The University Library has closed with immediate effect following an “asbestos breach” on the first floor. The Library will be shut indefinitely, with the entire building sealed off to students while workers remove asbestos particles from the enclosed atmosphere.
Asbestos can be dangerous if its fibres are inhaled. Long and concentrated exposure can lead to health problems in the future, and potentially lung cancer or mesothelioma.
A University spokesperson said of the incident: “While removing some of the existing asbestos on the first floor, construction workers noticed that some areas had not been installed adequately. Following an asbestos breach, the surrounding air became contaminated with fibre particles, and consequently the whole building was exposed to a higher than safe amount of material.
“As a health and safety requirement the University is obliged to close off the Library and begin the process of asbestos removal until further notice.”
The Library was closed Thursday afternoon, with work already started on removing the dangerous air particles that same evening. The University failed to comment on when students could begin using the Library again, saying: “At this stage it would be inappropriate to speculate how long the removal of the asbestos will take.” However a construction worker by the Library entrance told Vision it would take “at least two months, although possibly six.”
The indefinite closure of the Library is likely to infuriate almost every single student at the University, particularly as it is the busiest exam period of the year. No one will not be able to reference or borrow books in the mean time, nor use the area as a study space.
Vision understands that books will not be transferred to another location while the Library is shut, however the University is considering increasing the frequency of the weekly bus to the British Library in Boston Spa, to mitigate the negative effects on students. YUSU is also said to be in the process of organising daily coaches to Leeds during Week 1 of the Summer Term so students can prepare adequately for their exams.
Third year Geography student, Priol Ofal, told Vision: “It’s just typical something like this would happen in my final year. This is outrageous. First the uni releases everyone’s personal information, now this. How foolish can they the University be?”
Some respite for students will come when the Harry Fairhurst Building opens in Tuesday Week 1 with over 500 study spaces. The old Computer Science department building is adjacent to the Library but was not affected by the asbestos breach.
Disclaimer: In case anyone is still in any doubt, this was an April Fool.
“Some rest bite for students will come when the Harry Fairhurst Building opens in Tuesday Week 1 with over 500 study spaces.”
Rest bite definition:
A misnomer for physiologic rest position of the mandible.
if this is an april fools joke its not funny.
I hope they set up some system to allow us to return books – if they fine me because I couldn’t get to the machines, that would be the final straw…
I’m trying to coin a new phrase. It’s called ‘Doing a Goddard’ and it basically means ‘to do anything twatish’ e.g. “Yeah he made up this weird story where he had a foursome on holiday, yeah he TOTALLY did a Goddard’ or “He wrote this April Fools joke status on Vision’s homepage with potential to annoy students revising for exams – yeah he definately did a Goddard!”. It can also take the abbreviated form of just ‘Goddard’ e.g. David Cameron is such a Goddard.
Damn working class builders, if they’d received a proper education like I did at Abingdon then this never would’ve happened
Third year Geography student, Priol Ofal,
Anagram of April Fool?
Typical Goddard – Shocking April fool. the 3.41am post time kinda gives it away. Jog on
Utterly disgusting. April fool’s it might be, but this is seriously bad taste. University and library management have been informed.
@James Oliver
Bad Taste? Are you actually kidding?
An article about Japanese Tsunami = seriously bad taste.
An article about Libyan Revolution = seriously bad taste.
An article about the Claudia Lawrence = seriously bad taste.
An article that might panic York students for 10 or 20 seconds before they realise its an April Fools joke does not represent seriously bad taste.
“University and library management have been informed.” I’m sure they will appreciate you letting them know that Vision wrote an April Fools article. Are you going to tell the national government about all the April Fools articles in the national press yesterday?
You, my friend, are an idiot.
OBVIOUSLY this was a joke, James Oliver. You massive fool.
It seems James is the fool, not April….I do find those articles about The Claudia Lawrence very bad taste though ^_^
University management did indeed notice. Have some sympathy for the international students who have not encountered to the cultural concept of the April Fool and arrived in the library in a state of some agitation. My dear old mum had a phrase she reserved for use when she wanted to pour particular scorn: ‘It’s not clever and it’s not funny’. I enjoyed the Scarlet Pimpernel’s comment.
Whoever is offended by this is a C***.
moderated under YUSU welfare rules
It does make you wonder what would happen if anything like this did actually occur at some point in the future.