A PLACE of learning, serenity and silence, the library presents an unlikely contender for the site of student revolt. Usually frequented by the studious intellectual elite, noses buried in books, libraries have recently begun entertaining a rather different sort of clientele.
Recent reports have shown that libraries, as opposed to being the deathly silent catacombs of dusty tomes that we all expect, have become so crowded that delays, queues and, heaven forbid, noise, are all to be anticipated in these establishments.
Complaints have surfaced that rather than being a place of work, the library has become yet another student social hub. On top of the library’s newfound social status, imminent dissertation deadlines and the onset of end of year exams have only served to further congest the University’s John Rylands Library.
With staff and resources already pushed to their limits against the rising tide of assiduous students, job cuts have resulted in an even slower service, and many library-users are seen queuing for up to 30 minutes at computer clusters. So what to do about the invasion of our workplace? How can computer cluster congestion be solved? Maybe everyone should investigate the often unused computer clusters hidden away elsewhere on the campus. Or perhaps the only way out is to take our dissertation research and diligent revision out of the library, and into the pub.
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