The Sturgis Library offers plenty of help and resources for students, but it is sometimes difficult to find a quiet place to study inside.
I believe part of this frustration may be because of the renovations that began at the end of the 2015 spring semester.
KSU used $38.7 million to renovate the Dr. Betty L. Siegel Student Recreation and Activities Center, but only $4.4 million is being used to renovate the Sturgis Library.
The $4.4 million was given in bonds to KSU in 2013 by the Georgia General Assembly, according an article published in the Marietta Daily Journal. In the same article, President Daniel Papp told the MDJ that the library needs more space.
I’m content with $4.4 million going towards our library, and I’m glad that Dr. Papp said we needed more space in our library. I hope he still thinks the same today.
The fact that it took almost two years to complete the new recreational center makes me wonder if I will be able to fully experience the new library before I graduate in about a year.
A decent and spacious library is important for students, especially for those who live off campus and are not able to retreat to their apartments in between classes. I just hope KSU will use the money in the best way possible.
Right now, the library feels cramped. Only one floor is available to students. One day I asked if there were any desks I could work at with my laptop so I didn’t have to use any of the university computers, and the library staff told me I could go to the second floor. So I went up the stairs, and when I arrived on the second floor, I noticed that it was still under construction.
If I truly wanted to find a quiet space, I would need to reserve a study room with at least one other student in advance. It takes too long to walk in and find a perfectly quiet space to study for a quiz I will have to take during my next class.
When class groups meet in the main computer areas, it makes it difficult for those trying to study alone. For this reason, I think we should create more secluded computer areas with tables, couches, chairs, computers and plenty of outlets for students who bring their own laptops.
As the library grows, more issues other than available space may arise. One that has been discussed before is having the library open all day and night.
Last semester, the Sentinel had a discussion about a 24-hour information center, in which one of our columnists said a 24-hour information center is necessary and the other said it was useless. In my opinion, it may not be necessary for the library to be open all 24 hours of the day, but it would be nice to have that luxury during finals week.
Hiring staff to work 24/7 at the library may not be included in KSU’s budget at the moment, but I think it is important that the construction is finished soon and that more studying space is created for students.
