Showing posts with label quiet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quiet. Show all posts
When
you were a kid, you probably thought you wanted to be a spy. There’s a common
misconception among young people that that’s the coolest job you could possibly
have. But that’s only because few children know how cool it is to be a Student
Worker in the University Library. In fact, being a library worker is sort of
like being a spy in a lot of ways! Here are five examples.
1. They
overhear everything: What you qualify as a whisper probably isn’t as quiet as
you thought. Student Workers overhear a lot in the library (and they’re not
even invisible). Wearing headphones, taking calls outside, and actually
whispering will help keep your secret schemes under wraps. But don’t worry,
library workers are sworn to secrecy when it comes to classified information
like your academic record.
2. They have
gadgets: If you’ve ever seen a library worker sneaking around with a hand-held
device, they aren’t scanning your retinas or looking at blueprints. These
little gizmos keep track of how many times books have been used, but not
checked out. This is why we ask you to leave your used books on the carts
around the library or at your table - as evidence.
4. They
consult high-tech databases: Nearly everything a Library Worker needs to know
can be found either in their training manuals or in the limited-access online
databases. If you’re a Cairn student, you too have access to these stockpiles
of information. If you’re having trouble accessing or using a database, one of
these Student Workers or a librarian can help you.
5. They wear a
badge: Nothing says “elite” like the shiny faux-gold of a library nametag.
These badges are proudly worn by (undisguised) library employees who would be
happy to serve you the next time you need help accessing information!
~Christine Fitzpatrick
If you’re at the point
in the semester where the study carrels cause claustrophobia, the open tables
tempt you to torture anyone turning a page of a large theology tome, or the
comfortable couches create comatose conditions - why not try a study room? Many
students already know about the three conference rooms, aka study rooms, found
on the first floor of the library near the Biblical Reference section. If not,
though, may I, as a friendly student assistant, present an alternative to your
usual homework habitation. They’re in
the back of the library, so they’re secluded/ But with finals week upon us,
it’s easy to unintentionally forget common etiquette that we should use in any
public place.
Below are some common calamities
that I have seen occurring while people are using study rooms. While studying,
please use this handy list to avoid making these same common pitfalls that
cause conference room catastrophe!
1. Talk in Thunderous
Tones. It’s easy to think that because the study room has a door and offers
privacy that the rest of the library can’t hear you. Sadly, the study room is
not a vortex. Laughter, jokes, and loud study groups can all be heard outside
the walls, and often distracts others. Imagine how frightening it is to be
looking through commentaries on Revelation in the Biblical Reference section
and suddenly hear laughter...disembodied laughter. Spare others the terror,
please!
2. Chew on Chow.
Covered drinks are fine - we provide complimentary hot drinks during finals
week, after all. But don’t forget the library’s no-food policy! It’s tempting
to want to eat in a study room because it’s so convenient and you’re already
camped out, but please don’t. You will be spared the guilt of eating in a place
that requests you not to bring food, and the indigestion of having to eat your
Wawa hoagie quickly before a librarian walks by and notices. Please take the
few steps to the back stairwell or up to the lobby, instead, to enjoy your meal
in guilt-free peace. Trust me, your digestive system will thank you.
3. Steal a Siesta. One
of the best parts about study rooms is how non-judgmental they are. They are
available on a first-come, first-serve basis that is incredibly egalitarian -
whether you are one student or a group. And like the comfortable couch on the
mezzanine level, the study rooms have a sort of soporific effect on some
students. This is especially true during finals week, where we stay open an extra
hour from Sunday-Tuesday night. I encourage you strongly to resist these urges
to sleep away when studying gets boring! If you’re exhausted, there’s nothing
wrong with closing your eyes a little. But prolonged naps might not just have
other students wanting to take over the study room - they might accidentally
get you locked into a study room for the night (yes, that almost happened
once)…or maybe just have a picture of you sleeping in the library end up on
FaceBook.
4. Disremember Your
Key’s Deadline. Don’t forget that the rooms are reserved for only two hours
at a time (although groups can reserve them in advance through contacting Laura
Saloiye). Be conscientious - you can renew your key one time, but if it’s a
busy night, chances are that there are other groups waiting to study. When
you’re in the middle of a project that’s worth 35% of your final grade, it’s so
easy to forget that others also need the rooms… and to forget when your key is
due, resulting in several unnecessary fines accrued on accounts. The study
rooms are there for your needs, so take advantage of them. But don’t forget to
remember the needs of others while at it. And don’t forget the whereabouts of
the little key that lets you into the room to begin with!
5. Sit in Silence and
Shadows While Snickering at Your Shenanigans. Yes, this has also happened
before…in the dark...while another student worker and I were closing the
library, initially thinking that there was no one left in the study rooms. I
don’t think that I really need to talk about this one too much, but in a
nutshell, I propose that this might not be the best method of handling the
tension and stress of finals.
