While Town House may have some teething problems, it also has some great features. I have probably spent more time there since it opened at the beginning of January than the last two years combined in the old PR library.
Here are 8 things to love from the new Town House.
Space: It is so open. In the old library, I felt quite claustrophobic, and in general, the air was very heavy. I also tended to take the lift a lot instead of walking. In Town house the air is amazing. It’s also very open and spacious, and it hasn’t occurred to me to take the lifts even once.
Lights: Another significant improvement is how bright it is inside. It could have something to do with the massive windows or the hundreds of lamps everywhere. Regardless of the reason, it is a lot nicer and brighter.
Toilets: The first thing I love about the toilets is that they exist – already an improvement from the old library. I also like how easy they are to find, and how many of them are. Though I personally would have loved it if more of them were gender neutral, the sinks were a lot bigger, and there was somewhere I could place my stuff while washing my hands that is not on the floor. I am just very happy that we have toilets.
Signposting: The new signs are pretty great and make finding a book a lot less daunting. The whole alphabetised zone system is excellent as it tells me right away where I need to look. I also love that they have written the topics on each bookcase so I know I am in the right area or do not need to look so much at the numbers.
Swirling chairs: I love the new swirling chairs that they have at different places around the library. You can sit there with other people in a more informal setting or just be swirling around there by yourself.
The group rooms: Group projects are always a torment to go through, so the added stress about finding space for the whole group to work together was not something I was looking forward to. Now I feel like there is a lot more room for that. We also have specific group rooms that can be booked which makes it a lot easier to actually get work done.
Café area: The extended opening hours of the café upstairs is great. And the view is definitely a plus.
Water: I am a big fan of water and the environment, so I’m always looking for a place to fill up my water bottle. Something I have been frustrated with in the past is that there are not a lot of places I can fill my bottle up, and the dispensers that were there were hidden. The ones at Town House are very visible, and at multiple locations around each floor. Also shout out to whoever put the water dispensers in the JG building next to the elevators now – much appreciated.
Megan Kelly 
Caterina Magnoni