After only the first week of classes, both Davis Library and the Undergraduate Library have been full of students either getting ahead on assignments or chatting with their friends.
These libraries are a second home to plenty of students at the University, and while not many policies have changed this semester, library staff have created new student programs and services for those interested in a number of different activities.
Now that students have returned for the fall semester, University Libraries staff are looking forward to working with students and piloting new programs.
“We're really excited that the year has started, and we were just commenting on how busy the libraries seem to be already,” Judy Panitch, director of library communications at UNC, said.
As part of a project this semester, library staff recently established “study zones” throughout Davis Library, with each of its eight floors designated to a different noise level. Karina Soni is the outreach projects librarian for University Libraries, and said the library listened to student feedback when introducing the new project.
“We've heard through students through multiple channels, conversations, social medias, whiteboard feedback and more that students would like different types of study environments in Davis Library and more clarity and guidance about what to expect in those spaces,” Soni said.
The first floor — and part of the second — of Davis will be available for talking at a conversational volume with peers, while the sixth floor of the library will now be the silent study zone.
“Essentially, floors of Davis Library now have different designations, so they can be collaborative study zones, considerate study zones or silent study zones,” Soni said. “The zones are general expectations that we hope will help students, but library staff will not be enforcing this.”
Since this is a pilot project, the study zones will be reevaluated in a few months after student feedback is received, which Soni encouraged.
