STEM area: 100 new workspaces in the EPFL Library
CC-BY-NC-SA EPFL Library
Following renovation work carried out over the summer, EPFL Library users now have access to 100 new workspaces in the STEM area at the start of the new academic year. This redevelopment brings the Library’s total capacity to 900 workspaces.
With more than 1,4 million visits per year, the EPFL Library is one of the most heavily used spaces on campus. Located in the Rolex Learning Center, it previously offered nearly 800 study spaces. With visitor numbers continuing to grow and EPFL’s student population having doubled between 2010 and 2025, increasing the Library’s capacity has become essential. The project to expand the available study spaces was launched in spring 2024 at the initiative of the EPFL Direction.
Five tonnes of books relocated
As the Library’s existing spaces were already fully occupied, expanding its physical footprint was not an option. The project therefore focused on reorganizing the collections to free up space for additional study areas.
During the summer of 2025, an initial phase involved removing nearly 12,000 books from the shelves, including duplicate copies and titles that were no longer considered as useful. These books were handed over to specialized partners to be reintroduced into the second-hand book market.
During summer 2026, more than 13,000 less frequently consulted books were relocated to the basement. This reorganization created two clearly defined collection areas: one dedicated to science, technology and engineering, and another to mathematics. It also gave this part of the Library a new identity.
A new area named “STEM”
As part of this redevelopment, the area has also been given a new identity. It is now known as STEM, the English acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, reflecting the main disciplines represented in the collections available there.
The 100 new workspaces are now accessible to all Library users.
