Foundation day 2009

The Library will close early (at 3p.m.) on Wednesday 25th November for the annual Foundation day ceremony.

Library is now fully open

The Librarian is pleased to report that the Library is now fully open following the completion of repair work to the periodicals mobile shelving.

All five Library staff would like to thank our readers for their patience while the repair work was taking place during October.

Fetching service as interim measure

Until the periodical collection in the mobile shelving unit has been removed, the library will offer a fetching service for books with classmarks 102-136; 152-153; ST. 19-20 and ST. 28 and 29 - twice a day at 11.30 am and 3.30 pm. Please place requests on the day or in advance by e-mailing sue.willetts@sas.ac.uk

Restricted re-opening of the Library on 21st September due to on-going repair work

The Move – Updated 17th September 2009.

The Librarian regrets that, due to urgent repair work on the periodicals rolling stacks in the main part of the library, it has become necessary to close off this whole area for safety reasons. Access will therefore not be possible to readers or library staff until further notice for any items in the following sections:-

Archaeology / topography (102-116); Ancient History / Religion & Mythology / Philosophy / Science & Technology (117-127) Ancient art and numismatics (128-136); Ancient society and civilisation (152-153); Periodicals (Stacks 1-20), including current issues.

In addition, it will not be possible to access the Computer Room or the Photocopier Room.

However, access will be possible (with limited seating) to the following areas:-

Christian Fathers, (75-76); Language & Literature (80-99); Dictionaries and some reference works (60-70; 140-149); Papyrology and Epigraphy (100-101); Modern Greece, (151); General congresses (200); Collected works and Festschriften, (201-202); Classical Tradition and miscellaneous Classical Studies (203-206).

Once again, the Librarian is very sorry for the inconvenience that this will cause; it is hoped that a full service will be operational by Monday 28th September, but please keep watching this space for further announcements.

Update on the move

The book copier has been successfully re-located in the 3rd floor library. We have finished the arrangement of the main book areas and the shelving is at a more accessible height. There are new carpet tiles throughout the library. We have now had some more shelving erected and this will be filled early next week. The tables for readers are ready to be re-assembled. The display of new books will be at a central point in the library.

More news on the move

We are making steady progress on re-arranging the collection and have completed the sections on papyrology and epigraphy, archaeology and history / administration / philosophy and science and technology. Two members of staff are currently working on Literature and work has begun on the ancient life section. We have created a new numismatics area which includes the specialist journals for that subject. The book copier is expected to be re-located by a specialist firm on 10th September.

The Move: Further progress

The five library staff are all working on the new arrangement of books and journals in the refurbished 3rd floor Library. The new library counter / reception area will be directly opposite the lifts in the South Block. The entrance to the library will be to the left side of the counter, down the corridor which used to house two seminar rooms. These rooms, and the corridor, will contain the large literature section. Following on from this we are creating an area for papyrology and epigraphy, and related journals. The library continues around to the left and the large room is now the area for archaeology, art and architecture volumes. We hope to have shelves erected in the staff work areas, when we will be able to unpack.

This is an example of a selection of books, prior to our sorting and tidying.


Desks in the literature section

This is a section of the archaeology collection

Move back to South Block: Progress so far.

At last the library collection has been moved over from the North to the South Block and the library staff have been working hard to re-arrange the collection in the newly refurbished library area. This includes two converted seminar rooms with additional compact shelving and two converted library staff areas since the basement area (previously the lower reading room) is no longer available.

Painted ceiling room = New Common Room



New compact shelving / rolling stacks in one of the literature rooms



New library reception area / issue desk




New shelving for the epigraphy / papyrology section




Shelving for the archaeology section: This area was previously used for literature. Note the new lighting.

Staffing: Welcome and goodbye

Sophia Fisher has opted for early retirement and her last day was 31st July 2009. We thank her for her many years of service and wish her well. We welcome two new staff: Christopher Ashill, (who started in June) - his last post was at the Royal Horticultural Library but prior to that he was working in The Senate House Library (part of University of London Research Library Services), so he is back on familiar territory. Today, 3rd August, marks the starting date of our New Trainee, Louise Flynn, from King's College London who will replace Katie Rose who begins an MA in Library and Information Studies in University College London in September.

Move back to South Block

* MOVE TO SENATE HOUSE SOUTH BLOCK DELAYED *AGAIN* Latest news
Now expected to begin 19th August.

At its meeting on 23 June, the Senate House Project Board reluctantly took the decision to delay the start of the moves back into the South Block of Senate House. This is because the extensive programme of works to refurbish the building have not yet been fully completed. The moves, which had been scheduled for July 2009, are now expected to begin on 19th August.
The situation is regrettable and the Board is aware of the disruption and frustration it will cause staff, students and colleagues from other universities. However, after a thorough investigation of all the available options, it was decided that a delay in the moves was the best course of action.
The Library will therefore now remain OPEN until 6.00 pm on Friday 14th August, but it will probably be closed until Monday 21st September. Please keep watching this space for further announcements or consult the webpage http://icls.sas.ac.uk/library/Current.htm

New e-journal

The Library is pleased to announce that the journal Annali online di Ferrara is now available. http://eprints.unife.it/annali/lettere/index.html

Move to Senate House South Block Delayed

The Move – Updated 26th June 2009
Now expected to begin in August.
At its meeting on 23 June, the Senate House Project Board reluctantly took the decision to delay the start of the moves back into the South Block of Senate House. This is because the extensive programme of works to refurbish the building have not yet been fully completed. The moves, which had been scheduled for July 2009, are now expected to begin in August.

The situation is regrettable and the Board is aware of the disruption and frustration it will cause staff, students and colleagues from other universities. However, after a thorough investigation of all the available options, it was decided that a delay in the moves was the best course of action.

The Library will therefore now remain OPEN throughout July, including Saturdays, but it will probably be closed throughout August. Please watch this space for further announcements.

Extra borrowing rights over the Closure period.

Please note that, with immediate effect, Society members will be able to borrow a maximum of six books instead of four, (per Society membership) up until the Library’s last day before the closure period. The normal 4 loan maximum will resume when the Library re-opens.

The Move back to South Block in Senate House

After some 3 years in temporary accomodation in the North Block, the Library will move back to the 3rd floor of Senate House during the summer 2009. Exact dates of closure will be posted when known. During the closure period it is regretted that all user services will be suspended.

New periodical.

The Library now receives Istanbuler Mitteilungen as an exchange with the Journal of Hellenic Studies. You can find it in stack 10. We already had a couple of volumes but should now receive it regularly from volume 57, 2007.

Weather Conditions 2nd February 2009

Due to the adverse weather conditions in London / South East, the ICS/ Joint Library has been instructed to close. Please contact the library on 0207 862 8709 on Tuesday for information about opening hours.