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Introduction

For five hundred years the library has been at the heart of the University of Aberdeen.

There has never been a more intellectually exciting time to be part of this University. Today, the University is renowned for the quality of its staff and its distinguished history of innovation across a wide variety of academic disciplines. This was once again confirmed in October 2009 by the authoritative Times Higher Education global rankings, which showed that the University had risen to its highest ever position in the world's top 200 institutions, and recognised Aberdeen as the UK's fastest-rising university. Our research income has also trebled in the last decade.

Therefore, we are entering our sixth century of achievement as a leader in international learning, innovation and discovery. As we look ahead to the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, our new Library project matches the quality of our people and the richness of our history and heritage with an iconic intellectual and cultural facility, the benefits of which will stretch beyond our University community, and beyond our lifetimes.

The new Library, which will cost a total of £57.3 million (US $86 million), will spearhead the next phase of our ten-year £230 million (US $345 million) investment programme to develop our infrastructure to a level appropriate to our academic aspirations.

It will provide facilities for our 15,000-strong student community, far in excess of the 5,500 students the existing Queen Mother Library was built to accommodate. It will also house our historic collections of books, manuscripts and other items of considerable antiquity, collected from all over the world over the five centuries since the foundation of the University in 1495, and including the private library of our founder Bishop William Elphinstone. The new Library, at last, will enable us to preserve and vigorously to promote this outstanding and unique heritage.

Fulfilling this vision will be dependent on the generosity of our benefactors worldwide. As the flagship project of the second phase of the University's Sixth Century Campaign, this will be the largest capital fundraising project we have yet undertaken. This website aims to convey our enthusiasm and excitement for this effort. This project provides unique opportunities for our friends and supporters to join us in becoming part of the future of learning, and of a great academic institution.

We hope that the whole of the University, and its extended family, will give the new Library both moral and financial support.