Welcome back! In returning to the library, you may have noticed that our furniture has been rearranged. This reconfiguration was in response to consistent complaints about noise and, conversely, the loss of "talking" space in the library. On the ground floor of the library, the carrels from the main reading room(next to the reference and circulation desks) have been swapped with the tables in the periodicals room and classified stacks.
Since tables usually encourage discussion, the main study room will become a new "talking" area. All other areas on the ground floor will be designated quiet areas, and the placement of the carrels should discourage extended discussions. We have requested that additional power outlets be installed under the tables in the main reading room. Happy studying!
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat
5 comments:
The unfortunate part is that now the talking zone with the tables have no electrical outlets at all!
I know, and we're very sorry that we couldn't arrange for the electrical work to be done at the same time as the move. Since the complaints about noise have consistently increased, we wanted to address that issue immediately while waiting for the more labor intensive wiring to be executed. In the meantime, power is available in the study rooms and at some of the lower level tables. Keep an eye on this blog for future updates on the electrical work!
Thanks for the information!
Finally! Thanks for addressing this issue; there needed to be a greater separation between the "talking" and "quiet" areas, and a more accessible talking area. I think it is more appropriate by the entrance, since everyone talks over by the desk and door anyway. Outlets, now that we are all in the computer age, are a continual problem and I hope that is remedied in the talking area soon. I have noticed an effort at providing more in the quiet areas and that's great! Next challenge: the temperature. Is it just me or is it getting colder in here?
My deepest sympathies, as the microclimates have vexed us all! The positive spin is that we're one of the few places on earth where you can experience both the heat of the Sahara and the winds of Alaska by taking a few steps to the left or right.
Seriously, though, we are aware that temperature control is an ongoing problem, and the HVAC crew receives regular calls from us for adjustments. Contributing to the difficulty in control are external temperatures, the layout of the library, personal temperature comfort zones (which obviously differ from user to user!), and the number of people physically in the library at any given time.
We do daily walk-throughs of the library to check temperatures, and have reported the current cold front. Please continue to help us by reporting any strange temperatures, and identifying which area(s) are affected.
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