I am writing this somewhat at a short-term notice because I am in a rage: It is self-study week at my university and the library is like an asylum. But not because students are learning like crazy, but because all the rules I took for granted are ignored. To make it clear, I do not complain about every single student in the library, as a matter of fact, most of them are awesome and stick to the (written and unwritten) rules. I am complaining about the 10 %, absolutely ruining the peaceful library experience for the remaining 90 %.

 

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1.) Silence

• Don’t talk, only whisper if absolutely necessary and only one or two sentences.
• Put ALL your devices (laptop, mobile, smartwatch) on mute
  • Double-check, when you leave the device behind for a break.
• Do not take/make phone calls.
  • Yes, I just saw/heated it today.
• If you are listening to something on headphones:
  • Don’t listen to music to load on your headphones, your neighbors will hear it.
  • Students with headphones tend to forget, that they are still making noises (e.g. shifting paper around, moving their feet, shifting the chair). I heard people humming and even singing along to their music in the library, because they forgot, that other people could still hear them.
• Arrive and leave the library quietly (e.g. consider putting on the rain jacket when you left the library)
• Eating loud snacks (e.g. crackers, cookies, …)
  • Most libraries prohibit eating in the first place anyway.
• Don’t go to the library, if you have a cold and have to cough or sneeze all the time.
  • I know, this is a hard one, but honestly, there is nothing more annoying, than a coughing student in the library.
  • Stay home, give yourself a rest, and try to cure your cold with tea and cookies.
  • FYI: I personally find it okay, to blow your nose in the library, as long as it is not too excessive.

 

 

2.) Seat Booking/Blocking

• If your university has a booking system for the seats:
  • Use it.
  • Stick to it: be there, if you booked a seat (max. 10 min. late). If you booked a seat, but can’t make it on time, release the seat in the booking system, so somebody else can take it.
    • I have seen completely overcrowded libraries, with booked seats being abandoned for the entire day.
• Leave your seat max. 1h unmanned for lunch. On all other times max 30 min.

 

 

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3. Use your Seat

• You are using a seat in a public/university space, use it to get stuff done for that you need this environment:
  • focused studying
  • writing assignments
  • reading books
  • there are a lot of good reasons to be in a library, these are just examples
• Do not use this place to do stuff, that you can do everywhere:
  • Watching non-educational videos.
  • Doom-scrolling Tick Tock, Instagram, …

 

4. Be Kind

• Say “bless you” if someone sneezes, as your parents told you.

5. Useful Tips

• Bring snacks/tea for the breaks.
  • My favorite: rooibos-tea and mandarins or nuts
• Bring or buy good food, so you have something to look forward
• Meet with friends in the library and take breaks together
• But don’t talk with each other in the library.