A Chinese university has come up with a novel approach to overcrowded libraries, by converting an unused public showers into dozens of tiny self-study booths.

With students at Taizhou University in eastern China fighting over a place for quiet revision towards exam time, the institution needed to create more study spaces.

The bizarre choice of study location has become an unexpected hit with students, with reports saying all the shower cubicles have been reserved until the next school year.

Clean-cut student: A student revises in one of the converted shower cubicles at Taizhou University, China

The creative new use of the disused showers was done at the Taizhou University, where 35 self-study booths are now filled with students preparing for their exams.

With libraries full to the brim with thousands of their peers, the former showers provide a surprisingly serene and, more importantly, quiet environment in which the hard-working students can study.

Each student occupying his or her cubicle at the school in Taizhou City, in East China's Zhejiang Province, is now offered true privacy - completely free of charge.

Novel approach: Taizhou University converted an unused public shower into almost three dozen self-study booths for its students

Perfect space: Each shower cubicle has been fitted with a desk, a chair and plug sockets

The 35 self study booths are already booked up well into the next school year, according to the university

While it may feel odd to have to take a trip to the public bathrooms in order to study, university staff have completely remodelled the showers to ensure maximum comfort and convenience for their new users.

According to Shan Renwei, a lecturer at the school, renovations cost less than 20,000 RMB (£2,080), with tables, chairs, and plugs fitted to every cubicle.

The shower curtains were left behind, however, so students can ensure they are not bothered during their lengthy study sessions.

Reports said there are some 93 students currently on the waiting list to use the new facilities, and that there are no vacant study booths until next term, after the start of the new academic year.

Time to revise: The ingenious and creative new use of old space was done at the Taizhou University, where 35 self-study booths are now filled with senior students preparing for their postgraduate exam