MacOdrum Library

Got a phone charging station inside. Modernization of the library, big giant tv’s in the meeting room... not as quiet as you expect it to be... busy busy library.

First time going to the library today. I was going to study. The library is huge with 5 floors to find your perfect study spot.

So.... we understand covid protocols and whatnot but the library is no longer a good place to be. My podmates and i (5 of us), were looking for a place to study. We chose to use a GROUP study room which easily fits up to five people allowing plenty of space and room to be made for covid precautions. We were all wearing masks, we are all double vaccinated, we even spaced the desks out to avoid further complications. We asked a kind man at the desk if five of us could use the study group room because we're all pod mates, we live in the same space. He kindly obliged and said sure. We were in there for about twenty minutes when a nice women came along and said we could only be two in the room. We kindly explained our story and situation as to how we are all roommates so therefore sharing the same space should not be an issue considering we live together. She kindly obliged as well and made sure we were spaced apart. Only a few moments later did a young male student wearing a black staff shirt approach. He spoke to us in a demeaning tone as we were silently studying for our classes doing absolutely no harm. We also explained our situation to him and unlike most of the other staff members, he mandated that we leave the room and find somewhere else to sit. So the three of us got up and left and the other two stayed in the study room. Eventually, all five of us ended up sitting in a confined space in a circle in the library that were even more compact than the group study room, and there were many groups of students sitting only a few inches apart. Only a few moments after we moved, a group of staff members, including the young male, began a conversation speaking negatively about the five of us while we were sitting directly in front of them. These staff members did not show very empathetic behaviour towards a group of people who have just paid thousands of dollars to be a part of a very underwhelming, hostile and dystopian environment, to say the absolute least. Honestly, don't go to the library. Complete waste of time and energy. Some staff are nice and understanding and others are not. I find it very demeaning and senseless that a group of people who live together are not allowed to study together in a room but can move two meters down the hall to study shoulder to shoulder on a couch.

I used to enjoy sitting on the 1st floor because of those comfortable seats and friendly staff. But I just don’t understand why people are talking that loudly like they are in a party room. Even Starbucks is quieter than the study space at 1st floor now. I know it is not a silent floor, but still it is described as a quiet space on the library’s webpage, some people really should learn about that.

The second and fourth floors are for casual reading activities while the first and third floors are for serious reading due to total silence. Good collection of books and good staff helpful and ready to help you.

Great library. Lots of silent spaces to study and do some reading. Way better than UWaterloo and Laurier Community Center Libraries!

Large selection of books and many places for group or individual studying. Has two silent floors for people sensitive to noise, as well as a great collaborative work floor. The study rooms and booths get booked pretty quickly, so plan ahead if you want to have a space to study with others. There are also places with great natural lighting from windows, but also seating in areas that are closed off by walls if you don’t want distractions.

Different kind of chairs and tables ,Nice view while you are studying

when i went to here I took out a book about a really hungry caterpillar, one of the most compelling reads of my university career

Such a beautiful space to study in! If you're planning on visiting, I'd say go during the off seasons (i.e. summer, winter break). Avoid this place from October to the end of December as well as from March to the end of April! During exam time things tend to get a little crazy here and it's difficult to find a seat. The Starbucks keeps the same hours as the library and there are lots of places to lounge and read as well as silent floors for more intense studying. Great views though- you can see a lot of the campus from higher floors and there's a beautiful large wooden staircase at the front of the library as well.