The dawn of what will be a new era in learning at University of Galway is officially underway – after Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless turned the sod to mark the start of the construction of the new €80m Library and Learning Commons.

The building will be a new landmark for the city at the centre of the University campus and home for an exciting new, sustainable, modern, iconic library of the future.

It will be a fully accessible high-tech space of learning and creativity with a focus on providing access to books, information and the latest learning technologies for student teaching and learning, for research and for staff.

It will overlook the Corrib and be visible from the Newcastle Road area and the Quincentenary Bridge – and the ground floor will be open to the public.

The new building covers about approximately 10,000m2 and will range in height from four to six storeys, with 2,244 study spaces – an increase of up to 600 on the spaces currently on campus).

It includes quiet, individual and collaborative study areas; spaces for exhibitions; digital creativity; Makerspace, digital scholarship centre; areas dedicated to research/postgraduate study, teaching and events, community engagement and welcome zone, helpdesk, collections, book processing; student wellbeing including sensory, relaxation and outdoor spaces, including a café and terrace.

University of Galway Library collections comprise 520,000 hardcopy books; 1.3 million e-books; and makes 236,000 journal titles available, of which only 570 are in print format.

The vast majority of these collections will be in a high-density, automated storage and retrieval system – known (for now) as the Bookbot.

When a user requests an item via the catalogue, the Bookbot retrieves the relevant crate from storage; brings it to a processing point; and staff select the specific item from the crate for the user. The system is highly efficient and maximises space for study.

The €80m project is being supported by Government through a €15 million capital grant through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science under the Higher Education Strategic Infrastructure Fund (HESIF).

Planning permission was secured in summer 2023 and it is expected to be completed in early 2027.

Speaking at the sod turning, Minister James Lawless said that the building would improve the educational experience for current and future generations of students.

Early philanthropic support for the Library and Learning Commons building project has been generously provided by a group of lead alumni and other individual donors, and by corporate supporters including CBE and Anthony Ryan Ltd.

Among others to attend the sod turning were University of Galway Students’ Union President Faye Ní Dhomhnaill and former SU education officer Eibhlín Seoighthe; architect Niamh Burke, RKD; Ger Ronayne, chief executive of JJ Rhatigan, and Padraic Rhatigan, chair of JJ Rhatigan.

Pictured: Minister James Lawless turns the sod on the new Library and Learning Commons building, watched by (from left) Ger Ronayne, chief executive of JJ Rhatigan; Niamh Burke, RKD architects; Professor Becky Whay, Interim Deputy President and Registrar, University of Galway; Padraic Rhatigan, Chairman of JJ Rhatigan; Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway; Monica Crump, University of Galway Librarian; University of Galway Students’ Union President Faye Ní Dhomhnaill; Tom Forde, Vice President/Education Officer, University of Galway Students’ Union; John Connolly Galway West T.D.; Tom King, University of Galway Buildings & Estates; Ciaran McCaffrey, Head of Capital Funding, Higher Education Authority.