NOCS has recently completed a major refurbishment of the National Oceanographic Library, the UK’s most extensive collection of oceanographic literature and one of the largest marine science libraries in Europe. The building project created a mezzanine floor on a new level that incorporates five additional study rooms for meetings or group work and an open research space available for all users of the National Oceanography Centre.
The project was funded primarily by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and a Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) grant to the University of Southampton, with additional funding from the University Student Centredness Fund and Ocean and Earth Science alumni gifts helping to purchase a new plasma screen for one of the new meeting rooms in the library. The new mobile screen gives students greater flexibility for studying and for delivering presentations. Gifts donated by our alumni were also used to purchase a range of new textbooks for student use in the library.
Head of Library and Information Services, Jane Stephenson says: "The recent refurbishment of the library has made it an extremely welcoming and contemporary working space for our students and researchers. The improvements mean we offer much more than a traditional library – our students benefit from daily access to specialist resources that are second to none."
Professor Rachel Mills, Associate Dean for the Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences says: "The way that the library is being used has been transformed and is incredibly impressive. Feedback from students so far is very positive and they are enjoying utilising the new, improved space."
Other key facilities
Our research aquarium allows students and scientists to maintain and monitor specimins.
Moored at the Waterside Campus, our three research vessels are used for fieldwork and research by staff and students.
With over 150 laboratories, we have specialised and adanced facilities for teaching and research across the geological and oceanographic disciplines.