Evacuation of the Social Sciences Library

The construction work at the Social Sciences Library will be done in two phases:

• Phase 1: 1 January 2022 - September 2022, reinforcement of the foundation
• Phase 2: autumn 2022 - autumn 2024, construction of a train tunnel

During phase 1, the library's premises can not be used at all because heating, ventilation and IT will not work. During phase 2, the construction of the train tunnel that will go straight under the building will cause such major disruptions that regular operations can not take place in the building on Vasagatan 2. Therefore, the evacuation premises will continue to be used.

The library is relocated to Föreningsgatan

Until the autumn of 2024, the Social Sciences Library is located at Föreningsgatan 20, in the same block as the University of Gothenburg's large examination hall.

The library's service remains

The Social Sciences Library continues to offer the same service as usual in the new premises on Föreningsgatan:

• Manned information desk
• Borrow and return books
• Pick up of requested books and interlibrary loans
• Wi-fi with GU account

Books, journals and textbooks are moved

Since the evacuation premises are smaller, not all materials can be moved there. The materials that are used most often and by most people are moved to Föreningsgatan:

• Journals
• Textbooks
• Other books

Study places - all types, but fewer

There are just over 100 study places on Föreningsgatan compared to today's approximately 400. The university's Estates and facilities unit is currently working to increase the number of available study places, read more about these new study spaces in Pustervik (Student Portal).

The study places available in the new premises at Föreningsgatan are a quiet reading room, group rooms in different sizes and two reading studios for people with reading and writing disabilities. There is also an active learning classroom with room for 24 students. When the library has no booked tuition, study places are offered in this room.

The Economics Library, which is located close to the Social Sciences Library, has just over 400 study places, and will expand to more generous opening hours during the evacuation period. In total, the University Library's eight libraries have approximately 1,300 study places, which may be used by all students. Information on the number of study places can be found on each library page.

The computer with full access to digitised newspapers has moved

The newspaper computer, with full access to the database Svenska dagstidningar, is now available at the Economics Library. As before, you can book the newspaper computer. Newspapers older than 115 years are freely available at tidningar.kb.se.

Microfilms and printed newspapers remain at Vasagatan

The microfilms and the collection of older printed newspapers will not fit in the new premises. These collections will remain at Vasagatan and access to the material is therefore temporarily limited. It is instead possible to request microfilms and older printed newspapers for viewing at the Humanities Library, provided that the material is not available in digital form.

Top tip! You can see for yourself whether the content of the older printed newspapers and the microfilms are accessible digitally via the databases Svenska dagstidningar and Mediearkivet. It is also possible to order copies of newspaper articles from the National Library in Stockholm.

Accessibility of the premises

The new premises on Föreningsgatan do not have an elevator at the main entrance. People who can not use stairs and transport of goods are referred to the entrance from the yard at Viktoriagatan 30 A.

Timescale  

Autumn 2024
The library moves back to Vasagatan 2.