Back in February, we posed the following question to our 2700+ fans on Facebook:
If you could change one thing about the library, what would it be?
We received over 80 responses (thank you!), and while we were able to respond to a number of you directly via our Facebook wall, we also thought that it would be valuable to group the suggestions that you gave us into themes, and to respond to them accordingly.
This is the third response in the series (previous responses addressed noise and library hours), and is dedicated to your concerns about lighting and temperature in the library building. User comments are in blue, with our answers below!
Brighter lights at night, I start to fall asleep at about 8 oclock in here and that's PRIME homework time. Also, larger tables across the board. Sometimes my stuff can't fit onto them...
Good news! We have requested larger tables in the majority of our group study rooms in next year’s budget request, so you should see more study space in all of the group study rooms next year. (And see below for information about the lights in the library.)
Can you turn the air down!!! Its like really burr in here and its raining outside :(
We feel your pain! Unfortunately the building (particularly level 1) gets quite chilly on rainy/cold days, due to the open lobby and doors constantly opening and closing. So, unfortunately, the best advice we can give you, and that we also have to follow ourselves, is “bring a sweater.” You may also not know that the overall temperature in the building is designed for the best environment necessary for the health of our library collections, which may be a few degrees cooler than you would prefer. However, if the entire building seems extraordinarily cold (or hot/stuffy), please let a staff member know, and we will ask LMU Facilities to look into it.
The 2nd and 3rd floor of the library is always super dark... & this is probably an expensive request, but more computers? It's pretty much impossible to find a seat at night.
Unfortunately for all of us who inhabit this building at night (including staff!), the lighting design required to achieve LEED certification means that the lights in the library are already turned up as high as they can go. But some of the lights in the library are on dimmers that occasionally get turned down- we are working with LMU Facilities to get these light switches clearly labeled so that you can brighten things up as much as possible. And as for the computers... read on.
NEED MORE COMPUTERS!!! Idk how many times I needed a computer and they were all busy. We don't need those screens on the wall by the bookstore we need them here.
More individual seats without computers!
With so many students owning laptops, and with wireless internet access and printing in the library, it's a surprising fact that demand for computers in the library has been steady and strong! However, right now, even if we had the budget, we don't have space to add more computers. In fact, open desk space in the library is in demand, too, and we can't add more computers without losing what we have of that. One thing to keep in mind is that library room 118 (in the hallway past the lockers on level 1) is open for general use when it isn't booked for a library workshop -- and there are 36 computers in there! You can always check the daily schedule posted on the room 118 door to see if it's available.
More comfy chairs by the grand fireplace!
We like these chairs, too! But did you know they are the most expensive piece of furniture in the library? Add that to the fact that adding more chairs by the fireplace would probably mean removing group/table study space… so we regret that, for now, you’ll have to continue to wait for a spot to open up by the fireplace if all four chairs are taken.
More study rooms, please.
We wish we could accommodate this request, as we know the study rooms are wildly popular. But since we aren’t adding on to the building anytime soon, the 33 rooms we have are the best we can do. That said, please remember that the rooms are designated for group study! If you are in a group, and see an individual in the room (and there aren’t any other rooms available), please don’t hesitate to ask a library staff member to ask the individual to relocate elsewhere in the library. Also, don’t forget that the Information Commons in the library is intended for collaborative study, so you should feel comfortable taking group work into that space, as well.
We are grateful for all of your feedback, and hope that you'll continue to let us know about ways that we can improve our spaces, collections, and services.
