Thursday, October 20, 2011

Suggestion:
The noise from the construction in the library is horrible. How are students supposed to study? Where else on campus can we go if we cannot depend on a quiet library? I understand that the construction needs to be done, but they should do over nights when the library is closed. We have tried to find a quiet place on every floor.

Response:
Thank you for taking time to speak to us about the construction noise. If you do not already know, the library has flooded on numerous occasions throughout the years. This construction is to correct the flooding problem. Unfortunately the work that is being done to water protect the building cannot be done during night time hours. The construction taking place has to be done in the most optimum light due to the precise cutting of the bricks and the foundation of the building, plus not digging or cutting into steam, electrical, and data wiring that is buried beneath our building. Another reason for construction to be done during the day is to not cut or dig into water pipes that supply the campus.

Each day construction stops around 3:30 – 4:00 PM and we are open until midnight Sunday through Thursday. We are opened on Fridays until 10:00 PM and on Saturday until 6:00 PM. Hopefully this bit of information will be helpful to you.

On a brighter note, the construction is ahead of schedule and therefore could be finished within a few weeks rather than a few months.

We are sorry for any inconveniences you have experienced.

Mickey Dudley Russell
Library Administrative Office
940 898 3746

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Suggestion or comment:

On Friday October 7, 2011 at 5 P.M. I went down to the Children's Collection to check out books. Obviously I figured this part of the library would remain open until 6:00 P.M. as stated on the TWU website and as I have been told in the front desk on the first floor. However, 15 minutes before 6:00 PM, as I searched for books in the back of the Collection area, I was surprised to find myself in pitch black when the lights were turned off with no warning. Not only did I have to stop looking for books, I had to find my way out of the place nearly tripping over things in my way and smacking into book carts. As I left I saw the person in the office packing up and leaving, STILL 15 minutes until the "supposed" closing time. I didn't even get as much as a "have a good evening" after being left in the dark in the back of the Children's collection. Needless to say I am very upset and while I would hate to call this sexual discrimination, I will leave that up for you to decide. If I encounter this situation again I promise I will not be writing a complaint, but filing something else.

Response:

I am very sorry you had an unpleasant experience at the TWU library. You are correct that the Children’s Collection is scheduled to close at 6pm on Fridays. When this collection is closed, patrons may request services such as book retrieval and research support from the 1st floor Reference and Circulation Desks.
It is my understanding that the student assistant working at the Children’s Collection desk on Friday evening thought everyone was already out of the collection when she turned the lights off. She simply did see you or hear you call out to her. Preparations for closing do start a few minutes before 6pm, but we have made a change in the closing process and the lights will not be turned off until a staff member actually walks through the stacks area. There was an unusually large number of carts spread throughout the collection on Friday due to a book shifting project to make shelf space for new books. These carts have been removed.
Connie

Connie Maxwell
TWU Libraries
cmaxwell@twu.edu