It's 7 p.m. on a Saturday night, and the library is filled with people.
Enter into the South Wing on the fifth floor and a group of students sit and chat on the floor with their textbooks open.
"What'd you get for problem 3?"
"Hold on, let me check," a friend replies. He lies on his side, one hand holding his head up while the other hand fumbles around on his calculator.
"It's 40," a girl chimes in.
In Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, this casual yet studious interaction between students would be a scene near impossible to see prior to the Phase II renovations of the fourth and fifth floors. While many students interact with each other in the lobby, random hallways, or the lower level snack lounge, the environment at these locations aren't academically focused. And while there are group study rooms available for students to study together, the limited space and process of looking up available rooms to reserve them is seen as a hassle to most students.
Keeping the influential Philip Johnson's late 1960's design of Bobst Library in mind, Principal Architect Jacob Alspector of Alspector Architecture renovated the library to highlight and restore the best aspects Johnson's design by providing a visually attractive and stimulating space by efficiently using the space to not only create more room for students, but an greater area for collaborative study.
A stereotypical library is typically thought of as a study zone where absolute silence is demanded for complete focus. But, the newly renovated fourth and fifth floors sought to resolve this issue. One of the best parts of the Phase II renovations are interestingly enough the part of it that is the least like a library – the group study section.
"Before, the place you would gather in a group to study was the snack lounge in lower level one," said Yianni Chrysanthou. Studying Psychology and Economics in the College of Arts and Science, Chysanthou knew the importance of having a place to study in a group. "In my classes, a lot of people like to get together to study for midterms and finals. We always used to meet up in the snack lounge, but always ended up leaving to find a place with more room. It was such a waste of time trying to find somewhere that would not only fit all of us, but let us talk too."
Phase II was designed to give NYU students and faculty an experience that both supplemented and complemented the quality of their research, learning, and teaching. One of the main objectives of the renovation included the creation of a "range and mix of reader spaces that foster quiet individual work; group study; collaborative work; and efficient use of technology," according to a press release of Planning & Construction, Division of Libraries by New York University.
"I used to always go to the sixth floor," Chysanthou continued. "I hated the quietness up there. Lower level one you could talk, but it's too small and it always smells like food. Now, I only go to the fifth floor to study."
And Chysanthou isn't the only one. Kevin Em, senior English major, agrees.
"I like studying with my friends," Em said. "I always have. I know it sounds weird, but it helps me work harder." While Em used to go to the lower level snack lounge to do most of his academic work, now Em prefers to go the renovated fifth floor collaborative study area.
"The snack lounge can get too noisy sometimes," said Em. "And the area is so small that I feel crowded and have to move to let people through sometimes. It can get annoying."
According to Em, one of his favorite features of the collaborative study area was the increase in desk space. With more room, Em can spread his papers and books out and study comfortably.
To create more space, Alspector designed the desks so it could be easily manipulated to create more room and have room for more students. The divider panels that create individual study cubicles are movable so if demand for space grows or shortens, the panels could be easily moved. Along with this innovative idea, the integration of several long continuous tables allows the flexibility to accommodate an increase of students in the library during finals and midterms when demand for library space is at a peak.
Phase II was designed to give NYU students and faculty an experience that both supplemented and complemented the quality of their research, learning, and teaching. One of the main objectives of the renovation included the creation of a "range and mix of reader spaces that foster quiet individual work; group study; collaborative work; and efficient use of technology," according to a press release of Planning & Construction, Division of Libraries by New York University.
"I used to always go to the sixth floor," Chysanthou continued. "I hated the quietness up there. Lower level one you could talk, but it's too small and it always smells like food. Now, I only go to the fifth floor to study."
And Chysanthou isn't the only one. Kevin Em, senior English major, agrees.
"I like studying with my friends," Em said. "I always have. I know it sounds weird, but it helps me work harder." While Em used to go to the lower level snack lounge to do most of his academic work, now Em prefers to go the renovated fifth floor collaborative study area.
"The snack lounge can get too noisy sometimes," said Em. "And the area is so small that I feel crowded and have to move to let people through sometimes. It can get annoying."
According to Em, one of his favorite features of the collaborative study area was the increase in desk space. With more room, Em can spread his papers and books out and study comfortably.
To create more space, Alspector designed the desks so it could be easily manipulated to create more room and have room for more students. The divider panels that create individual study cubicles are movable so if demand for space grows or shortens, the panels could be easily moved. Along with this innovative idea, the integration of several long continuous tables allows the flexibility to accommodate an increase of students in the library during finals and midterms when demand for library space is at a peak.
New School graduate student Rebecca Taxman also went from going to the sixth floor to the fifth; however, Taxman's reasons for switching had less to do with the group study as it did with her having her own study space.
"I used to like the sixth floor because I liked how you could have your own little place," said Taxman. "Now, it's not really an option I would choose because the desks are rarely open there."
Frequenting Bobst Library approximately three to five hours each day, Taxman is always on the lookout for the most desirable study spots, and the newly renovated fifth floor fits her criteria.
