The Mercy College computer centers on the Dobbs Ferry campus have fewer computers than required cannot accommodate most students.

Students always complain the lack of equipment slows down their progress in their academic work, especially with assignments that need research and a lot of printing and findings.

According to student Arielle Mcewen, she is always forced to wait for a computer because there are never enough computers in the library and Main Hall computer centers. The computers in Main Hall is mostly used for a class sessions, she says, and the library computers are always full with chatty students.

“The most annoying issue is when I really want to do academic work, I find students doing unnecessary things like watching videos, movies and doing other unrelated academic work.”

Her argument echoes what many other students have often complained about: that Youtube and Facebook sessions should not be allowed in a library with limited computers.

Student Marlene Lopez also says she has noticed a lot of students who are parents bringing their children to Mercy, and plopping them on the computers in the library to play games. Students want to do their assignments and research, and that opportunity should not be taken away by a computer acting as a babysitter, she says. She also has a problem with the social aspect of the library.

“I find the library too noisy and clumsy. People talk on top of their voices, eat and litter around, and the library staff seems to care less of what goes one. One cannot even study without using headphones to block the noise out.”

She continues, “Students in there are too loud and they forget it’s a place to study.”

More computers and computer rooms are needed. Monitoring in the library should be taking seriously and their library staff should make sure students using computers for academic research should be a priority.

Improvements can be made to make our educational standards a success. A great looking and technological-savvy library is an excellent addition to the school, but when it creates more of a social aspect than an academic one, then it is a hindrance. How some students crave for when the computers were separate from the library, and the noise and socializing that come with them.