Exams, essays, and deadlines are swiftly approaching, which means waves of students are about to embark on the biannual library pilgrimage. Many have preferred spots of study, while some will be joining this flood for the first time in their student careers.
While this seems overwhelming, never fret – here I outline the truth of UoM’s library zoning to help you find your way and your place in the labyrinth of library choices.
Blue
Large and in charge, the Blue zone has anything your scholarly heart could ever dream of. With computers, printers, and toilets galore, Blue occupies majority of the library floor plan.
But with great resources comes great popularity. If you’re eager to secure your spot before a coveted Floor 1 computer, arrive early, scour the premises with a hawkish eye, and don’t even dare to leave for lunch.
Red
Home to music and law texts, you’d think the Red section was instead intended for physical geography students. Why? Because you need a knack for navigation to find your way to these chambers.
If you do choose to enter these catacombs of confusion, you’ll be rewarded with quiet, private, wall-hugging desks and awesome walls of music scores… Score!
Purple
The Purple section: or rather, the one you walk through on your way to other areas. Often forgotten, this area is a hidden gem of the library. While it stocks East Asian and Near Eastern journals, you’re likely to find a secluded study space no matter your interest.
But be warned: If you’re willing to settle in the Purple zone, prepare your bladder. Toilets are seemingly miles away from this desolate yet endearing space.
Green
Peaceful and regal, the Green section makes you feel like an authentic university student. Situated at a desk surrounded by ceiling-high bookshelves, peering out windows overlooking ancient nooks of the UoM campus, you come to Green to milk the most out of your aesthetic university experience.
That, or you’re just searching for some biomedical-related texts.
Orange
Students on the Orange floors can be found scouring social science and humanities journals. They’re clever, they get people, and they’re ready to set up camp for a day of serious studying. If you’d like to partake in Orange’s ambiance, try exploring the less occupied higher floors.
Group Study Rooms
Don’t lie. We see you. Like, there’s physically no way for us to not see you in the corridor of glass encompassing the group study rooms.
You booked this room to “get work done” with your “study group,” but really you’ve spent 87% of your time talking about the jeans your lecturer wore that day and stressing about assignments totally unrelated to your group project. But hey, maybe you’ll get a few PowerPoint slides done before your booking time expires.
Muriel Stott
Muriel who? You mean there’s a place in the library with a name, not just some random colour?
If you frequent Muriel Stott – AKA those computer clusters and back-support-lacking sofas upon immediately entering the library – you’re probably in a hurry. While you’re likely to snag a standing computer to check Blackboard or peruse emails, you have no intention to hang out for more than a hot second.
But this area still has its perks. You’re close to toilets and the little food stall that sells hot Vimto, and you can talk to your peers in voices just a decibel above other library sections.
No matter your library needs, there’s a place for everyone. And once you find yours, you’ll likely become one of the thousands who pledge their allegiance to your preferred library zone.