There are three obvious downsides to studying at Tisch Library. They are the humming of the fluorescent lights, the quality of the lighting, and the illegal use of cell phones. The humming puts me to sleep. The poor lighting strains my eyes. And the cell phone users annoy the hell out of me.
Each time I venture to Tisch I take measures to guarantee that my stay will be as productive as possible. A can of Red Bull keeps me awake. Window seats provide me with the only adequate lighting in the building. It becomes practically impossible to focus, though, with the incessant ringing of cell phones throughout the library.
"All cell phones must be turned off in the library," reads a Tisch sign. This makes sense. The library is a quiet place to study. Yet on President's Day, one of the busiest study days of the year, the sound of phones ringing, in the form of Beethoven and other catchy tunes, resonates through all levels of the library. Cell phones are loud. The people who use them are even louder.
I understand that there are a host of reasons not to miss a phone call. Students are waiting for return phone calls for internships and summer jobs. Others may just have evening plans. I can be reasonable, though. Let's compromise.
Why not put your phone on vibrate? So what if you have to run to a designated area with cell phone in hand to receive a call. Nothing is more amusing than seeing an overworked Jumbo sprint the 50 faster than Barry Sanders to reach an appropriate area for cell phone usage. Not only is it amusing, it also guarantees that the phone call isn't missed. I give these Jumbos a lot of credit for respecting the other students around them.
Cell phone designated areas are located by the pay phone outside of the reading room and by the pay phones to the side of the reserve desk. These areas were chosen because they don't amplify sound. Once again a compromise has been reached between students who wish to study and those who need to use their cell phones.
Many students don't abide by the designated study area guidelines either. The stairwell is not a designated study area. One needs not be a physics major to see the logic behind that: The stairwell projects sound. This problem is further exacerbated when cell phone users talk louder because they think the stairwell muffles their voice. These users couldn't be more wrong. They end up distracting three levels of students instead of one.
Tisch Library needs to be a sanctuary for studying. It can be extremely difficult to get work done in the dorm. Between the kid next door learning to play the guitar and AIM going off every five seconds, there is just too much distraction. This is proved by the fact that throngs of Jumbos flooded the library on President's Day. So many, in fact, that work space was scarce. Obviously, I am not alone in my frustrations.
The library administration has been very flexible in striking a balance between convenience and productivity in the library. The library compromised on e-mail stations to free up computers for research. Students still use research-designated computers for e-mail. Bottled drinks were outlawed to preserve the cleanliness of work areas and texts. Snapple bottles still abound. The library administration can pass any rule it wants and people will always break them.
A library free of cell phones is a healthy studying environment. Only students can guarantee that the work place of others remains productive, free from annoyance and distraction. There can be no more compromise beyond what the current rules permit. Cell phone use in the library cannot be tolerated even if it is more convenient for the user. All Jumbos deserve more consideration than that.
Valentino Caruso II is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major.
