Student - September 18, 2009

No room for quietness

The set-up of the new media library at VHL in Leeuwarden has deprived final year students of their quiet space.

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For the students of Van Hall Larenstein in Leeuwarden, the new media library takes a bit of getting used to. Three computer rooms have given way to accommodate the new lay-out, leading to a space shortage for scheduled lessons. The final year students' room is now being used, causing the students to head for the media library. That doesn’t quite live up to their expectations.
Noise
‘The final years' room was the only quiet place in the entire school; the media library is too noisy’, says fourth year student Dorine Miedema. The university does not have quiet areas with computers. ‘The original design of the new media library had plans for quiet areas’, says librarian Richard Roelofs.  These plans were shelved. Students who have too little space and no peace in their own rooms in which to study have come up with a creative solution. ‘I often look for an empty lecture hall. But the big disadvantage is that you have to pack up and go after an hour when it’s lesson time in that room’, says second year student Jos Veneberg.
Sofas
The main reason for constructing the new media library is the new education set-up with multiple projects. Plasma tv sets, sofas, adjustable computer screens, comfortable chairs and group areas have been brought in to cater to this set-up. ‘It’s a place for unscheduled learning activities. A place to learn and to inspire, where silence is not a must’, adds Roelofs. /Marlot Roelofs