Wasted resource
Much like Facebook, Ramen noodles and sleep deprivation, reading and research are inevitable parts of the college experience. The University of Indianapolis claims to offer a wealth of information for students to utilize when studying and writing papers. However, Krannert Memorial Library seems to be lacking in every area, from its book selection to its seating.
Complaints abound regarding the UIndy’s campus library. Most importantly, however, is the lack of selection and diversity in the content. Research is an adamant part of the college experience. If you’ve gotten through college without cracking a book, you’ve probably also gotten through without cracking C average. Actually, the problem isn’t that students aren’t reading, its that they aren’t cracking open books in the literal sense anymore; everything has gone digital. However, the effects of that have been detrimental on the UIndy campus.
The databases and digital catalogue give students an excuse not to ever set foot in the library. Although this availability of information has some obvious advantages, I think most students don’t realize the drawbacks. Online databases are a great starting point for research, but just stopping there can leave a paper seriously lacking. Also, online resources are giving students an excuse to wait until the last minute to start on a project or paper. Often times not realizing that in this technological age, not everything is just a mouse-click away. The campus library offers a database of articles, but actually finding the full texts of those articles are extremely hit or miss at UIndy.
Sure, interlibrary loan programs are offered on campus. Essentially, this gives student the option of ordering books and journals that our school doesn’t have on hand. In spite of this, many problems still arise. Students who don’t realize the lack of stock in our library often can’t get loaned article in time to do their respective assignments. It takes some time management and planning on the students’ part, and I think often times that falls to the wayside.
Furthermore, sometimes a student orders a journal or book they think is prevalent to the topic of research they are exploring and then it turns out not to relate at all. The student must then start the process all over again by ordering a new book, article or journal. Problems like this would be substantially reduced if UIndy offered a wider wealth of literature both online and in hardcopy.
Additionally, the technological facilities in the library are simply inadequate in terms of age, function and number. The university has the opportunity to provide students with a great environment for studying, researching and completing homework assignments. Sadly, students don’t utilize this facility because the technology is, frankly, lacking, and the chairs and tables are uncomfortable at best.
Although it’s easy for us to blame the administration for not supplying students with an adequate amount of information, we have to look to ourselves as half the problem.
Virtually no one makes an effort to do research other than online these days. It is all to common for students to do “research” the night before a paper is due by completing a few quick Google searches, a Wikipedia visit and skimming some articles in the library’s online databases.
If students don’t make an effort to physically use the space and to prove to the powers-that-be that there is a legitimate need for an information update on campus, we will all be stuck in the stone-age.
