A new study area will open in the Rockefeller Library at the beginning of next semester.
The new area will be located on Level A, to the left of the Absolute Quiet Room. The plan is to remove three bookshelves and create an open space with large tables and seats similar to those in the Friedman Study Center at the Sciences Library, said Associate University Librarian for Access Services David Banush.
But carrels by the windows will remain for those who prefer individual study areas.
The books that will be removed along with the shelves will be mainly index and bibliography books, which Banush said have been mostly "superseded by online resources."
Some of the books are already being moved to the Library Collections Annex, an off-campus facility. The rest will be transferred once the construction begins at the end of this semester.
Administrators decided to undertake this project last summer in response to general student requests for more study spaces, Banush said.
Level A is one of the most used floors of the library, according to Banush. The new area will provide "improved spaces for students," he said, and allow better access to large art books on the floor. Some of the books that will not be moved to the annex will be more tightly shelved to create space for the new study area.
Students praised the idea of the new study area.
"I definitely think it is a good idea for the Rock," said Hayley Sparks '14, because the Absolute Quiet Room can be a little "daunting" for freshmen.
Helen McDonald '14 said some students want a "social area" for studying, where they can study and see other people as well.
Karine Ip '12 agreed that the new area will definitely be helpful for group studying. "I would want comfy chairs for late night studies," she added.
According to Banush, the project is funded from gifts designated by donors for improvements to library facilities. Banush said there are no other immediate changes underway at the Rock.
