Founder's library is one of the most beautiful places to study on campus. When the new library is opened the majority of Founder's library will be closed. Please sign this petition to ask Paul Layzell - principal of Royal Holloway to save the Founder's library.

Some more information

The Founder's building is at the very heart of the Royal Holloway campus in Egham. Since its opening in the nineteenth century, the Victorian building has been home to students and a hub for academic activity.

Located at the south end of the building, the historic library is currently open to all students and staff as well as members of the public. It is split across three floors with plenty of room for both study spaces and book stock. Most impressive are the two reading rooms, which create that 'wow' factor on first sight and continue to inspire no matter how many times you study in the building.

Despite this fact, when the new library building is opened in 2017 the library will be shut apart from one reading room and all the books will be taken away. This is a horrifying change to one of the best places on campus to be. It's not clear what will happen to the library rooms but it has been suggested that it will become a staff dining room!

It is already hard enough to find study space on campus and despite what has been promised the new library probably won't be able to accomodate all the new students being recruited to the college.

So why is the Founder's library being closed? And will the one reading room to be retained be open to all students or restricted to staff or a chosen few?

What this petition demands

1. That the Founder's library be retained in its current form

2. That the Founder's library remain for the use of all students

3. That parts of the library aren't sectioned off for a staff restaurant

4. That no books will be thrown away during the move to the new library

5. That a clear plan for the library actually be made available to students

Final word

The Founder's building is one of the main attractions of Royal Holloway and it is a shame that the management don't seem to value or maintain it as such.

The library is one of the biggest appeals to prospective students (it was for me) and remains many people's favourite place on campus. Be serious and stop butchering the remaining things about our cosy campus that aren't characterless, vulgur spaces to entice more and more fee-paying students to a campus that cannot support their needs.