Straddling the bend in McCormick Road, set back atop a handful of lengthy, slightly crooked steps, the brick façade of Clark Hall resembles most of the other nearby buildings.
However, take just one step inside, and you are confronted with a less usual entryway design.
The hall is surrounded on two sides by a two-story mural. At the far end of the painted corridor lies the entrance to the Charles L. Brown Science & Engineering Library.
Graduate Arts and Sciences student Rasit Telbisoglu said this entrance alone left a big impression on his mind.
"I love those kinds of paintings," Telbisoglu said, adding that the entrance floor might be a good place to study in part because of the atmosphere the mural helps create.
Second-year Engineering student Schuyler Milton said one reason that Clark Hall remains his preferred studying environment is the big open spaces.
He said the library's stacks downstairs also provide a good area for people who like quieter, smaller spaces.
Milton said the library's space tends to be useful for specific purposes.
"I usually go there not for homework, but to study for tests," Milton said.
Milton finds studying in the Brown Library enjoyable because "it's quiet, but you can also find distractions."
In particular, it is not too hard to find someone you know also working there if you want some time to socialize, Milton said.
Despite these advantages, Telbisoglu said the Brown Library is too compact, adding that it is the sort of library where he would check out a book to use someplace else.
"Other than [the entrance], what can you expect? It's a library," Telbisoglu said.
According to Milton, the Brown Library is not about the books, especially since he said 95 percent of his research is done through journals and other resources available online.
"People go there just for the atmosphere," Milton said. "Nobody really uses books anymore."
The source
By Victoria Brayton
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Students looking for a uniquely historical library experience can visit the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library. This facility houses the University's rarest books, maps and manuscripts dating centuries back into history.
Graduate Arts and Sciences student Jocelyn Olson, who works in the Digital Service Department of the Special Collections Library, said it is a pretty quiet place where people can go to research and study ancient manuscripts. She said she gets to handle Jefferson's documents and other materials most people would not have the chance to experience except when behind glass cases.
"I would guess it's mostly graduate students and professors" who utilize the library's services most often, Olson said.
Unlike the other libraries on Grounds, due to the value of documents contained in the Special Collections Library, public access is restricted in some sections. Reference librarians are available to help when someone needs information contained in a restricted area.
"The librarians are really happy and excited to help you find stuff," Olson said.
Despite the restrictions, some students still enjoy the library for its exceptional contents.
"The Special Collections Library is the best we have," fourth-year College student Sarah Hall said. "They have such fascinating things in there."
She said the library is also aesthetically pleasing on the inside and outside, adding to its distinct atmosphere.
While the study space is somewhat limited compared to the other libraries, small meeting and reading rooms are available for individual and class use.
The library is "for research and intellectual discovery," Hall said. "If you're looking for an actual 'library' library then it's not your place, but if you're looking for something tapping into history then it's a really good source."
Studious Alderman
By Defne Gunay
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
"I like Alderman firstly because it is not Club Clemons," third-year College student Sara Muir said. "It is much quieter in Alderman and there is much more of a studying atmosphere."
Third-year College student Yasemin Erseven said she relates the more studious nature of Alderman to the make-up of the student body that chooses to study there.
"Unlike Clemons, or Clark even, which is mostly undergrads, Alderman has a large amount of graduate students who study there," Erseven said. "Whether it is for office hours, or for their own research, graduate students mostly come to [Alderman Library] which makes it a little less focused on the socializing."
Erseven said Alderman is able to provide the students with various settings for studying despite its reputation of being the quieter library.
"Alderman is great if you want different levels of intensity at different times," Muir said. "If you want it to be really, really quiet then you go to the stacks, and if you want a little bit more relaxed atmosphere then you can hang around the café since there are always people around."
Muir said she observed students of different majors choosing different libraries.
"I think you can definitely see that Comm school kids prefer Clemons since they need to work on group projects and a lot of liberal arts majors like English and politics come to Alderman," she said. "And then of course all the science and engineering students go to Clark or the E-school library."
While Alderman is her favorite library, Muir said there are also downsides.
"The thing is you can only stay at Alderman until midnight," Muir said. "And honestly college is the time for all-nighters, especially during finals, and having to move from one library to another with millions of books, coffee mugs and a laptop is not too pleasant."
"Club" Clemons
By Vinu Ilakkuvan
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
"I created a Club Clemons Facebook group in an effort to bring together all types of aficionados of Clemons so we could unite in our passion for that library," first-year College student Rohan Pai said.
Not many libraries can boast that kind of affection.
"It's very hospitable for people who have various studying needs," Pai said. "Group projects on the fourth floor are always well-received. And individual studying can be done pretty efficiently on the first and second floors."
Pai said his affection for the library extends even further. He wrote a literary piece for the Washington Literary Society and Debating Union on Clemons, calling it "a topic very near and dear to my heart, a subject on which I have infinite affection."
Pai is not the only person who feels that Clemons is a great library on Grounds.
"I pretty much always go to Clemons," first-year College student Dave Clamai said. "I haven't been to any of the other libraries except Alderman. I like the atmosphere [in Clemons] -- it just makes you work."
Pai has also noticed this environment.
"I feel like there's a better motivational atmosphere in Clemons than, say, Alderman or the [Fiske Kimball] library of fine arts," Pai said.
In addition, Clemons lovers cite other reasons for preferring this particular library.
"It's a perfect spot for socializing because of the Robertson Media Center, which is a great place to meet new friends by comparing your similar movie interests," Pai said.
However, there are those that disagree.
"The one time I went to Clemons, it was for an exam," first-year College student Adam Neilander said. "I couldn't study there because it was really loud. And there were people streaking so it didn't really work out."
Read More
Holding onto every grain in the hourglass
By Mai Hukuoka | 10 hours agoNow that I’m back at school, I have made it my mission to take note of the sneaky passage of time.
Students brave the cold for a whirlwind sorority rush
By Mia Tan | 2 days agoStudents recount a mix of emotions from rush, with some disappointed after dropping from the recruitment process and others ecstatic to join Greek life.
Top 10 ways to avoid burnout this semester
By Sam Saks | 3 days agoAs you settle into this semester, try implementing these 10 tactics to take care of yourself and wave goodbye to burnout.
