The Warm Space will be available during the Library’s core opening hours in the autumn, winter and spring of 2022/23. These are normally 8.30am to 7.00pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.30am to 6.00pm on Friday (or 9.00am to 4.45pm Monday to Friday during off-peak opening).

During these periods, members of the public will now be able to access the AKLC without a card. It is open to anyone aged 18 or over who lives or works in the areas of Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Wakefield, the City of York and Selby.

Community members will be invited to use all open areas of the Library, including the open plan study spaces and seating adjacent to the Library café. The café is open during term time from 8.00am to 2.30pm, serving a variety of hot and cold drinks, snacks and sandwiches. Outside of these hours, vending machines are available, along with water fountains to top up water bottles.

The AKLC is located just off the main entrance of the University’s campus in Horsforth on Brownberrie Lane.  

Leeds Trinity was established in Horsforth as two teacher training colleges in 1966 and achieved full University status in 2012. 

Nick Goodfellow, Director of Library & Learning Resources at Leeds Trinity University, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer the Andrew Kean Learning Centre on our campus as a Warm Space for members of our local community to use over the coming months. We are very proud to be a member of the Horsforth community and want to do everything we can to support those who may be struggling. We hope that our Library space and facilities provide support at a time of real need during the cost of living crisis.” 

Professor Malcolm Todd, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, added: “We hope the provision of a Warm Space in our Library will help anyone who needs it in our community during this challenging time. As a University, we promote the principles of dignity, respect, social justice, equity and inclusion, and we take our civic responsibilities very seriously. We are very keen to do as much as we can to help and engage with our local community, and to support the work of Horsforth Town Council and Leeds City Council with initiatives like the Warm Spaces network. I am very pleased we are able to offer this space and know my colleagues in the Andrew Kean Learning Centre will welcome all who wish to use it.”  

Local community members looking to use the University’s Library as a Warm Space are asked to visit the front helpdesk in the AKLC upon arrival, where they will be welcomed and shown around.

The Warm Space will be available until the end of March 2023, with potential to extend. More information about the Library can be found on the AKLC website. 

Leeds Trinity has also recently announced a ‘Helping you with the cost’ student support package, investing more than £500,000 to help students during the cost of living crisis with a range of measures and new initiatives. Read more on the website.