As I made my way from lunch in the cafeteria to the library about a couple weeks ago, I saw a group of students crowding around the library entrance. I tried to get in, because I was in my free period and needed to get my homework done. But I was stopped from entering, and told that there was no room left in the library so I couldn’t go in. Feeling a bit annoyed, I left, then eventually went back, finally being allowed into the library for my free period, and to do my work.
The library was completely full of students that weren’t doing anything but socializing with each other. In my opinion, the library is the best place to study or do schoolwork. Those who need to focus and get their work done shouldn’t be waiting outside the library. Meanwhile, a bunch of students who got bored of lunch decided to come to the library to talk, take up seats and create a lot of noise, turning the library from a working environment to a social hour. Students who come to the library solely for talking with their friends shouldn’t be leaving students who want to concentrate on homework assignments, classwork or studying for a test out of luck.
Yes, there are areas outside the library where people can do work. But the seating by the auditorium and the counseling offices is so limited. Also, sitting on a couch or in the middle of the hallway isn’t an optimal setting to focus and be productive. The library, on the other hand, does have, in my opinion, the best environment for working on school related assignments, with lots of desks and chairs, and other resources, like computers and printers.
Nobody is saying that you’re not allowed to talk with your friends in the library. But if that’s your only purpose in being there, and seating is running low, maybe take your conversation back to the cafeteria or elsewhere.
Also, I too often see one person or a pair of people taking up the four person and six person tables, leaving larger groups with nowhere to go. On a day that isn’t crowded, that’s totally fine, but when bigger groups can’t find anywhere to sit, that might be a sign to move to the seating made for one or two people.
I think that the issue of a crowded library during the lunch period could be solved if we all had more awareness. If you’re just one person sitting at a table designed for four, go sit somewhere designed for one. If you just felt like talking with your friends in the library instead of the cafeteria, go back to lunch and let somebody who actually has a homework assignment due, or needs to study for a test have your seat. Students need a reminder to put themselves in somebody else’s shoes.
