Everyone has a part to play in keeping James Branch Cabell Library the right kind of environment for people trying to concentrate on their work.

So says the librarian who oversees public services and building operations. She reminds patrons that while the lower level, first and second floors allow conversation, the third floor is a quiet floor. The fourth floor is for silent study. 

“Despite the large number of classes and events we hold in the library, most noise complaints we receive stem from people talking on the third or fourth floors, or speaking loudly in study rooms on those floors. These glassed-in rooms are not soundproof,” said Laura W. Gariepy, associate university librarian for research and learning.

“We ask that students honor the noise levels for each floor and be respectful of their fellow students. We understand that people need to talk to each other in group study rooms, but ask that they do so quietly on the quiet and silent floors.”  

Here are a few reminders from Gariepy about helping to keep the third and fourth floors quiet and silent, respectively:

• No cell phone conversations (including in the restrooms) and no sound bleed from earphones are allowed;
• When using study rooms on these floors, people should whisper or keep voices very low;
• In open study areas on the third floor, talking should be minimal and at a whisper only;
• On the fourth floor, there should be no talking at all.

Looking for the most silent spaces? They tend to be areas on the fourth floor behind sound barriers/closed doors. These areas are the Graduate Student and Faculty Research Center, the Silent Reading Room, and the area beyond the Art Browsery and behind glass doors that includes the stacks.

The lower level, first and second floors are collaborative and conversational work environments. Cell phone conversations and quiet conversations are allowed. But, patrons should not yell or disturb others.