Bennett Library (Burnaby) 5th floor updates: Material now available on request, repairs continue

5th floor anticipated opening: Summer 2025

The 5th floor of the WAC Bennett Library will remain closed until hazardous material remediation, repairs, and renovations are complete.

 April 2025 updates

Renovation work that began in June 2023 is nearing completion. 

April 3, 2025:

  • Library users can now request material from the 5th floor via the Catalogue, for pick-up at any SFU Library location (including the Bennett Library at SFU Burnaby).

Spring 2025:

  • Library staff will have access to the floor
  • Facilities and Systems staff will install furniture and technology.

Planned for Summer 2025:

  • We anticipate opening the 5th floor to everyone in the summer term.

  Accessing 5th floor books and other collections during the closure

Access to the collections on the 5th floor is a top priority for the Library. We recognize the importance of access to collections for research, scholarship, course planning, student assignments, and other purposes.

NEW: Library users can now request material from the 5th floor via the catalogue, for pick-up at any SFU Library location (including the Bennett Library at SFU Burnaby). Learn more about how to request or place a hold on an item owned by the SFU Library.

Additionally:

  • approximately 13,000 books from the 5th floor remain accessible for browsing and borrowing on the 6th floor, generally in Mathematics (QA) call range
  • high-demand items from the 5th floor also available on the 6th floor for browsing and borrowing

 Study rooms

While the 5th floor is closed, students registered with the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) may book three study rooms, on the 2nd and 3rd floor.  (For more information, see Library study room bookings for students registered with the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL).)

Graduate Student study rooms on the 5th floor are not available.

 Equipment

5th floor computers and printers are not available. Computers and printers are available on the 3rd, 4th and 6th floors.

Adaptive technology is available on the 3rd floor.

 Background

In November 2022, the Bennett Library on SFU’s  Burnaby campus was closed due to the potential discovery of asbestos-containing debris in the Library. While the majority of the Library has since been safely re-opened, the fifth floor of the building, where the largest concentration of debris was found, remains closed.

A remediation process that involves abatement, or total removal of the asbestos-containing texture coat, along with other repairs and renovation began in June 2023.

 Questions and answers

When will the 5th floor reopen?

We anticipate a graduated opening starting in late Spring 2025, with material available for requests in Spring and full occupancy in Summer 2025.

Returning books, renewing books, and overdue fines

 The Library has fined me for not returning books from the 5th floor.  What do I do about the fine?

If you were charged fines as a result of the 5th floor becoming unavailable, or the Library closure beginning November 14th, 2022, contact loans-mgmt@sfu.ca so that we can correct the error.

 Can I renew the items I checked out before the closure?

Yes. From 12 December 2022 onwards, books borrowed for a full semester or for more than one week will be auto-renewed unless they are recalled by someone else.

Requesting and borrowing books

  How do I request books from the fifth floor?

Search the Library's Catalogue to locate books and other items of interest to you. Place a request/hold on the book for pick-up at any SFU Library location (including the Bennett Library at SFU Burnaby). 

 Contact and further questions

You can reach us at library@sfu.ca (monitored weekdays 9 - 5).

Date(s)
Reopening planned for 2025
Location
W.A.C. Bennett Library (SFU Burnaby)