Linderman Library is without a doubt one of the prettiest buildings on campus. With its gothic look and high ceilings, it exudes an air of higher-learning. There is a definite consensus regarding the prime study areas, as well as the areas that are just “eh”.
For one, the study rooms located on the top floor of Linderman are always the first to get snatched up. They are private rooms with a table that grants you and a few others quiet, privacy, and the ability to talk if need be. It is an excellent place to study as it minimizes the distractions caused by surrounding fellow students. In order to lock in one of these rooms on a Sunday you generally need to get to the library right when it opens, a feat for typical late-risers.
The next best place to secure consists of the indents along the rotunda, which each feature a round table and chairs. It’s not hard to get work done in these nooks, seeing as the amount of disturbances you may experience are limited by the wall of books on either side of the tables. These spaces are indeed cozy, but not secluded from the rest of the library. The open railing allows you to observe some of the activity going on below, yet you are far enough away that it does not hinder your studying.
The main floor consists of long tables set up with a multitude of chairs, and while it is generally quiet down there, there is the possibility for a few interruptions. There’s a constant flow of people coming and going, including tours, the sounds of the printers, people talking, and so on. Unless it’s during a week of tests, the main floor ordinarily isn’t enveloped in silence.
If you need to do work that involves talking out loud and all of the study rooms are taken, Lucy’s café is typically a good place to go. You have the ability to talk freely down there without receiving over-the-shoulder dirty looks from other students. Not only this, but you have the added benefit of easily getting an iced coffee to keep you going as you hit hour number four in the library.
All in all, people are respectful of each other’s need to get work done, and the library’s atmosphere is a comfortable one. Linderman is an excellent place to escape to when you can no longer concentrate due to the sounds of Macklemore’s new album being blasted on repeat throughout your hall. Â