The Main Library at the University of Birmingham is located between Ring Road North and the Green Heart. It opened in the summer of 2016.

The University Library boasts an outstanding research collection, incorporating 2.7 million books and scholarly periodicals, and more than 16,000 electronic resources. 

Main Library at the University of Birmingham (February 2021). Photography by Daniel Sturley

The Main Library at a cost of £42 million was completed in 2016 and was designed by Birmingham based Associated Architects. 17,000 sq.m of floor space is split over six levels.

As Diane Job, Director of Library Services says:

"The Library should be an inspirational destination, whether visited virtually or to a space at the heart of our campus. It should be where people connect with information, resources, ideas, technology, and with the creative outputs and research generated in the University but above all, where people connect with each other."

A variety of learning spaces cater to users differing needs.

Construction of the Main Library of the University of Birmingham (May 2016). Photography by Elliott Brown

The Main Library could be seen with the Green Heart from 2019. And from 2020 it was joined by The Teaching & Learning Building.

The Main Library from the Green Heart (January 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown

The Big Sleuth Birmingham 2017

A trail of painted bears around Birmingham and the West Midlands from the summer of 2017. It lasted for 10 weeks. After which they were auctioned off for the Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity. There was several bears on the trail around the University of Birmingham's Edgbaston Campus.

Buzz by the artist Julie Allum. The sponsor was University of Birmingham. At the time it was outside of the Main Library.

Buzz (by artist Julie Allum) outside of the Main Library of the University of Birmingham (July 2017). Photography by Elliott Brown