The healthcare library opened its doors in September 2016. Located at the heart of the Eurasanté bio-business park, it is a dynamic location directly connected to the spaces that are central to student life (cafeteria, concert hall, associations, fitness room) and teaching (thesis rooms, 650-seat lecture hall). This initiative was part of the Grand Lille Campus plan.

A user-centric approach

The healthcare library resulted from the merger of four former central and associate libraries to reflect curriculum changes, the increasing reliance on electronic content, evolving practices and the diversification of our documentary, pedagogic, scientific and cultural missions. To this end, benchmarking efforts both in France and overseas began in 2008. The stated objective was to place the user at the centre of the approach with the aim of achieving user satisfaction by combining digital technology, services and physical spaces. This project therefore involved constant interaction between the architect, professionals and users, students, teaching staff, researchers and practitioners, all of whom were stakeholders in the design process.

As well as reflections on acoustics and light, their work led to optimised spaces with enhanced readability: a clear divide between back and front office, easier access to collections, different ambiences to account for the diversity of user preferences, and furniture choices inspired by the world of open plan workspaces.

With comfort and conviviality as its watchwords, the new library is now a space for learning and collaborative work with extended opening hours and a one-stop service.