The Horace W. Sturgis Library has been voted the best place to study. The library offers extensive archives and special collections such as the Bently Rare Book Gallery and Special Collections that are housed on the ground floor, along with the Difazio Children’s Literature Collection and the Robert B. Williams Teen Literature Collection, located on the second floor of the library.
Upon entering the library, students have numerous locations where they can carve out their own space. They can settle in to complete homework, write that last minute paper or begin researching for class projects or papers.
The third floor of the Sturgis Library has been repurposed into the graduate library.
“It is a dedicated space with staff especially trained to help graduate students with their research,” said Rita Spisak, Librarian and Library Instruction/Outreach.
For those serious students who seek out the quiet solitude of the library, the third floor graduate library is the best place to escape any distractions and focus on their studies.
Shannon Hawks, sophomore and international affairs major, said, “I study at least twice a week for about three hours in the library, because when I’m there, I know that I shouldn’t be on Facebook or my cellphone.”
Early Childhood Education major and junior Esra Gharim agreed with Hawks regarding the library’s new title of Best Place to Study.
“You’re in an environment where everyone else around you is studying and you feel more motivated to study,” Gharim said.
Students can call, text, visit a librarian in the research clinic, schedule a one-on-one session with a librarian or use the live chat service, which is available 24 hours a day.
“Research help is always available,” Spisak said.
The library currently has a total of 15 study rooms; 10 of these rooms are available by reservation only and are located in the graduate library.
“I prefer to study on the third or fourth floor because that is where most of my research mediums are. The Library is probably the best place on campus to study due to the availability of private rooms for group studying, cubicles and materials” senior American history major Michael Macius said.
OwlSpace houses the other five rooms, which are located on the ground floor. Students can use this area to take a break and enjoy a collection of popular magazines such as People, Cosmopolitan, Men’s Heath, PC World, Vogue and Wired. In case a student needs a quick snack or a caffeinated beverage, there are also vending machines available to help provide the last burst of energy needed to finish an assignment. These rooms are open and available on a first come, first served basis.
KSU’s library not only wants to assist students with their academic endeavors, but they also strive to provide a way for students to “Paws and Relax.” On April 30, from 11:30 a.m- 1:30 p.m., the KSU Center for Health Promotion and Wellness collaborates with the library so that “Stressed out students can take a break and pet a pup,” Spisak said.
Students can also look forward to the upcoming renovations for the library. According to Spisak, the state legislature recently approved $4.4 million for library renovations. Plans are to makeover the first and ground floors.
