As we say so long to the Silent Study Section, some students now act on their disappointment
Ellie Lieberman | Staff Reporter
The remodeling of the library may be a nice addition to the school later, but a current downside is the temporary loss of the Silent Study Section. This part of the library serves as a crucial quiet area for free periods, after school and chunks of time when you just need to get something done.
“I think it’s going to take about three or four months to finish, so [the area should reopen] around the end of the school year,” librarian Cathy Rettberg said. “[However], it will be not quite as big,” Rettberg said. Even though the area will reopen for next year, the administration is working to find another quiet space to work. So, they have found a next best option; the Multi Media Room (MMR). The MMR is located in the library and has plenty of space to work and a multitude of computers.
Many students may not mind the nuisance at all while others have to be creative to find another spot to study. But, students are still disappointed. A few decided to show their frustration with the removal of the Silent Study Section.
Many anonymous students put flyers on the temporary Silent Study Section wall later last week to show that they are not okay with the change. You may have seen the signs that read, “You can’t silence are silence,” and “We want our Silent Study Section back.” The group of students who did showed that they are upset with the removal of the Silent Study Section. While it is unrealistic for anything to be done about it now, it is important that the students voice their opinions and that a compromise is found.
“Surviving the academic intensity of this school is hard enough without the loss of the silent study section. […] I want [Head of School Than] Healy to have a nice office but not at the expense of the Silent Study Section,” one anonymous senior said. Another reason behind the protest was for future classes and the help that a Silent Study Section can provide for them when they find themselves needing an escape. “During my junior year, when the academic intensity was at its highest, I lived in the Silent Study Section. My protest is primarily for the current juniors,” the anonymous student continued.
While it is not ideal that the library undergoes renovations during the year, the project will have beneficial games in the long run. With admissions growing, more space is needed for their offices, so Healy’s office and his assistant’s office needed to be moved. While there is a short-term loss, there is a long-term gain to this process.
Whether the protest moves any ground, it is certain that this group of students should be able to speak out against an issue that is incredibly relevant to their academic life at Menlo.