"I really think it's pretty ideal," said Taxman. "I think they nailed it."
Now, Taxman can find her independent study spot on the fifth floor "ten out of ten times," as opposed to the sixth floor where she would "have to wait for a spot to open up."
"I just love it," Taxman continued. "More sockets, better tables, just nicer, cleaner, and more fresh."
"I used to like the sixth floor because I liked how you could have your own little place," said Taxman. "Now, it's not really an option I would choose because the desks are rarely open there."
Frequenting Bobst Library approximately three to five hours each day, Taxman is always on the lookout for the most desirable study spots, and the newly renovated fifth floor fits her criteria.
"I really think it's pretty ideal," said Taxman. "I think they nailed it."
Now, Taxman can find her independent study spot on the fifth floor "ten out of ten times," as opposed to the sixth floor where she would "have to wait for a spot to open up."
"I just love it," Taxman continued. "More sockets, better tables, just nicer, cleaner, and more fresh."
While Alspector and his team of specialists specifically developed the Research Commons based on studies and analysis from focus groups, surveys, observation, usability, and the needs of students including the floors to be fully equipped with more natural light, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing furniture, and convenient access to technology and power outlets, senior Jordan Ackerman, an East Asian Studies major, believes that they should have added even more power outlets.
"The tables with all the outlets are always taken first," said Ackerman. "I mean, I can't complain though. It's such an improvement over what was there before."
Ackerman had only begun going to the fourth and fifth floor because of the renovations. While his one complaint was the higher demand for power outlets, he praised the renovated space in the casual atmosphere the South Wing of the fifth floor provided.
"I used to always walk by it, but I never actually went in," said Ackerman. "It was just a normal floor. Now, you can talk there and stuff. It's great."
While Phase I was the beginning in creating a collaborative study environment for students with the creation of 22 group study rooms and a place for students to eat, after extensive interviews and research by Alspector and his team, they came to to the conclusive decision that even more collaborative group space was necessary.
"I think they should just redesign the whole library," said Taxman. "Well, I mean, at least the floors so it's more like the fourth and fifth floor."
And that is the plan.
Phase II is a multi-phased renovation that will eventually update the entire library. Eventually Phase II will renovate the second through 10th floors along with the railings and reference centers on the sixth and ninth floors. Renovations of the fourth and fifth floors at Bobst Library, the first step of Phase II, that begun in mid-May 2010 had reached completion December 2010. The refurbishing of furniture was the main focus of Phase II as opposed to the extensive renovations of Phase I, which refurbished A and B levels, the first floor Reference Center, and the lobby.
Phase I, finished in 2004, cost approximately $15.5 million. Phase II, completed late 2010, was funded by the school, Friends of Bobst Library, individual supporters, and foundations including a $10 million gift from the Elmer and Mamdouha Bobst Foundation.
And even with the hefty expenses for renovations, students, including Ackerman, support the renovations.
"It feels like it's moving in the right direction," said Ackerman. "This type of group environment was really something that not only this library, but this school needed. Being a city school, we really have no feeling of togetherness in this school. I think that these renovations will help build up a part of this school that it's really lacking in. Community"
"The tables with all the outlets are always taken first," said Ackerman. "I mean, I can't complain though. It's such an improvement over what was there before."
Ackerman had only begun going to the fourth and fifth floor because of the renovations. While his one complaint was the higher demand for power outlets, he praised the renovated space in the casual atmosphere the South Wing of the fifth floor provided.
"I used to always walk by it, but I never actually went in," said Ackerman. "It was just a normal floor. Now, you can talk there and stuff. It's great."
While Phase I was the beginning in creating a collaborative study environment for students with the creation of 22 group study rooms and a place for students to eat, after extensive interviews and research by Alspector and his team, they came to to the conclusive decision that even more collaborative group space was necessary.
"I think they should just redesign the whole library," said Taxman. "Well, I mean, at least the floors so it's more like the fourth and fifth floor."
And that is the plan.
Phase II is a multi-phased renovation that will eventually update the entire library. Eventually Phase II will renovate the second through 10th floors along with the railings and reference centers on the sixth and ninth floors. Renovations of the fourth and fifth floors at Bobst Library, the first step of Phase II, that begun in mid-May 2010 had reached completion December 2010. The refurbishing of furniture was the main focus of Phase II as opposed to the extensive renovations of Phase I, which refurbished A and B levels, the first floor Reference Center, and the lobby.
Phase I, finished in 2004, cost approximately $15.5 million. Phase II, completed late 2010, was funded by the school, Friends of Bobst Library, individual supporters, and foundations including a $10 million gift from the Elmer and Mamdouha Bobst Foundation.
And even with the hefty expenses for renovations, students, including Ackerman, support the renovations.
"It feels like it's moving in the right direction," said Ackerman. "This type of group environment was really something that not only this library, but this school needed. Being a city school, we really have no feeling of togetherness in this school. I think that these renovations will help build up a part of this school that it's really lacking in. Community"
