Ban the cells

You wrote:

Cell phone use in the library should be banned. For MONTHS I have been seriously annoyed by the general disrespect cell phone users have in the library to students like me who come to the library to STUDY.

Can’t there by signs prohibiting cell phones?? If students need to speak on their phones, then why can’t they go OUTSIDE the library – outside the circulation area.

The staircases are the worse for cell phone use – people chat away loudly for long periods of times not taking into consideration those students who are studying near the stacks or on the computers on the second floor CAN HEAR EVERYTHING AND THE NOISE LEVEL IS SERIOUSLY DISTRACTING AND ANNOYING. Even worse, students sit at the library computers having phone conversations on their cell phones.

Overall, I feel Concordia Library does not offer a quiet place of study and therefore does not seem like a serious academic setting. Either the library staff do not care enough to take precautions and therefore do something about it, or Concordia students don’t take the library seriously and use it as a place to talk on their phones and socialize with their friends.

Given the amount of cell phone users here in the library, all the students must be under the impression that talking loudly on their cell phones is acceptable – so more and more students follow such an example – given that there are no staff who monitor the areas and no signs that prohibit cell phone use.

Last semester I had to be at the library very regularly since I am studying for a Comprehensive Exam and working as a TA for an online course (and therefore grading regularly on the library computers). I found using the library to be very stressful due to the noise levels of cell phone users and students socializing. I wrote a few complaints on this Suggestion Box and spoke personally with librarians but nothing seems to have changed: the library is still noisy with people talking on their cell phones.

Thank you for your comment.  The frustration you express is understandable and coming through loud and clear.  We don’t ban cell phones in the library because it is the disruptive conversations we want to prohibit rather than the devices themselves.  We recently added banner-like directional signs on all floors at Webster, and these include a pictogram and caption prescribing: “cell phones on silent”.   When we do our daily rounds in the library, intervening on loud cell phone conversations is definitely part of our routine and in these instances we often mention just how many complaints like yours are received in the Suggestion Box. These interventions can only go so far, however, as in a 24-hour university library populated by adults it is just not feasible or realistic to have constant monitoring.

The computer areas on the second floor can be the hardest to keep quiet, partly  due to the busy entrance. As you might have read in previous posts, the entrance area is slated for a major redesign, and reducing noise levels there is a definite objective. Though an imperfect solution, borrowing a laptop at the Circulation Desk and heading for one of the more isolated blue zones in the library might offer you a better chance to work in a silent setting.  And speaking of blue zones, we just added a new one on the 3rd floor at Webster, on the Bishop side near the computer workstations. As always, feel free to let us know what you think.

Ads on the blog?

You wrote:

How is it possible that there are advertisements in the response column of an university library blog? “Vondage World Canada”! Will notify student newspapers immediately.

Thanks for your comment.  The ads on our Suggestion Box were actually an oversight on our part, not intentional.  The advertisments were intermittent and hard to spot from our “behind the scenes” view of the blog.  We’ve just upgraded our account, and all versions the Suggestion Box should now be ad-free, including the the new mobile access point.  Apologies to all those who were inconvenienced, and do let us know if you spot anything else that might be troubling.

InterLibrary Loans notices not in MyCLUES

You wrote: 

Hi -

It’s been brought to my attention (in a rather expensive way) that Inter-Library Loan items do not appear in the MyClues list of items I have checked out. I log into MyClues frequently every day so it was a bit of a shock to get an email from InterLibrary Loans saying I have an item that is “very overdue.” My fault for forgetting, yes, but it could have been avoided by including InterLibrary Loans items in MyClues alongside my other checked out items. That seems entirely sensible, does it not?

Thanks!

Thank you for your email.  Our InterLibrary Loans (ILL) system, Colombo, does not run on CLUES.  It runs on another system that is shared with our sister institutions across  Quebec. Because of the nature of the InterLibrary Loans service, it makes sense that we should be able to communicate seamlessly with other libraries.  However, this means that Colombo is not connected to CLUES.  InterLibrary Loans staff email users with overdue ILL items.  They keep track of unreturned items and re-send overdue notices, as needed.  Although users are blocked from InterLibrary Loans as well as from borrowing from our collection until the item is returned, there are no overdue fines for InterLibrary Loans items.

Welcome back!

We hope you all had a great holiday break.  The Suggestion Box is now officially open for business again.  As always, we welcome your comments and ideas, and look forward to hearing from you.

best wishes,

Susie and Luigina
Suggestion Box Editors

Happy holidays!

