Last June, about two or three days prior to the end of the school year, I remember having passed the Stacks room and stopping short; the stacks room was officially stack-less. I’ve heard a few puns over the name of the Stacks room (because there aren’t as many stacks of books now), but back at the end of the last school year, there were no books in the entire room. When I asked Ms. Walsh where all the books were going, I learned that many of the nonfiction books were not returning to the school either because they were outdated or barely anyone had ever read them. The rest of the books were being moved to the Fish Bowl. All of the books were making room for a sort of hangout room in which students could work, chat, or read in during their spare time.
Since beginning of the year, the Stacks room has been in continuous use, but the furniture and rules within it may be temporary.
When asked about her opinion of the Stacks room, 9th grader Isabelle Davis said, “I think the stacks room is not only a great place to study but [is] also a great place to talk with friends during break. I believe there could be some improvements, but overall, the stacks room is a great place to both concentrate and hang out with other peers.”
Another 9th grade disagreed. She stated, “[I] like that Stacks Room is more spacious without all the bookshelves, but now it is really crowded because everyone uses it. Also, since I am a freshman, I am always getting kicked out by juniors and seniors when it starts to get too crowded, so I don’t even bother going in there anymore.”
That last sentence brings up another issue. Should the Stacks room be seniors only? While I wasn’t able to ask any seniors, the fact that the issue was brought up (elsewhere- not in the statement by the 9th grader) imples that some seniors believe that this should occur. I won’t go any further though, as I’m likely to be biased (seeing as I’m not a senior).
Another issue that has been coming up frequently is the “no food” rule. Many people say that they have been following that rule, but, judging by the recklessness of students who have left their empty plates and Zitomers bags scattered across the floor, this rule has clearly been broken.
As for the furniture, one girl commented that she would like to see windows (although she recognizes that it may not be possible because of where the room is in regard to the outdoors). She also stated that she really enjoyed the sofa chairs. Two others also stated that they would like to see more of those sofa chairs. About nine people said that they would like more space.
So take time to think: How can we further improve our #1 hangout spot, the Stacksless room?