Posts from — November 2009

I study on the 4th floor of the library in the shelving area because there are comfortable chairs and two computers, which is very convenient, and often very quiet. This is a quiet study area, and there are two signs in this area that say “Quiet please lower your voice in this area.” Although there are rarely people studying in this area who make much noise, the people who work in the shelving rooms are constantly carrying on discussions, one day I could hear someone on a computer listening to a show or movie. I understand that people need to communicate to do their job, but because their area is in a quiet zone of the library. Carrying on conversations in the open at a normal voice level makes the quiet zone, not so quiet. Is there any way they can go into one of the shelving rooms to have conversations, so that those studying don’t have to hear their personal conversations. I have to be quiet in this area, so why is it that people who work in this area are not?

We are sorry about the confusion, but the 4th floor of Ellis Library is not an official quiet study space. The designated quiet areas are the Current Periodical Reading Room on the 1st floor, Room 201, the north end of Room 202 and the entire 3rd floor.  In these areas there is to be no cell phone use and no group study. In all other areas, conversation is allowed. We are currently working on new signs for these areas and improvement on communicating to our users the quiet policies of the Libraries.

Thank you for pointing out that there are quiet signs on the 4th floor. These will be removed, but we will also encourage the staff to be aware that some people in this area are studying and to try to keep the conversations and noise to a minimum.

The Journalism Library is open until midnight on weekdays, yet all doors into the Reynolds Journalism Institute except one are locked before 9 p.m. And which door will be unlocked is not consistent. It doesn’t make sense for the doors to be locked when the library is open (especially considering the Futures Lab, which isn’t part of the Libraries is “open” 24/7.) I do not feel safe walking all around the building at night, trying to guess at which door will be unlocked, when I could very easily walk in the double doors on 9th Street if they were unlocked. This is especially true given the muggings that have happened in that area in the last few months (2 on the quad, 1 behind the Professional Building by Hitt. St. Garage.)

Due to the proximity of the journalism complex to The District, bars and restaurants, all doors, except for the RJI double door entrance from the quad are locked after 8:00PM during weeknights. That door is open during library hours. Here is a link to a map of RJI showing which door is open http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/journalism/journalism_pdfs/Library1st.pdf

All doors in the journalism complex would be locked after 8:00PM with only card access if the library was not in the complex. It is access to the library that necessitated that one entrance be accessible during library hours.

We appreciate your safety concerns and hope that this information helps.

As a graduate student attempting to complete assignments necessary for my Ph.D. I find it absolutely infuriating that there are no designated quiet areas for computers usage. I am aware that I can check out a laptop for use in a quiet area, however these are only for two hour time limits and then one must wait another two hours before you can check them out again. There really needs to be a designated quiet computer lab where those students who are in need of limited distractions can work for long periods of time, undisturbed. It is absolute maddening that this is a library that allows so much talking. There are always cell phones going off and groups conversating. I would just like to write a paper in quiet for at least six hours at a time.

Thank you for your comment. We are currently looking into creating more quiet study spaces in Ellis Library. I will pass along this comment that we need quiet study spaces that also have computers.