UC Library- Monday 2/12/2018 1:00-1:20 pm
In the UC library, there are many pieces of artwork throughout the space. There are drawings, paintings, and mixed media. The whole room is quiet, except for the soft tapping of computer keys, the occasional cough, footsteps, and echoing voices from outside. The people here have all chosen this space for the same reason; to study and work. Nobody is having loud conversations, showing the respect they all have for each other. Nobody is playing music or speaking on their phone, which are often forbidden in libraries. However, people who do wish to come to the library with friends reserve one of the sound proof rooms, which are very affective. Right next to where I am sitting, there is one of these rooms. At the moment it is filled with students who seem to be in class. I can’t hear anything they are saying. In the library, students also have access to several printers. The mechanical sounds shatter the silence once in a while. A few moments ago, a mass of students entered to use the printers. They softly speak to each other, causing a slight distraction. Something that I have noticed is that nobody seems to be viewing the artworks. Perhaps it is because they are frequent visitors or they have a simple disinterest. I have also noticed that many students choose to be seated by the large windows where they have a view of the streets below. I personally think that having a view is quite calming while I am doing work. At times when I am studying in my dorm room, I begin to feel trapped and claustrophobic. I will often find myself purposefully finding distractions around me. This is another reason why the library is a nice location for students to study. It allows students to focus and quickly get their work done, because of its quiet and calm atmosphere.
UC Library- Tuesday 2/13/2018 3:30-3:50 pm
Today it seems as if there are more people present in the library. Two friends whisper anxiously to each other as they look for an empty table and chairs The afternoon sun floods the space. The natural light is nice and warm. Once again it is very quiet. It has been a short time since I first arrived. Slowly and quietly, people start to pack up and leave. I can hear the sound of chairs dragging across the floor and the soft tapping of shoes. It seems as though there is a certain time during the day when the library is most busy. As I look around now, there are more empty chairs and tables, than when I arrived. Earlier in the day I had tried to write this entry, however, every chair and table was taken. Although the library is primarily filled with New School students, I have seen a couple older visitors. Most people are busy working on their laptops, rather than checking out the books. Two friends whisper anxiously to each other as they look for an empty table and chairs. The sun is slowly setting. People working at tables begin to turn on the lamps. From my seat I can see the buildings across the street. Like I had said in my previous entry, the windows allow mind to take a break once in a while. It’s not quite a distraction, but more like I am mentally take a break now and then to gains some inspiration. Sometimes when I am writing, I find myself stuck in writer’s block. Staring at the blue sky and the New York city architecture somehow allows me to come up with the right words. As I look around at the library walls, I feel as though they are a bit blank. There are a few artworks here are there. Right nest to me hangs a watercolor piece titled The Kiss, by Barnaby Furnas. It would be nice to see more artworks decorating the walls. I think it would bring color to the white walls.
UC Library- Wednesday 2/14/2018 1:50-2:10 pm
The library has become more than a quiet space to study, but a resting place as well. Nearby a girl sits with her head hanging over the chair, sound asleep. Out of all of the locations in the UC, the library is indeed the most ideal place to take a nap. It is warm and quiet. Everyone present is much too preoccupied to care that someone has chosen to sleep beside them. The sleeping girl suddenly wakes up. A bit disheveled, she looks around at her surroundings. After a few moments, she drapes her sweater over the arm of the chair and returns to her nap. This incident reminds me of an article I once read about how Google, or some other big company, provides a napping area for their staff. They had built something called a “nap pod”, which are essentially beds with built in privacy. Now and then I have wondered what it would be like if the New School offered something like this here at the school. A couple feet away from me is a separate room surrounded by glass walls. This is the Philip Scaturo Quiet Room. Students and other visitors of the library who wish to work in complete silence go to that room. It is filled with circular tables with chairs with a few desks designed for individual use. I have noticed that the bookshelves here are not as tall as most bookshelves I have seen in libraries. I think that this opens up the space, making it feel bigger. It feels less isolating and it brightens up the whole room. Again, something I really like about this library is the windows. The windows reach from the floor to the ceiling. Sitting here, it does not feel like I am confined in a space. It feels breathable.
Drawing/ Proposal
I think that it would be interesting if trees were added to the library. Something I really love are the big windows that reach from floor to ceiling. They create an openness to the whole room. Adding trees would add an additional calming affect, as well as freshen up the room. I think that adding foliage would also add color to the library. The design of the school is very geometric and minimalistic. Trees would definitely create a natural atmosphere.