Study rooms are a great
tool to help you be successful on your finals or studying throughout the year.
Finals week is always crazy, but avoiding these oh-so-tempting pitfalls will
help you make your study room experience during finals more productive,
enjoyable, and successful. Happy studying!
~Katrina Weston
Summer has past and Fall is upon us. Colorful, crisp falling
leaves, warm sweaters and boots, pumpkin spice everything, and fresh chilly air
that nips at your nose and fingers. To me, this is the most beautiful time of
year because of the contradiction of warm colors and cool air. This is also the
time of year for Fall festivals and farmers markets that showcase all of the
wonderful colors and flavors that fall has to offer. Bucks County has many
events planned for this fall and most events are already in full swing.
Did you
know that the library page now has a LibGuide with all sorts of information
about what to do in this area? Well it does! I was very excited to find this
out especially since I am always looking for inexpensive breaks from homework
and the daily bustle of life. So if you are looking for a break from homework
or just need something to do on the weekends to celebrate the beautiful season
of Fall I would encourage you to follow this link http://libguides.cairn.edu/what_to_do
and check it out!
Happy Fall Ya’ll!
~Jenny Dunning
It has come upon us once again. That time of the year where students pull all-nighters with their noses stuffed into books and coffee in their hands. We all know the stress of finals week, so the library is offering some good news to hard-core study students! The library will be open an extra hour than later, making closing time midnight instead of 11! We also advise you to make use of the study rooms that can be checked out at the front desk, if having people going by will get you distracted. The study rooms help you to focus on your studies and not get distracted by friends who walk by.
And if you need time to de-stress, you can check out a movie to help relax! With May 4th having just passed us, a personal recommendation is one of the Star Wars movies. The movies will come up on a search in the library catalog, and can be checked out at the front desk. And for those of you who listen to music while you study, the library has headphones to check out at the front desk as well!
Hope all of our commodities help with this last week of craziness. Good studying!
~Rachel
The library has a wide collection of different and special places spread
out across the building. Whether it’s the comfortable curriculum lab,
or the computer lab that encourages productivity, the library offers
many neat spots to study, do homework, or simply chill after a long day.Most people are not aware that there are two sets of stairways in the library. The flight of stairs that everybody uses is the main stairway, in the front of the library. What most people don’t know is that there is another flight of stairs in the back of the library.
Maybe I’m biased, but I think the back stairway is the coolest spot in the library, and probably one of the coolest spots on campus.
It stretches from the basement door (behind which is the rare book collection, LP records, and excess shelving), to the second story door (which is of course home to curriculum lab, music reference, computer lab, and stacks). The whole stairway is lined with large windows, looking out on the pond, driveway through campus, and the athletic fields in the distance. With such tall windows, looking out from above provides what has to be one of the best views on campus. Some days while I’m working, I’ll find myself on the stairway to deliver a book upstairs, and the view stops me. The way the light shines, or the vantage point causes me to stop and admire God’s beauty.
The next time you’re in the library and you need a study break, or you’re a photographer with nothing to take pictures of, or you need a spot of reflection, try the back staircase. It provides a unique quiet minute (or two) away from your loud, busy college life.
Just another way you can take advantage of what the library has to offer!
|Andrew
How many of you watched the Super Bowl this year? Great!
Now, how many of you watched the Super Bowl just for the advertisements? Yup,
same here. Out of all of the commercials, my favorite would have to be the Oreo
Cookie or Cream library fight because no matter what happened during the fight
everyone whispered.
Whispering in the library is well known as library
etiquette but did you know that there are other rules that go along with
library etiquette? Rules such as “Don’t knock the library shelves over” and
“Don’t try to climb the architecture in the library” but the biggest one of all
is “No food or open drink in the library.” I know all of us at a time or two
were thinking “Well I am only going to talk to my friend for a minute so I
really don’t have to whisper” or “I am so hungry and I have this twenty page
paper to write for my class in a half hour, it won’t be a big deal if I bring
my turkey dinner into the library.” Okay so maybe that was a bit of an
exaggeration but in all seriousness the library is a place of quiet study.
This
semester the library is starting a new campaign and we want YOU to help promote
it! It is called the “Shush” campaign and basically we are asking that students
help keep the noise level in the library low. Many people come to use the
library as a quiet place to study for midterms, write copious amounts of
papers, and even sometimes read. If the people in the Oreo commercial can have
an all out war and still be quiet I think we at the library can do the same! So
just remember keep the noise to a dull roar (or even a little less) and eat
your *Oreo’s before you enter. The last question that remains is: Cookie or
Cream?
*No Oreo’s were harmed in the making of this blog
~Jenny Dunning
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
RSS Feed
Posts
All Comments