Lack of Computers and Noise Are Irritating Me!
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.
Steven Witte • Mar 29, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Margaritta,
I share your concerns about the use of the library space. Mercy has made a deliberate move to make the library more of a social space where people can work together, which seems to be a trend in academia, and a product of the consumer/business model of college. My wife often sits in the library to wait for me to finish teaching a course or a meeting, and she constantly tells me how disruptive and noisy the library can be. She has seen card games, loud and very vulgar language, students groping each other, lots of video games and music, as well as large congregations of students. I’m not sure where the ‘tipping point’ will be reached regarding what is really appropriate for this shared resource space, but I think we may have already missed it. All I can suggest is that the concerns are offered to the Library Commons staff. If the current situation is rejected by most students, the school will be forced to re-evaluate this situation.
…or you can always go to your local library…