There does not seem to be much library space on campus at UF and the hours aren't long enough.
The Who? College students who attend UF
The What? There isn't much space and the hours they aren't open long enough
The Why? There is no more space for another library and the University doesn't want to pay more to keep them open
1. First Year Bio Student
Do you use the libraries frequently?
I mainly just go during finals week and whenever I have tests.
How has it been when you go to the library?
Whenever I go I feel like its always full and there are no rooms available.
Why do you think it is so full?
Probably because there is only 2 main libraries and that isn't enough for all the students at UF.
Do you think the University can fix this issue?
If they extended the hours at least more people would have more time to study and also made more library space.
2. Fifth Year Graduate Student
How often do you go to the library?
I usually just study at my apartment but whenever my roommates are home I go to the library.
How is it when you go to the library?
It isn't that bad when I go although when I want to go at night Marston isn't open.
Why do you think the University doesn't keep it open 24/7?
They don't want to pay employees and the pay to keep it open late night.
What can the University do to fix this?
Either make more libraries open late night or make more library space on campus.
3. Senior that lives off Campus
Living off Campus do you have any problems with the libraries?
Yeah I usually go at night since I work during the day and it is always closing when I get there.
What can the University do to change this?
Extend the hours
How do you try to avoid this problem?
I try and study at home when my roommates aren't home.
Is this working for you?
Yes so far my grades are good this semester.
4. Student who owns a car
How is it for when you go to the libraries?
I try and drive to the public library but when I go I feel like its always busy.
How is it when you go?
I like to get a room and all the rooms are always busy.
Why do you think the University can't have more rooms?
There isn't enough space to build more rooms.
What can they do to fix this?
Use another building on campus for library space.
5. Freshman Business Student
How is your time when you go to the library?
Most of the time I go during the day but it still is tough to get space especially during finals week.
Do you go a lot?
I try and work in my dorm but when my roommate is there I go to the library so probably 3 or 4 times a week.
Why don't you use the libraries at your dorm?
They are always extremely busy and sometimes they are used for different reasons.
How can the University fix this?
Use other space on campus for libraries.
Summary:
Overall I found out that the people who want changes are willing to cooperate and just other buildings on campus that are unneeded and change them into library space. Also the main problems from all 5 of these people was that the libraries are never open late night and they are always packed. The 5 different people all had different characteristics which makes these results more significant.
Hey Nick, I think that this opportunity is one that we as a university should definitely take advantage of. I think that it is important for all students to be able to have space and time to study in a quiet area whenever they want. Currently, we do not have the room to do so, and we also have rough hours for people that want to study the entire night. I think that this idea has some good potential and should definitely be worked on so that it can be put into place.
ReplyDeleteNick
ReplyDeleteI agree that the libraries on campus are an issue here at UF. Library West is open 24/7 but I think it is the only one. The libraries are also packed during the day, making it that much harder and more inconvenient to study when you want to, whether it is between classes or if you went all the way there from home to study and you can't even find a place to sit. I agree that the libraries should extend their hours or even build one more library.
Hi Nick,
ReplyDeleteI cannot agree with you more on the lack of library space. I think it's a bit ridiculous that UF keeps growing while not expanding its amount of study space. There are tens of thousands of students that attend UF and really only 3 dedicated libraries in the heart of campus, Marston, West, and Newell. If those fill up, its very hard to find another place to study. I'm interested to see what your solution to this problem is.
ReplyDeleteThis is so accurate, as a student that frequently studies on campus, I can attest to the fact that there is not enough space in the libraries and the hours tend to be inconvenient. I feel that the hours can be misleading while the libraries say 24 hours, it always seems like they shut down by midnight. Just yesterday, my study group and I couldn’t sit together because the UF libraries cannot meet the capacity of the number of students.