Western Libraries' Comments Page

Suggestion: I absolutely LOVE the fact that I can send book call numbers to my phone as a text message!!! Awesome!!

Our Response: We'll thank you! We love it too.

Suggestion: I think that during finals week the library should be open 24 hours.

Our Response: Thanks for your feedback. Unfortunately, we are unable to stay open 24 hours during finals week but we do have extended hours during dead week. Also, we would like to point out that the study areas at the west end of floors 2 & 3 and the east end of floor 1, are open 24 hours per day, as are the general university computer labs on Haggard’s first floor.

Suggestion: Hi I just came into the library to try to print off my paper for class and I wanted to let you know that a total of ten students were using the computers by the skybridge for Facebook. Thats 1/4 of those computers being used for non school related work. thats 1/4 of those computers blocking students like me looking for one to use for school work. That makes me late for class because I have to search the entire library for a computer to work on. Out of the fifteen students with me here in the lab 5 are using the computers for Facebook. when are you going to start cracking down on this? There is no reason students should be using campus computers for personal time. Many of these students have nothing better to do so they take up computers surfing the internet. This is unacceptable! Do something!

Our Response: I forwarded your comments to the Head of Reference and he said that "although it is difficult to monitor individual computer activity, they will be trying out some ways to help ensure that the computers are primarily used for school-related activities."

If you have further questions about this please contact Rick Osen at rick.osen@wwu.edu. Rick is the current Head of Instruction and Research Services.

Suggestion: I am having the hardest time finding places in the library where people allow others to study by talking loudly and discussing group activities when they very clearly can see that many are trying to work quietly. It really upsets me that the library is not a quiet place for people to better themselves academically. Is is not a international understanding that the library is quiet place! I understand that the fifth floor has been made a quiet floor but it does not help. Even there I am interrupted by cell phone calls and friends "catching up". Is there any way to create a more general respect for people to be quiet and respect towards others that are trying so hard to get through their finals week?? Will people please use their library voices!

Our Response: Thanks for letting us know. We have attempted to make improvements with the new quiet areas (Wilson 4 Central and Wilson 5) and will continue to work on this issue. We held focus groups with students where some ideas came up. Perhaps we need to do more of these?

Here is a link to a page describing more of what has been done so far.

Suggestion: I am a senoir here at wwu and throughout my entire education here I have had one problem: STUDENTS USING LIBRARY COMPUTERS FOR PERSONAL USE SUCH AS FACEBOOK MYSPACE AND YOUTUBE. This is not okay. Whenever I have school work to do between classes and when I need to quickly print something out I have to search the whole library for a free computer while other students are wasting time and needed computers on Facebook. Why are these sites not blocked or why haven't the library staff been enforcing the rules? These sites have nothing to do with our education here and are hindering my studying and school work. I have talked with other students who have had the same complaints. I have to take the 12:20 bus instead of the 12:40 so I have time to search or wait for a computer when I would have plenty of time to print something off if people weren't taking up computers on Facebook. I have to do this now because I have been late to class numerous times while waiting for s!
omeone to finish looking at pictures of a party on Facebook so I can print my class work. School computers are for school work, there is no good reason why students need to check their Facebook between classes, home computers are for home use such as wasting time and surfing the internet. This problem happens to me EVERYDAY when I'm in the library. PLEASE pay attention, and stop students who are hogging the computers for internet surfing, so us students who need to do school work can use the school computers.

Our Response: Please see this response from November 21, 2008.