CUHK Library E-newsletter

User Education Room: A New Multipurpose Learning Space at the University Library

The Renovation Project

Revitalization of the User Education Rooms on G/F University Library was much needed to upgrade ageing hardware and air conditioning, create an inclusive, barrier-free accessible learning space inclusive for all library users, and meet the evolving needs of teaching and learning at CUHK. The plan involved combining the two existing User Education Rooms with two Group Study Rooms. The renovation project commenced in May 2022 and was completed in late January 2023. Two new Group Study Rooms have been constructed on 3/F University Library to replace the ones absorbed in this project.

Project Timeline

New Features of the Room

The newly renovated User Education Room offers increased capacity (48 users for classes and up to 100 for events) and flexibility for multipurpose use.

It is equipped with a new audio-visual system and facilities to support face-to-face, online and hybrid activities, including:

Two 135” LED displays capable of independent video sources with wired and wireless projection
Six 65” interactive displays for self-service group study or class discussions
Ceiling microphones, speakers and cameras to support online meetings, conferences and hybrid classes and events
A height-adjustable lectern with comprehensive audio-visual control, including video input source selection, light zoning, audio and camera control
New rolling chairs and height-adjustable desks allowing users of differing heights to use the space comfortably

The new User Education Room provides a variety of settings to accommodate different teaching and learning styles, including:

Library workshops and events in hybrid, face-to-face and online modes

In-class small group discussions with interactive TV monitors

Online conferencing and meetings using built-in room camera and microphone

Self-service study spaces for students with notebook-to-TV projection capabilities

The new User Education Room is now open for self-study when there are no library workshops or events taking place. Come and visit the new Room on G/F University Library!

Exhibition: 50th Anniversary of the University Library

The University Library was inaugurated in 1972. As the main library of CUHK, it houses the most extensive collections across a wide range of disciplines and offers technology-rich facilities and flexible study spaces. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the University Library, an exhibition was held from 15 December 2022 to 15 February 2023, allowing the CUHK community and alumni to reminisce about its development over the years.

The University Library was established in 1965 and was initially located in the On Lee Building in Kowloon. In August 1969, it moved to temporary quarters in the Benjamin Franklin Centre on the Shatin campus. On 15 December 1972, Mrs. Kin May W. Tang, in memory of her late husband, Dr. The Honourable. Tang Ping-yuan, officially opened the five-story library building in the central area of the campus. To accommodate the growth of the Library’s collection and an increase in users, the University Library was extended with the Tin Ka Ping Building in 1993 and the University Library Extension and Learning Garden in 2012. The new extension was officially named the Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Building in 2016.

In responding to changing needs for learning, teaching and research, refurbishments have been carried out in recent years. The Digital Scholarship Lab was opened in 2016 to support digital scholarship services while MakerSpace in the Learning Garden was opened in 2019 to support the University-wide themes of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In April 2022, the newly renovated Hong Kong Literature Hub was opened to provide more spaces for showcasing literary works of contemporary authors, as well as exhibits covering the history and development of Hong Kong literature.