Founded in 1963, Simon Fraser University has grown into a renowned institution with over 30,000 undergraduate students. International students make up 17 percent of the student body, a percentage that grows with each passing year and greatly contributes to the overall campus mentality of embracing change.

With its main campus in Burnaby and two other campuses in downtown Vancouver and Surrey, SFU is accessible to students living all over Vancouver. The school’s first-class facilities are a big draw for its diverse, inquisitive student body. Here’s a brief overview of what the SFU campus libraries have to offer.

 

W.A.C. Bennett Library – Burnaby Campus

Named for the premier of British Columbia who was responsible for the funding that made the university possible in 1963, this flagship of the SFU campus libraries first opened in 1965. The library’s architecture is a historically significant example of the Brutalist style, much like the FBI building in Boston. The library is currently under renovation, with the new first floor archival space expected to be complete by March 2017. The main floor renewal was completed in 2015, which saw an added Student Learning Commons Classroom and Fireplace Lounge. The new Graduate Research Commons was completed in 2014, which added a new space specifically for graduate students to collaborate and work on presentations and workshops.

 

Belzberg Library – Vancouver Campus

Like the other two SFU campus libraries, the Belzberg Library on the Vancouver campus boasts many group study spaces that students can book for 30-minute increments. This library’s services include the Research Commons, which provides services for graduate students, such as publishing and thesis support services. The Student Learning Commons provides learning skills support and academic writing services for undergraduate students.

 

Fraser Library – Surrey Campus

The last of the SFU campus libraries, Fraser Library on the Surrey campus is an impressive 25,000 square feet. The Yosef Wosk Student Learning Commons provides academic support services for writing and learning, mainly for undergraduates, in the form of one-on-one consultations, online resources and workshops. The library also provides enough study space for 350 at a time, a gaming room and a screening room.

 

SFU Burnaby Resources