Whispers between the shelves: Library’s quiet strain
Drowning amidst several pending deadlines and the nagging of a friend’s plea to hang out, one might find peace in one of the calmest corners of our campus, the library. While a library is mostly meant to be an escape from the hustle and bustle of the campus, ours offers a focused learning environment while also having potential for further development.
Holding an extensive collection of books, journals and research papers from esteemed authors, our library provides its students with all the necessary resources. In addition to the existing amenities, the students can now return books in the book drop-off bins near the pocket gate without last-minute sprints, even during closed hours. Additionally, the introduction of digital borrowing has made access to resources more efficient, especially for students who are always juggling packed schedules.
Simultaneously, there seems to be certain practical limitations to the regulations. For instance, private study rooms can only be booked for one hour, which hinders the flow of learning, especially for minds that need time to settle into focus. On top of that, the rule of prohibiting one student ID from booking consecutive slots adds another layer of difficulty, especially during midterms and finals when students prefer to hold group study discussions. Tasfia Tahsin (Senior, SLS) remarked, “Just when we reach a momentum, the clock strikes the 60-minute mark and puts the brakes on our productivity.” Furthermore, the absence of soundproof discussion rooms defies the very purpose of group study sessions as conversations echo and eventually become a source of distraction for those sitting outside, struggling to concentrate.
Time and time again, our library has proven its role as an effective knowledge hub; a few thoughtful alterations could pave the way for an even better and enriched learning experience for the students.
