The library has undergone a complete makeover and will be a convenient, modern and practical space to serve the Research Information needs of Students, Researchers and all other staff alike. The purpose of the renovation is to enhance and enlarge services offered to users, provide better working conditions for researchers and enhance access to MRC’s collections online. Built over 39 years ago, it was eminent to renovate the library, to preserve ancient collections and to better ensure that working conditions for readers and the library staff were considerably improved. The Unit’s library has been redecorated and the number of staff/student workspaces have been expanded to 37 workspaces, with areas devoted to working groups with more practical reading areas in parallel to the computerisation of books and journals. The makeover activities started on the 6th of June 2015 and the renovation ended on the 26th of June 2015. The library is now more spacious with additional lightening and the makeover has increased the current number of staff/Researchers’ workspaces. We now have a Service desk, a reading and study room at the back left for staff and their families. The room at the back right of the library, has been converted into a meeting room which can occupy up to 6 people. This room will be equipped with multimedia applications, which can be used for Presentations, Video conferencing, etc.

The Research Information Centre (RIC) is now very welcoming and users now have a choice of comfortable seating, desks for private study or bookable rooms to work in small groups on their studies and research. With a full wireless internet coverage, library users can now borrow laptops from the Information Desk for use within the RIC. There is unrestricted access to the internet as well as to the local network for access to files. The physical space is only a small part of the RIC service as the majority of the journals and books are available electronically.

“I am very optimistic that with the introduction of these new facilities and the renovations, we will see a positive transformation in the use of the library. The RIC is expected to support The Unit to transform the outputs and outcomes of its research, using a variety of mechanisms, into changes in practice and policy that maximise the health and economic impact of research”, says Bai Lamin Dondeh, Head of Data management.

Isatou Manneh the new Librarian said “I am hopeful that after these renovations of the new Research Information Centre (Library), the place will attract more staff/researchers. The RIC will be working together with Data Management and Archives department on projects, to move the RIC into a modern library system. Finally, I would I like to thank The Unit’s Management and the facilities department for all their support.”