CONSTRUCTION work is under way on a new specialist library at the University of York which is expected to attract students from all over the world.
The Raymond Burton Humanities Research Library is a flagship project in the university's massive capital development programme.
It has been designed for special collections, state-of-the-art archives and electronic and hard copy published materials for leading scholars, rather than being a 'learning centre' for undergraduates.
Elizabeth Heaps, librarian at the university, said: "This initiative comes just at the right time and is perfect for York.
"York is a young university and its library collections in the last 38 years have had to focus on the needs of students.
"But given York's outstanding reputation for its scholarship, it is time to invest in the very best facilities for researchers, so that our library is in tune with our academic reputation.
"We expect that scholars from all over the world will want to come and use our library."
The Humanities Research Library is funded by a generous gift of £2 million from the Raymond Burton Charitable Trust and by £1 million of the university's own funds. The Borthwick Institute of Historical Research also hopes to move to the site when it opens in the autumn of 2002. The institute holds the records of the Archbishops of York as well as numerous genealogical records, health archives, the Rowntree archive and various private collections.
Updated: 10:49 Thursday, August 16, 2001
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