
Outside the library, Evolutionary Loop 517, a 6.25-metre bronze sculpture by Nasser Azam, was unveiled on 27 May 2012.{{cite news |url=http://stv.tv/news/north/227091-university-of-aberdeen-welcomes-nassar-azams-evolutionary-loop-517/ |title=University celebrates the old and new with 20ft bronze sculpture |work=STV News |date=29 May 2013 |accessdate=31 July 2016}}
Other university libraries are located in Kings College (Divinity Library), the Taylor Building (Law Library) and the Polwarth Building (Medicine Library), with the latter being on the Foresterhill Campus. The university's library service (i.e. including all libraries) holds over one million books. {{Cite web |title=Our Libraries {{!}} Library {{!}} The University of Aberdeen |url=https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/using-libraries/our-libraries-and-museums-122.php |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=www.abdn.ac.uk}}
Awards
File:8th Dec 2012-Abdn Uni Library 9.JPG
In 2012 the building was given the Aberdeen Civic Society Award. In 2013 it picked up an RIAS award and was also nominated for the 2013 RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-22880764 |title='Tent' among 12 Scottish architecture award winners |work=BBC News |date=13 June 2013}} It won a Royal Institute of British Architects National Award in 2013.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/architecture/riba-awards-2013-educational-buildings-dominate-this-years-stirling-prize-longlist-8655345.html |title=RIBA Awards 2013: Educational buildings dominate this year's Stirling prize longest |first=Matilda |last=Battersby |work=The Independent |date=13 June 2013}}
In April 2014, the Mother Nature Network included it in a feature about the most beautiful libraries in the world.{{cite web |url=http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/photos/18-of-the-most-beautiful-libraries-in-the-world/university-of-aberdeen |title=18 of the most beautiful libraries in the world |first=Melissa |last=Breyer |publisher=Mother Nature Network |date=30 April 2014 |accessdate=31 July 2016}}{{cite news |url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/494479/vote-aberdeen-university-library-listed-amongst-worlds-finest-agree-disagree/ |title=VOTE: Aberdeen University library listed amongst world’s finest… Agree or disagree? |first=Blair |last=Dingwall |work=The Press and Journal |date=17 February 2015|accessdate=31 July 2016}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Sir Duncan Rice Library}}
- {{Official website}}
{{University of Aberdeen}}
{{Libraries in Scotland}}
{{Academic libraries in the United Kingdom}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2011 establishments in Scotland
Category:Academic libraries in Scotland
Category:Research libraries in the United Kingdom
Category:Libraries established in 2011
Category:Library buildings completed in 2011
Category:University of Aberdeen