Suggestions

Thanks for the suggestion. We do get requests to have more collaborative spaces in the library to offset the rest of the library that is quiet study space. The challenge we’ve run into is that the floors, including the first, are open layouts, so any noises carry very easily. While the first floor is a bit more isolated than the other floors, we’ve found that actually makes it an ideal quiet study space. Instead, we have set aside the former computer lab, located on the second floor of the Law Library, as a shared study and collaborative space. It cannot be reserved, so it is always available. There are monitors in there that allow you to connect your laptop so you can share a large screen easily. We encourage you to meet there and connect with your colleagues. Here is a map of the second floor of the Library to help you find the space. Thanks again!

I have good news for you! Color printing is available in the building, but not in the Law Library (our two printers are controlled by campus and only black and white). The Copy Shop, located in the corner of the second floor, just off the Atrium, has color printing for 0.20 cents/page. Learn more here: https://law.wisc.edu/copyshop/.

The IT and Copy Shop staff are great and will be happy to help you get all your color pages printed.

We appreciate you sharing your frustration with us about the noise created by  undergraduates in the Law Library. We strive to maintain our reputation as one of the ‘quietest libraries’ on campus and want to provide our law students with an environment that allows them to focus on their studies without interruption.

To this end, if you notice any distracting or inappropriate behavior in the library, please notify staff at the reference or circulation desk right away so that we may address the problem. The students creating the disruptions may be more receptive to changing their behavior if a staff member speaks with them. You don’t even have to leave your seat to contact us – you can notify us via chat from our homepage.

 Also, be aware that the Law Library’s limited access period begins four full weekends before the first proctored law exam. During this period, access to the Law Library is limited to law students, law faculty & staff, as well as to individuals needing to do legal research or use our collection. Undergraduates cannot use the Law Library as a general study hall during that time. More information is available on our policies page under Limited Access Periods at https://library.law.wisc.edu/policies/#limited-access-periods

 Regarding your suggestion of placing a large sign at the Law Library entrance, if only signs were as effective as we would like them to be. We have signs throughout the library on almost all of the tables, and yet, as you have experienced, not everyone notices them or abides by them. Furthermore, we have a large sign at the library entrance informing patrons of the Law Library hours, which is crucial information.

There really isn’t room for another one without cluttering up the entrance.

That said, let’s work together to create an environment conducive to Law School success. Please let us know via chat or in person when someone is being disruptive and we will respond to the situation directly.

Response: Great idea. We know that our printing setup can be a bit awkward at times, since you have to leave the computer you are using to retrieve the materials you have printed. While we do not have much space in the Copy Center, we were able to add a table with a computer designed just for “quick print” jobs (meaning five minutes or less). So no email, no social media, and no “camping out” – just printing! Hopefully this provides everyone with a more efficient way to quickly print out your materials without leaving your stuff at one of the public workstations. Thanks for the suggestion!

Response: We admit, the library is not the easiest one to navigate. We share your concerns about finding materials here in the library. The library staff is working on better signage so you can find the books you are looking for. While we work on getting improved signage, you can use our maps, available in print at the circulation desk, to find your way around, or simply ask us for help. We’ll get you to what you are looking for.

Response: You’re very right – voices by the labs do tend to carry up the stairs. We’re sorry for the disturbance. We’ve followed your suggestion and will post a sign asking folks in that area to keep their voices down.

Response: We have checked our institutional memory on this and the computers had been set to default to double-sided printing in the past (the printers are capable of it) but we got complaints about paying for double-sided printing when single-sided was requested, so we switched the default to single-sided printing. You can easily change this but you must do it before leaving the computers in the reference area. There are instructions posted in the carrels on how to switch to double-sided printing. You may do so on either the PDF or Microsoft Word print pages.