Meeting rooms, like the one above, at Rosenthal Library are a space where students can work on, for example, a class presentation.
Large glass doors, luxury couches, smooth chairs, a wide roundtable and a 36-inch TV.
This is not a fantasy, it is a Mediascape room at the library.
In 2008, the Benjamin S. Rosenthal Library announced it would renovate all six floors after its look began to falter since its opening in 1988. The entire project finished right before the fall 2012 semester.
The three Mediascape rooms were among the renovations. The TVs, for example, allow laptops, tablets or any other electronic device to be displayed on screen with HDMI or VGA cords.
Ben Cohen, a senior, is one student using the rooms in order to study for his classes.
“They are very useful for students who are trying to study together. It’s great to have a quiet location where you can all work,” Cohen said.
One room contains three couches as well as a small table in the middle, while another room includes a larger table surrounded by chairs.
“I’ve used them several times to study with others and to work on group projects where we would display videos on the TV,” Cohen said.
Surrounded by glass walls, students can use these rooms for collaborative studies without disturbing others or being disrupted.
“I don’t think we need more privacy. It’s good enough that we can shut the doors and keep quiet. I do think food should be allowed because most students enjoy a light snack while studying,” Cohen said.
The library bars students from eating or leaving open bottles. However, water in a closed container is permitted.
Head of Access Services and Resource Sharing Simone Yearwood said students are able to loan out the rooms if they wish to use them.
“The rooms are loaned out on a first-come, first-served basis for a period of three hours by groups of two or more,” Yearwood said.
Yearwood did note there are restrictions as students cannot reserve the rooms.
“We do not allow reservations to avoid the possibility of one group monopolizing the rooms by making multiple reservations. We do, however, allow the rooms to be renewed providing another group is not waiting. With this said, we will, on occasion, make a reservation for a specific event if the need arises,” Yearwood said.
With another room to open in the future, the library hopes students will make full use of these accommodations.
“Since the rooms have been a big success, we hope to add additional rooms throughout the library in the near future,” Yearwood said.
