ZČU in the campus at Bory plans a modern university library

Plzeň - The University of West Bohemia in Pilsen aims to build a modern university library inspired by similar institutions in Western Europe and America. The new three-story building, featuring a study room, several workspaces for students, a literary café, and other services, is planned to be constructed in the university campus in Bory. The project envisions that the "airy and cheerful" triangular-shaped building will closely connect to the central library of the campus and expand it. It will also include spaces for an archive, as reported by ČTK.
    "We prefer the central library as a facility that will allow students and academics to meet, influence each other, and thereby cultivate the university environment," explained Rector Josef Průša. The university needs approximately 60 million CZK for the project titled Expansion of Information Support. It will apply for funding through the Operational Program for Research and Development for Innovations.
    "We have prepared the documentation for the zoning decision. It is still unclear when the call will be opened. We anticipate submitting applications in the summer of 2009," added Treasurer Antonín Bulín. If the University of West Bohemia secures the funds, the library could be completed in 2010 or 2011, with a built-up area of 1,140 m2.
    "The expansion of the central library is also related to the university's plans to expand the campus with additional institutions and faculties. The new building should significantly increase the number of study places; it will house a literary café, workspaces for students, and group study rooms," stated the director of the University Library of UWB, Miloslava Faitová.
    According to her, the current building mainly lacks smaller study rooms that could serve students for project work. "This need is connected to the new trend in education, where students are increasingly working on projects. If they normally sit in the open-access area, they disrupt other visitors," she added. Currently, there are around 150 study places in the library.
    UWB now has 18,000 students and 1,200 academic staff. It operates a central library and five branch libraries, which together provide 500 study places. Its library collection includes 400,000 volumes, with an annual increase of 20,000 volumes, while the open-access collection comprises 153,000 volumes. Since 1998, the library has been documenting the publication activities of the university's staff. Since 2002, it has been collecting printed diploma and bachelor's theses and is beginning to archive electronic versions.