Thursday, February 25, 2010

What do you mean by 24/7?

I'll start by talking to myself.

If you saw any of the easels in the 1st floor of Atkins in the last little while, you surely noticed (perhaps you even wrote) endless repetitions of "27/7!"

So, OK, we're working on that. We know you want it.

But I'd like to know more. Why are you in the library at 2AM? What kind of work are you doing in the middle of the night? What about the library makes it a good space for that?

Please do not think these are judgemental questions--just because I personally am incapable of pulling an all-nighter doesn't mean that people don't have good, solid reasons for doing so. I know people work all night long.

We need to know, why the library? What does it have (or not have) that other places don't (or do)? Where do you work when you can't go to the library? What does that feel like/look like? Does it depend on the kind of work? Are you coming alone? In groups? Is it only during finals week? All semester?

You see, how just reading words on an easel can only get us so far? Please enlighten me, in the comments.

9 comments:

  1. for me, I like the space around the computers. as far as I know, there is not sufficient space around the computers at Barnard for me to "unpack" when i working on my grad work.

    I could work in McEniry, but it gets creepy when I am the only one there.

    Things that I really like about the library: it smells good, I have deep imprinted ideas that I can learn here, and the temperature is always right.

    I am not in favor of the 24/7 library though, because really I think it is good that someone tells me to stop, take a break, and get some rest. I just wish the PA doing this wasnt so harsh.

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  2. I live in a dorm with roommates and there is so much activity going on there. I would like to come to the library where it is quiet and I associate it with studying. Even if it is quiet in my room, there are so many things that distract me. I sit down to study and I remember a tv show is on or I want to do some laundry. As a college student, the most exciting things tend to happen at night. My sleeping schedule has adapted to that and now my best studying happens bewteen 1-4am. Please open 24/7 so I can study during my peak time and also be in the right enviroment.

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  3. Possibly more computers? During the afternoons, they are always taken and I have to walk up and down the floors waiting for one to open up.

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  4. Another suggestion, I would like to have wireless internet on at least the first 6 floors. I understand people need complete silence. Please make a few floors for them but I need silence when doing online reading for my classes. I would like to go to one of the upper floors and save money on not printing paper to do my readings.

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  5. The library is a strong intellectual environment. More time spent in the library = more time spent studying.

    Also, the only 24/7 hangout within 2 miles of UNC Charlotte is... a grocery store. Imagine having a coffee shop and a library open all night? If we had a 24/7 library/Ritazza, this would encourage the push for later restaurant hours, and weekend restaurant hours. This would then encourage the push for more students staying on campus on weekends instead of going home (where there, sad but true, might be better things to do).

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  6. i would love for the library to be open 24/7, i would be able to get much more work and study done. especially when writing a paper, i can come in and spread out, and have access to every thing i need be it a book or the internet. there are far less distractions in the library than there are at home or in the dorms.

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  7. The library is known for having a certain environment and resources that other locations don't have. Knowing that you can depend on the library to be open and operating every hour of the day is sometimes a life saver. The libray has computers, books, and study rooms all at one central locations. Its the perfect place to study at any hour of the day. The clean, ordered environment filled with books also makes it to concentrate and get into the zone. It is also awesome for study groups. I am a group studier and I have noticed that when a test comes up you see more of your peer in the library. When you run into that math problem that you didn't know that know at mid night you can ask them the question, cause no professor is going to respond to it.

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  8. If not 24/7 maybe open at 5am or 6am rather than 7:30.. Some students that have 8am classes need somewhere to study before class and 30 minutes before class is not enough. So I would say open up atleast 2 hours before the first classes start.

    also we need better wifi, the internet in some areas where it states hot spot there would be no service and it sucks.

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  9. I drive across town to Amelies just so I can study late at night - some nights I get there at 7pm and stay until 4 or 5am... I am extremely productive and if I didn't have to drive across town to be productive, that would be a great time-saver, especially if you have the variety of levels of quietude available.

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