CSU Bakersfield, has added a new study area to the Walter W. Stiern Library’s second floor, and the new area has brought in mixed reactions. 

  If you haven’t had the chance to check out our library’s new renovations, you definitely should. For new students who might not know, the library is located near the Stockdale entrance to the campus, just north of Dorothy Donahoe Hall (DDH) and next to the Runner Cafe.  Much like the cafe, the library has seen some changes and just like the Runner Cafe, it seems to be for the better.

  Beginning at the end of last semester and through out the summer, a crew worked to make space for a new study area.

  This new study area was built on the second floor of the library toward the far right corner, past the computer area. The shelves that were there were either moved over or removed entirely to make space.

  The new study area includes new glass-walled study rooms for groups, as well as booths with restaurant-style seating. In total, there are 10 available booths for students to use and six new study rooms. Two of those study rooms are for large study groups, while four of them are for smaller ones.

  All study rooms are meant to have adequate space. There are also multiple electrical outlets in each study space, which are perfect for studying late at night when your laptop or phone loses battery life.

  The study rooms in this area can fit up to 10 people, unlike the study rooms on the third or fourth floor, which only fit six to eight people. Unlike the fourth floor study rooms, students won’t be required to make reservations.  

  This new study area has produced mixed reactions on campus, with many people still not even aware that it exists. Selena Serna, an art and psychology major, stated that she “Hadn’t been there yet,” but from the pictures she had seen, “It looked pretty cool.”  

  Elaine Jennings, a business administration major, said that the study room “Is more useful than the old books that were just taking up space on those shelves.” When asked if she thought it was practical, she said it is better than what was there before.

  Another student, Saul Ceja, an electrical engineering major, stated that he thought the second floor “Looked pretty good, aesthetically.”  

  One of the biggest complaints that many students had about the library was the lack of seating and study areas. With CSUB constantly growing, and with the heat still coming down on us, it is becoming harder for students to find a quiet and fresh place to study. Hopefully, this study area provides students with more comfortable seating options to study.

  As a bonus, the second floor of the library is a collaborative zone, which allows students to speak in “inside voices,” unlike the third and fourth floors which are only quiet/silent areas. If you haven’t had the chance yet, you should definitely check it out! There’s high hopes for this new addition to the second floor.