Rankin revisits inspiration site

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Crime writer Ian Rankin is to revisit an old haunt that helped launch his career when he opens a revamped Edinburgh University library.

The Inspector Rebus author, who studied at the university from 1978 to 1985, wrote his first two novels at the library as a postgraduate student.

He will speak later at an event that marks the transformation of three floors in the George Square building.

It is part of a £60m redevelopment by architects Lewis and Hickey.

Officials said the project preserves Sir Basil Spence's "iconic" 1960s building "while introducing contemporary features to create a more open, flexible study space in response to changing student and research needs".

Library visitors can now use study "pods" - areas so groups can work together and contemplative "cool zones" for solo study and a café which is open to the public.

Then, as now, books were expensive, meaning the library was a godsend Ian Rankin

The university has commissioned new work by the Scottish artist Alec Finlay - called Interleaved - which is inspired by the building and the books within it.

Redevelopment of the library's remaining three floors is scheduled to finish in 2012.

Mr Rankin is due to tour the ground floor's new study facilities and the Centre for Research Collections - home to the university's archive of historical artefacts - on the top two floors.

He said: "I spent seven crucially formative years of my life at the University of Edinburgh, and hardly a day went past when I wasn't a visitor to the library.

"Then, as now, books were expensive, meaning the library was a godsend. But it also stored material crucial to my own research and unavailable elsewhere.

"Besides which, the staff were friendly, and you could always grab a cup of coffee in the café when inspiration started flagging.

"When I wrote my first couple of novels, the library was also my first stop - so I could photocopy them. I'm looking forward to seeing what improvements have been made, and walking in the footsteps of that knowledge-hungry student and hopeful young writer."