By Mattie Stinson, Stentorian Staff Writer
“I came here for the community, not to be silenced.”
These words echo throughout the now-silent library at our dear SSM. In years past, the library was a bustling environment; a location where friend groups gathered, peers collaborated, and new friendships were formed. Students embarked on what is known as a lib-lap: a walk around the library in search for familiar faces to talk to. As a lib-lap warrior myself, I was stunned to discover that there has been nearly no one in the library this school year. For the first time, I’ve seen yellow rooms empty, no friend groups gathered, and everyone there entirely locked in on their work.
The new library policies call for quiet hours for the majority of the library day. During these quiet hours, students are asked to be silent throughout certain parts of the library where other parts of the library allow for quiet conversations. However, students and library staff have had very different opinions on what a quiet conversation is. Now, even whispers of laughter are shushed.
Some students have been enjoying the new rules. One student said, “I (lowkey) like it better now as a study spot. You could still socialize but in a quiet, respectful way.” The new rules do make for an environment where students could remove themselves from the lively social environment of campus and focus on solely doing work. Though, I’ve noticed that even when it isn’t quiet hours, students are still being quiet as if it were— partially because many don’t know when they are supposed to be quiet and when they could talk and also due to their experiences being shushed when conversing.
Many strongly disagree, begging for old library policies in hopes it would return the library to one of SSM’s peak social spots. Though a library isn’t necessarily supposed to be a social spot, that’s what the NCSSM culture has historically made it. The nature of a library being a social spot is unconventional, but so are most things at our school. The customs of NCSSM rely on traditions being passed down, especially since the students have such a quick turnaround from grade to grade. Needless to say, many are concerned about what future generations of SSM students will look like without the experience of a lib-lap or library gatherings. We knew the library to be fun. Sure, during the peak library hours, it got quite chaotic and cacophonous, but that’s what a community is.
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