Broadcast: News items

An artist's impression of the covered courtyard area of the new Library cafe

A temporary 'grab-and-go' food service will be set up in the Library while finishing touches are put to a new spacious café located conveniently near the main entrance. 

The existing café on the lower ground floor will close today (Friday 30 April) to free up space for archive storage as part of the ongoing £6.4million refurbishment of the building. 

With a covered courtyard area for all-weather use, the new café is designed to have an 'outside/inside' ambience. 

Customers will be able to enjoy:

• A deli-style counter selling made-to-order sandwiches, baguettes, jacket potatoes and salads
• A pick-up point for pre-ordered food
• 'Grab-and-go' snacks
• Hot food into the evening including a hot dish of the day, jacket potatoes, soup and pizza
• Barista-style coffees and speciality teas. 

The temporary 'grab-and-go' café - selling sandwiches, snacks and cold drinks - will be open from Tuesday (4 May) until mid May, when the new café is due to open. 

Anybody 'burning the midnight oil' in the Library can also buy hot and cold drinks and snacks from four permanent vending machines in the new 24-hour seating area near the entrance. 

Sarah Wilkinson, Commercial Operations Manager, said that staff are working hard to minimise disruption. She said: "We recognise that this is a busy time for Library users, with students writing their dissertations and preparing for exams. 

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the fact that the Library is temporarily without a café during this time, but we are confident that the new facility will be worth the wait!" 

John Smith's bookshop, which has relocated from Bramber House, is now open in its new Library premises, adjacent to the new café. 

The refurbishment of the Library started in December 2009 and is due for completion in the spring term 2011. 

To keep up to date with what's happening, go to www.sussex.ac.uk/library/refurbishment