Editorial
A little respect goes a long way
February 28, 2008
A little over 40 years go, Aretha Franklin sang a song about respect. But today, the word is one of which we are still searching for the meaning.
Students who go to the library to study usually go there because they need a little peace and quiet, but they don’t always get it. People leave their dorms to go to the library for a better study environment and they should be greeted with a good place to work on presentations, papers and just plain homework.
Those who are actually trying to study will sometimes encounter students who are just in the library to socialize and don’t care what’s going on.
Everyone knows you’re supposed to be quiet in a library, but sometimes students don’t follow that. Students have loud conversations with their friends who are there and sometimes, on their cell phones, with friends who aren’t.
On one occasion a student trying study encountered a student talking on her cell phone on speakerphone as loud as it could go.
Have a little bit of respect for those around you or learn how to read the signs. There are signs posted in the entry of the library asking patrons to take calls in the lobby and turn your phone on silent or vibrate so you don’t distract others around you.
Earlier this year, the Chalmer Davee Library extended its hours so students would have more time to use it, not abuse it. The addition of the hours came after students had mentioned that more open hours would be useful to all students.
It doesn’t make much sense to spend the money to keep the library open if students aren’t actually able to use the time to study.
Although the Library Web site does have policies listed about computer usage and food in the library, it doesn’t have a policy for library conduct.
The library staff said that they know that this problem has gotten increasingly worse lately and they are doing their best to intervene, but it’s hard.
It’s especially difficult at night when there are more students studying and not as many workers. It’s hard for the workers to get around the entire library and monitor how everyone is behaving.
They shouldn’t have to monitor everyone. We should be able to control how we act. We are in college after all.
If you are at the library and someone is bothering you, try to find the courage to help keep the library quiet. Stand up, and don’t be afraid to ask a noisy person to be quiet.
You just may earn someone’s respect.