One of the coolest buildings on campus is the new library and it is very popular with the students not only because it is quiet and filled with books and resources but also because it has heat and free hot water. Last week I went to check it out and walked through all of the eight floors. It is a beautiful building with interesting architecture including two spiral staircases in the main entrance that light up and change colors at night. There are lots of windows and the whole thing feels very modern and deluxe compared to other buildings on campus.
One of the current hot topics for my students is the issue of saving seats in the library. Since many students want to study there instead of in their dorms, space and seats are in high demand. To deal with this, students simply place a book or some papers on a chair or table to save their spot while they go to class, head to dinner or go back to their dorm. Some students even keep their books there overnight to guarantee a spot for the next day. In my opinion this is ridiculous and it frustrates me to hear students' stories of wanting to study in the library but not being able to find a seat and so on. But I realize that it has developed simply to solve a problem and to serve the needs of each student. I can't predict what I would have done in their situation. It is easy to tell them to just move the books of a 'saved' seat and sit down, but they don't want to make their classmates angry.
I have been to the library a few times this week to do some grading and the environment is nice. It was annoying walking around a few floors looking for an empty place but once I found one I remembered how nice it was to be able to study in a library. Aside from a few Chinese students talking on their cell phones and the rather chilly air (though it did feel warmer than a classroom I question the amount of heat that is being pumped through - I could only make it there for about 3 hours until I lost feeling in my fingers and toes) it felt good to be busy and productive in a place where everyone else was too. I even took advantage of the 'free' hot water to make some tea. My students advised me that next time I should go very early (before 8) to make sure and get a seat. Um, yeah . . . that's not going to happen.
Here are two (of several) journal entries about the frustrations involving the new library:
"Recently I have felt less interested about university life. When I was in high school I was always expecting university life. But now I am a little disappointed. In my imagination we can do something more interesting than having classes. But everyday we must have some boring lessons. At weekend I have to go to do work but I do enjoy my job because this really can improve myself and my ability. In fact I think our school can form more students organizations. Many students spend the whole day in the new library. Central air conditions system has been installed in the new library. It has been cold recently so many students rush to the library. Many of them even put a book on the desk to occupy the seat. I also like studying there not only because it is warm there but also the atmosphere of studying. In the library you can sit in the sunshine. It’s the happiness of studying or reading a moving story in the sunshine especially in winter. Wow. It’s wonderful. But as college students we shouldn’t study all day. While we should find more interesting things to do my roommate and I made a plan last week. We all want to build up ourselves. So we decided to climb stairs everyday. Now we are practicing our plan and I hope we can stick to it in the end."
"Every time I go to the library I feel a little angry. It’s not because that I hate reading. Library is warmer and quieter than dorm and books there are enough for me. I’m angry because many students take up seats by putting a book on the desk. Many students come to the library to study. There are not enough seats for them. So some of them take up the seats in advance so they can find a seat whenever they come. But I think this kind of action is unfair. Other students also need some places to do some reading but they can’t sit down. Someone take up the seat and they don’t come until very late. So that seat is always empty and no one can sit on it. It’s really a waste of room. One day I walked all the eight floors and couldn’t find one seat so I went to a desk and put the books aside and sit down. After two hours the owner of the book came and said it was her seat. I said, you shouldn’t have done this, you come so late. I don’t care it’s my seat. She replied rudely. I didn’t want to quarrel with her because that would disturb others. So I left and find another seat. Now this kind of action keeps existing and I really hope school can do something to stop it."
I agree with you! We have the same issues at the main and only library within campus at my university. During exam times, there are absolutely no seats left either because they are filled by people, or people who put their stuff there (or an open library book and some paper) and don't come for hours. My friends are guilty of this as well, and it makes me very angry. I've often thought that perhaps an individual could notify library staff so that the library could remove said items and have them for safe-keeping. But if you had their stuff taken away, they would still get angry at you. I simply do not know what to do about this issue.