Over the holidays, we will be taking some time off from the suggestion box.  However, please do continue to send in your comments.  We look forward to reading them all in 2012!

Happy holidays!

What we’re doing about noise

Noise in the library continues to be the issue about which we get the most feedback in the Suggestion Box. Here are some excerpts of your words:

Given that the level of noise in the library seems to be an ongoing issue, I was happy to see the new sign in the main corridor of the 2nd floor (near the circulation desk) which reminds students that this is a silent zone. However, I find students disregard it nevertheless. As I type in the supposed “blue zone” computer lab (where I am trying to concentrate to get some work done) there seems to be a loud party in corridor – their noise level travels to the lab (and the corridors echo, making it worse).

and

A fellow student once likened the Concordia library to “a club”. Given the noise level, the amount of socializing and students having loud & lengthy conversations on their phones, I don’t disagree with this comparison. What happened to Concordia honoring academics and a place of quiet study for its students?

and

The hallway close to the circulation desk really is a social area, making concentration / focus for students like me who use the computers very difficult. Students are hanging outside the study lounge chit-chatting, laughing, talking on their cell phones disregarding the fact that sound travels, we need quiet when using the computer to do our work. I am less encouraged to use the Concordia library for these reasons. I cannot believe there are no staff who circulate the library keeping the noise level down.

and

A lot of students who move chairs around in the orange zones with large tables are doing this so that they can sit 4-6 people per table. In these instances, they act like the library is a cafeteria and are noisy and disruptive to other students.This is a really aggravating situation, especially when students find themselves spending 10+ minutes looking for a study space once they get to the library.

and

Can there please be signs in the hallways and staircases banning socializing / cell phone use. What about monitors or security guards doing rounds to remind students shouting and talking to KEEP IT DOWN.

and

The library is turning into less of a space of quiet study and more of a place of socializing and phone conversations. This is irritating and obnoxious for those of us who actually come to the library to work, but given the increasing noise level, this is proving to be impossible.

and

I strongly suggest there be large, visible signs /notices around the library – in the bathrooms, in the corridors, on the staircases – reminding students to keep the noise level down and be considerate of other students who have come here to study and who need peace & quiet. Because this fact has seem to be forgotten lately!

and

It is absolutely impossible to focus and study at the downtown library. There is a ton of orange zone spaces and very little blue zone spaces (with tables as opposed to cubicles). There should be a security guard roaming around those areas and ask for people to quiet down in the orange zone. It specifically says QUIET study, NOT loud Study.

and

Maybe the message is that if I wanted a serious education, I should go to a serious university, like McGill. I don’t believe that Concordians should expect less, or that Concordia is a less serious university; but we should create a culture of seriousness and respect here at our library that reflects this. Let’s do it together. Perhaps we could have a round-table discussion with concerned library staff and students, so we can brainstorm together about how best to change the culture of our library. I’m sure many students are willing to take part in efforts to reduce noise levels at the university.

Thank you for your many comments.  Though not all of your words can appear here, each complaint and suggestion is always read and considered.  It may not always feel this way, but library staff and administrators at all levels are very much aware of the difficulties many of you are encountering when it comes to finding quiet  work and study space.  Here is what Guylaine Beaudry, our Director of Webster Library, would like to say:

Too often, many of our users feel  that the level of noise is too high in the library. The Blue and Orange Zones system has produced good results,  but we are aware that  improvements are still necessary for us to meet generally recognized standards of a quality environment in an academic library.

The short-term actions we have taken to address the situation include:  

• hiring an additional security agent between noon and 10:00 p.m. and on an extra weekend to monitor the entrance of the library, patrol regularly, and assist in reinforcing the application of the library code of conduct.
• increasing the number of staff walkabouts in the library during exam period.

We also know that longer term actions are required to adequately address the noise problems.  We are actively working on these:

• a redesign of the library entrance area with the objective of better using that prime space,  lowering the level of noise created there, and setting the  right tone for a quiet library environment.
• planning for providing more space in the library, and in particular, more study seats.

Thanks again to everyone for participating in this ongoing conversation.

Difficulties connecting to the wifi network

You wrote: 

The internet connection in the Downtown library [stinks] big time. I have been reporting this problem for past three years, but I am happy to see that there is no response to my “suggestions”.

and

Can something please be done about wifi interference in the libraries? It’s incredibly annoying to have to continuously move in order to find a spot where columns, metal desks or anything else doesn’t interfere with the Wifi connection. And the whole time knowing that there won’t be a plug available wherever you move… because there are next to none available.

