A college library reimagined for the whole of Hertford’s community.
It’s been an exciting and eventful time at Hertford College as our library renovation project moves forward. Our library is the centre of our academic community, and the older building no longer adequately served our students, nor properly protected our books and archives. All of that is changing, right now.
This build has our values at its heart: access, academic excellence, and sustainability. Like Hertford, it will be open and welcoming, a place of opportunity. And in the Hertford spirit, it is a unifying, collaborative project for the whole college and wider community.
Our world-class library will have more and better study spaces and upgrade our archival facilities. Its design will significantly reduce our energy consumption, increase biodiversity, provide access for those with limited mobility and open much-needed event space.
Enabling is the key word for this project – enabling growth of Hertford’s programmes across access, outreach, wellbeing and sustainability.
Watch Senior Project Manager Peter Beilby talking about the project here.
A message from our Interim Principal:
Hertford is in the midst of its largest transformation in the past century.
Right now, the south-west corner of the Old Buildings quadrangle is home to numerous machines, digging, piling and cementing the foundations of this astonishing development.
Working within the constraints of our historic buildings and a limited footprint, we are building new, more and better study spaces and completely renovating the library infrastructure and furnishings, bringing the experience of our students and the environment for our archives and rare books up to modern standards.
A lift will provide access to all floors and to the dining hall, greatly improving access for those with reduced mobility, whilst a roof terrace will allow us to look beyond the college walls and across Radcliffe Square.
Progress is continuing, and we hope that the quad will be returned to its former, but greatly enhanced, glory in the early part of 2027.
This time-lapse video bears witness to the transformation of our quiet oasis to a complex building site over the second half of 2024. You can find out more details of the library developments here and help ensure that Hertford college continues to thrive, by supporting the library project here.
In the quad, the remaining sands and gravels are being removed to prepare the formation level for the concrete blinding. This is an initial layer of concrete, which is covered by a waterproof membrane before the ‘slab’, the reinforced basement floor is laid.
In the former chapel, underpinning to the eastern wall was completed and the contractors are doing the same to the western wall. Oxford Archaeology are excavating under the former chapel, and the remaining north and south stone walls will be removed in conjunction with this activity.
In the ‘extension’ area, Oxford Archaeology continue to excavate the remaining area with the old drainage chambers and masonry structures uncovered, recorded and then removed. The ground works contractors are doing facing wall works to the new piles around the archaeological excavation.
Within the West Range, OG Stonemasonry have commenced the stone and structural remedial works to the high-level south-east corner.
The lime plastering is progressed well, especially around the windows and the chimney breast. Berkeley Interiors continue to board up walls and install new ceilings. The new second floor reading room is taking shape.
The carpenters have been busy repairing floorboards on the first floor after the heating and electrical installations. The picture below is the first floor drawing room.
‘The library is the centre of Hertford’s academic community. Working in the library gave me a real sense of companionship and community – I knew that people were watching out for me, and the whispered library chats helped to break up the day. In the lead up to finals, I claimed one of the good seats by the window and camped out there for about eight weeks. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to pay that back by naming a seat in the new library.
Whether you were a regular library user, like me, or only an occasional visitor, I’m sure you’ll remember that the current building leaves something to be desired. The college have ambitious plans to create an exceptional space for students and provide the world-class facilities they deserve.’
Rachel Hunter (Law, 2012)