Is there any way to prevent the annoying "Red Bull"-hawking folks
from entering Cabell Library? Surely there are no-solicitation policies that would preclude such whorish behavior. Their overeager, chirpy, vacant personalities annoy me and I would rather not be disturbed during exam week.

Interim Associate University Librarian for Public Services Barbara Anderson replies...

Whatever you may think of the folks hawking "Red Bull" in Cabell Library, you've got to admit that their instincts were dead on: this place has certainly been action central for sleep-deprived, caffeine-needy students during the last few days of exam week! In addition to being "overeager" and "chirpy," I guess you can also add "stealthy" to your list of adjectives, because they absolutely should not have been selling their product in the library, and apparently they managed to evade all library staff while they were here.

The VCU Libraries' "Use of Library Buildings" regulations expressly forbid "selling, and/or soliciting for money, items, or services." In addition, there is a VCU Solicitation policy that also prohibits unauthorized vendors from selling their products on campus and suggests that sanctions could include "removal from campus or trespassing charges." That would make those "Red Bull" folks wake up and smell the coffee, wouldn't it?

At this point, exams are over for the semester and I hope that yours went well in spite of this unfortunate library experience. In the future, if you should happen to notice this sort of vendor solicitation in the VCU Libraries please do bring it to the attention of library staff as soon as possible so we can take the bull by the horns, as it were, and remove the distraction.