Library as Place This is the portion of the survey in which both faculty and student respondents rated our services below average. While the Library has paid close attention to expanding access to print and electronic resources and making help widely available, our efforts to promote quiet study and traditional library decorum have not been as careful. Our ratings for quiet space, comfortable space and inspirational space were low for both faculty and student users. With respect to space for group study, students also rated our services lower than average. The importance of finishing our library renovation project, and the purchase of new and comfortable furniture, is highlighted by these user responses. Respondents’ comments "I'll often work in my room or Pettingill(sic) as an alternative because I like the natural light, the windows and the chairs. There are only a few places in the library where you can work in that type of setting." "Also it seems to be about time to get new chairs as the existing ones have been here since the building opened and are rather uncomfortable due to their age." "I find it, however, to be fairly loud especially after dinner. There are other places on campus where people could go for group work and I would go to the library more often if it was more quiet." "The quiet study areas are usually over-run by students yelling and talking to each other. Library staff need to enforce policies on silence in the library. Some people are trying to work." "There is not a lot of group work space available which won't interfere with individual study." "So why do I never go to the library to study? I find it uncomfortable, badly lit and I am never able to get work done there. I always go to Pettengill instead." "plase(sic) update furniture-it's REALLY uncomfortable!!!" "It is TOO LOUD in the library!!! I try to hide in the corners of the second and third floor, but the noise has only increased since my freshman year here (2000). STOP THE NOISE Library's Response Chair replacement As part of the Library’s ongoing renovation project, there has always been the intention of purchasing new lounge furniture to replace the worst of the blue chairs. Our planning placed this aspect of the project last, which has been disadvantageous to current users. The responses to our survey, however, enable us to respond more precisely to the sort of changes that users see as most important. Whereas we had originally conceived of purchasing more wired four-person study tables and correspondingly fewer lounge chairs, in response to user comments we are changing that mix. More will be spent on replacing lounge chairs, affecting more floors than initially thought necessary. The first phase of furniture replacement should conclude in the spring of 2004. Group study vs. individual quiet space The plea for quiet spaces in the Library was the most frequent comment in this section and one to which we are more than sympathetic. Absolute quiet is not realistically possible on the main floor. It has three staffed service desks and two heavily used computer areas, to say nothing of the bustling entrance and exit area of the Library. The busy service environment and lively social scene on the main floor is also critical in service and information delivery (aspects of Library services that users rate quite highly), but we can do better to segregate the social aspects of learning from more individualized activity. We are now posting and maintaining zones of quiet study on the 2nd and 3rd floors for individual study. These floors are already set up primarily for such study with individual carrels and chairs. You should not expect that library staff will ‘shush’ you—you will find other users doing that quite well. The ground floor with its large size and varied study environments can handle a mix of group and individual study. Group study rooms 3rd Floor 2 conference rooms Main Floor Photocopy room Ground Floor 2 conference rooms (behind the beginning of the Q stack area) 4 scheduled group video viewing rooms   Lighting At the time of completion the Ladd Library received an award for its passive solar orientation and features from a national architectural association. We’ve made a systematic effort to use any large picture window area for individual reading spaces. Of course, the weather in Maine doesn’t always cooperate with our intentions. It’s not good to place books in direct sunlight, so stack areas need to be artificially lit. We have been upgrading lighting in the Library, when we can afford it, to brighter, more energy-efficient bulbs, adding more light to areas such as Coram A and B, 3rd Floor, Salter Lounge and the computer instructional room. The vaulted ceiling areas are a real challenge for lighting. We will be replacing all the mushroom-like table lamps, which provide task lighting in some zones of the Library and provide a warm inviting presence on dark winter nights.

	Page author: Laura Juraska Date: 8/25/03		Feedback and Suggestions © Bates College. All rights reserved.
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