December 2006 Archives

The state of this library does not reflect well on this university. When I came up to the 4th floor today, it looked like there had been a keg party here last night... there was trash strewn all over the tables. Also, the books I need are never on the shelf, they are always "missing." Instead, there are empty coffe cups and candy bar wrappers on
the shelf. I can never get to a computer to use the card catalog because students are always using them to look at MySpace or surf the web. Also, it would be more efficient to double the number of study tables you have on the 4th floor, but use smaller tables, since most people study alone on this floor. This is the only university library I have ever been to that has one "quiet" floor. Really, shouldn't there be one "noisy," or group study floor? This is a library, after all. I don't have one major complaint, I'm just basically dissatisfied with this library -- if I had
visited this library before I came to do my graduate work here, I probably wouldn't consider this school to be a serious option. On the positive side the majority of the staff here (aside from many of what must be undergraduate student workers) is extremely helpful. Also, being open 24 hours during exams is a great idea. This library has the potential to be great, but needs a lot of improvement. Thank you for reading my comments.
From: Jessica, graduate student

Pat Flanagan, Associate University Librarian for Public Services, responds....
Thank you very much for taking the time to send this comment about Cabell Library. We have relayed the information about the mess on the the 4th floor to Housekeeping and hope they will take more action to keep things clean. Especially during the Library Lite All Nite 24-hour periods, we experience more trash and other mess in the library and have asked Housekeeping to provide additional service to accommodate the extra hours and numbers of people.

We are working to hire additional security personnel who will monitor the 3rd and 4th floors, enforcing the food regulation and the quiet and sotto voce floor themes. Coincidentally, we have recently been discussing the furniture in Cabell and agree that the 3rd and 4th floors should have more carrels, small tables and individual soft seating to help promote quieter study. We currently do not have funding to purchase furniture for these areas, but hope that in future funds might be found to do so. We also hope to better promote the Group Study Area on the second floor to attract more students who want to talk while working. We recognize that the building is overcrowded, which adds to the noise and inability to find seating in the area one wants. Cabell was built to house approximately half of the collections and many, many fewer students than it does today. Due to space problems our shelves are also crowded and get out of order. We hope to obtain funding for a remote storage facility to house lesser-used items, and with it the means to do a shifting and full inventory of the collections remaining within Cabell, which would also create more study space.

Adding computers to the library is difficult because the building is essentially at capacity for electricity. We know that there are not enough computers for all who want to use them. To as much an extent as we can we provide unfettered access to our computing resources, not drawing judgments about use as students may use the library for many purposes and employ various tools for communication and connection with others. Though the library is for study, it is also a center of interaction and discourse for the campus.

As a graduate student, you may be glad to learn that VCU Libraries has been fund-raising for a 4th floor renovation for Cabell. The renovation should move forward in spring of 2007. It will include a graduate study room to provide space for focused study for graduates and faculty.

Thank you for bringing your frustrations to our attention and also acknowledging that there is ability to provide a great library for the community. We agree and recognize the many needs you have expressed as significant aspects of doing so. These are definitely things we want to provide to our patrons.

I've tried to use the VPN client to connect to the Internet in the library and at Hibbs. The client will not log in, (Remote host not responding). I know I can just use my browser to get onto the network, "partialy" but I would like to use the other connections that the VPN offers. Why won't the VPN client work any longer?
From: David, undergraduate student

Pat Flanagan, Associate University Librarian for Public Services, replies....
We have done some investigation and the office that can provide an answer to your question is the Technology Services HelpDesk. We posed this question and the HelpDesk indicated that it may be possible, but they can confirm with more information from you. You can call or walk in to request help, or send an email request via the online form found on their web page. They are located here in the basement of Cabell Library.

Thank you for contacting us with this question.

Is it possible to put a block on Myspace and Facebook in the library. I am sick and tired of people "playing" on the computers when some students actually want to do work. About half of the students in the library are not doing anything constructive with the computers and it is really making me mad. A lot of times, I come to check my email before class to see if I need any thing for the class I am going to, and some bum is looking at pictures. I am fed up with this because these computers are for academics.
From: Kent, undergraduate student

Pat Flanagan, Associate University Librarian for Public Services, responds....
Thank you for taking the time to let us know of your frustration. It is unfortunate that the library does not have the infrastructure capacity to provide adequate computers for all needs. While it may appear that some uses of our computers are for personal and not academic use, the library refrains from making judgments about use wherever possible. The tools and communications utilized by our users to accomplish their tasks can take many paths. We also hope for the library to be a place of intellectual discourse and productive social interaction, in addition to providing access to resources. The downside is that on some occasions people like yourself may not find a computer readily available. The upside is that the library remains a key location on campus for gathering and the sharing of ideas. It may be useful to check machines in the Technology Services lab in Cabell’s basement. Additionally, in response to requests from our community, we have created stand-up express stations in Cabell. These should become accessible more frequently for the type of quick pre-class use you describe. We do apologize for the frustrations you are experiencing. Were it possible, we would provide many more machines to satisfy the various interests and uses by our constituents.

Why have the computers for the public changed? [This is] the only place in the city of Richmond that has unlimited time on the computers and doesn’t block different sites. It takes 3-4 hours to do my reports, plus to check my emails. This is cruel and unusual punishment to take [away] the only tool to do work and makes it hard for people who are not in a status phase where they can afford a $2,500 computer. I'm just wondering how other people feel who can't express themselves dealing with this same situation coming here and finding this had occurred since this past Wednesday before the holidays. Please allow this message to penetrate your thoughts and also to give an overview of the sudden changes dealing with this computer system. I thank you for your time.

Pat Flanagan, Associate University Librarian for Public Services, replies.....
Thank you for your comments about the Cabell Library stand-up computers. I can understand your frustration with the inability to access a computer. VCU students, faculty and staff doing research encounter this problem very often. Unfortunately, we are at electrical capacity for computers in this building and cannot add more. Because of this, researchers are frequently in need of computers and cannot find them, even for very brief library catalog look-ups or for library staff members to help them locate a needed article or form. With all of these issues in mind, and with a history of requests from researchers for express-use computers, we determined that some machines around the building needed to be devoted to short-term use, and we converted a few to the tall stand-up tables to provide for this.

Your need to use library computers for several hours to prepare reports does bring up an important point. Use of library computers for VCU community academic purposes must take priority over other uses because of the computer shortage, and is included in library regulations on our web site: http://www.library.vcu.edu/admin/regulations/computer_resources.html.
When computers are available, however, Reference Desk staff can log guests onto a computer for research purposes. For more extensive use of computers or for non-academic purposes, Richmond Public Library may provide a broader level of access to machines. In addition, in the near future all VCU library computers will require logging in. The remaining machines that don’t require this right now will be changed, according to VCU policy. Strict log-on policies for all VCU network computers have been mandated for computer security reasons.

I hope that this helps explain the reasons for the changes made to library computers last week.

This is more of a comment than a suggestion. I am very much grateful for the VCU Libraries Library Lite All Nite hours. It has helped me so much over the past few years. I like that you folks provide snacks and much needed caffeine. The folks who have to work late are always helpful and courteous especially since they have to deal with stressed out students like me. Thanks.
From: Tavarris, undergraduate student

Patricia Flanagan, Associate University Librarian for Public Services, replies....
Thank you for the compliments regarding Library Lite All Nite. This service was initiated based on requests from the Student Government Association (SGA) in Spring 2005, and has been popular, particularly during the first week of exams. We are pleased that the service has been helpful to you, and that your experiences have been positive. Good luck on exams.