I am sorry that you have been having trouble with the Internet connection in the Libraries. It can be very frustrating to lose the connection. Unfortunately, the wireless network does not fall under the Libraries’ jurisdiction, but under that of the university’s IITS. Please feel free to let us know of these problems and we will pass them on to our colleagues at IITS.

iPads & Laptops

A number of you have been writing in about our laptop and tablet loans. Here are some excerpts of your thoughts:

It is practically impossible to get hold of an iPad. A reservation system (like the one used for book loans) is very much needed.

and

Why is the library buying iPads when they’re not an academic tool? We need more laptops, I’ve had to wait in line for a laptop on many occasions because they’re so needed.  You can’t write an essay or assignment on an iPad “keyboard”, it just doesn’t work, so what’s the point? It doesn’t do anything a laptop doesn’t do, so it’s a downgrade for academics.

and

The iPad 3-day loan is a great idea, but there are only 20 of them in the SGW library. It would be great if we can at least either increase the amount of iPads or get more laptops and extend the loans to up to 3 days.

and

Students are currently unable to borrow laptops outside of the checkout desk’s hours. If there was a 24hr or 48hr option, students would greatly benefit from being able to work from home or their chosen study environment, and in the valuable hours of the evening…. The 3-day loan period [for the new iPads]  seems like a possible solution, except 20 glittery designer toys are hardly an appropriate response to the wordprocessing/moodle expectations put on a student body of 40,000.

and

Maybe the library should consider not to offer any chargers to students when
they borrow a laptop, but make sure the batteries are fully charged before lending them out. In this way, students will have a maxium 2~3 hrs’ usage. Thus, not only more students will have the chance to borrow a laptop during peak hours, but also, for those who already got one, he or she will be urged to do their work as quickly as possible, for the power is limited. This will greatly improve the students’ efficiency, and maybe less talking because everyone is busy.

Thank you for your varied comments!  A short survey asking iPad borrowers exactly how they used the tablet is being included with each loan of the device.   The results of this survey, along with all of your related contributions to the Suggestion Box, will be taken into account when our service teams sit down to evaluate the iPad pilot and to consider how to further develop both our tablet and laptop loaning services.  More comments are always welcome…

Unattended belongings left at study tables

You wrote:

Every single day of this week has been a nightmare finding a spot to study. Indeed people leave their belongings for hours on the tables, leaving them unatended and blocking the space.  I think it has more to do with people’s education rather than a lack of space in the SGW library. If all these people that block the spaces did not do so, there could be a flawless rotation of spots, making it EQUAL for all students.

Because of this lack of sense of community, education, or common sense (whatever you want to call it!), I suggest a rule warning students that by leaving their stuff unatended on tables,they aknowledge that anyone could take the seat and be free to use it as long as he or she is physically present.

If you think that you can educate these people and remind them that no matter how indidualistic our society is, we should all be aware that other people have the same needs as we do and that we should respect that, then you should really do so.  But please do something about this issue as it is a concern for the majority of students.

and

It seems to me that there is an epidemic of people forgetting their things in the library’s designated study areas, causing those desks to be utterly useless to individuals who are in need of them for to efficiently study. I would simply like to suggest that a security guard make the rounds of the study rooms, and upon seeing a study space which is obviously not being used by anyone and has forgotten book(s) upon it, to safely ensure that it gets placed in the lost-and-found. This would resolve two pressing issues: (i) the high volume of forgotten things accumulating in the study areas would be securely stored in the lost-and-found, and (ii) those desks would be returned to a state whereby individuals, whom are present in the study areas to study, could use them in the way they were intended.

Thank you for your comments and suggestions.  The Libraries’ Code of Conduct is very clear on this, “Users are asked not to occupy excessive space and not to leave personal effects unattended in the study areas, so that all can find a place to work in the library”.  If you will be leaving your table for more than a few minutes, please do not leave your belongings there.  We have limited space and it is not fair to others if you “reserve” a table.

E-reserve material slow to download

You wrote:

DART 491 course reserve electronic copy of item Bennett, Jane does not  download in either Firefox or IE
other items work OK

When something like this happens, it is best to use one of our “Ask a librarian” services, available at:  http://library.concordia.ca/help/questions/ .  The librarian on duty will be able to help you in a more timely fashion.

BTW, we checked that particular reserved reading and we found that the pdf downloaded very slowly, probably because it is a large file, but it did download after a few minutes.  Thanks to your email, we have fixed it and it is now loading quickly.  We appreciate you writing to us.