Renovation work and closure of BAIU-Brussels
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Temporary closure of BAIU-Brussels: key information
Starting Saturday, April 4, BAIU-Brussels will temporarily close its doors due to renovation work. Here is everything you need to know to continue accessing services and collections during that period.
Key dates
- Until Friday, March 6: normal access to the collections and standard loan conditions.
- Starting Monday, March 9: new loan conditions (see below).
- From Monday, March 23 to Friday, April 3: gradual packing of the collections → some resources will become unavailable.
- Starting Saturday, April 4: complete closure to the public until the end of the construction work.
- Monday, April 20: start of the renovation work.
Access to the collections
On‑site collections affected by the renovation work
Books
- Until Friday, March 6: normal access to the collections and standard loan conditions.
- Loans from Monday, March 9 to Friday, April 3 → long‑term loans until Tuesday, June 30, with returns via the book drop located in the hall, in front of the library.
- Until Friday, March 20: collections fully available.
From Monday, March 23 to Friday, April 3: access still possible, but availability will gradually decrease (ongoing packing). - From Saturday, April 4 until the end of the renovation work: collections not accessible.
Long‑term loan quotas
- LOCI / UCLouvain students, ESA St‑Luc, erg, Ateliers St‑Luc: 5 books (Bachelor students) or 10 books (Master students).
- Teaching staff and researchers: usual quotas + additional arrangements possible, including long‑term loan of a selected bibliography for courses, workshops, and research.
Periodicals
→ Available for on‑site consultation until Friday, April 3.
Media
→ DVD and equipment loans suspended from Monday, March 9 onward.
Unaffected collections
Collections that remain accessible throughout the entire renovation period:
- Books, periodicals, maps, and theses stored in the basement (réserve)
- Architectural archives
- Historical documentation from the materials library (matériauthèque)
Electronical ressources
Remain available: ebooks, online journals, databases, standards, etc.
→ accessible on site via the UCLouvain network, or remotely via the "Remote access" button in the RERO catalog (for UCLouvain members).
Interlibrary Loan & Inter‑site Loan
- Requesting documents from other UCLouvain libraries: normal operations until the end of June (except requests for items to be sent from BSLB).
- Sending BAIU documents to other UCLouvain libraries: possible until Friday, March 20, then suspended until the end of the renovation work.
Services during the renovation work
Reception & support
- Until Friday, April 3: normal reception service.
- From Saturday, April 4 to Friday, April 17: library closed and the team fully dedicated to packing and moving operations; no services available.
- Starting Monday, April 20: the team will once again be available in a temporary office in room AV11 (front building) → access via the door at the back of the courtyard.
Services available at the temporary office :
- Access cards pickup
- Consultation of reserve collections, architectural archives, and materials‑library documentation
- Pickup of interlibrary loan materials
- Support, training, and research assistance
- Access to online resources
Services that will be unavailable :
- New registrations
- Payment of fines
- Charging credits on printing accounts (→ please go to the FabLab)
Training sessions, visits & support appointments
- Maintained before and during the renovation period, except from Monday, April 6 to Friday, April 17.
- Library visits suspended starting Monday, March 23.
Reopening
BAIU‑Brussels should reopen at the start of the next academic year. The team looks forward to welcoming you back into improved, fully redesigned spaces offering better conditions for studying and consulting materials. Thank you for your patience and your trust — we look forward to seeing you very soon in your new spaces! ;-)
For more info, please contact BAIU-Brussels : info-baiubruxelles@uclouvain.be