If you have spent any time in Colorado Mesa University Tomlinson Library you know its general layout and rules, like the third-floor mandatory quiet zone and such. However, in addition to these physical guidelines, there exists many underwritten social quirks throughout the library. Here’s how to navigate the social world of your university library, laid out by floor.

First Floor

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Welcome to Tomlinson Library! First floor is easily the busiest and bustling place, you can check out books (I know, what are those?) or get help from a Research Librarian (who needs that? C’s get degrees, am I right?). Although, chances are, if you’re on first floor, it’s 12:54 p.m. and you are just trying to find the first computer you can. That way, you can print out that assignment due in six minutes for your one o’clock class because you procrastinated, like usual. If you need to study, it’s probably best to head up the stairs, or elevator if you’re lazy or leg day was yesterday.

Second Floor

It’s time to get some work done. Students on second floor have come all the way down to the library to study. You can’t study in your room because you’re too lazy to clean off your desk first or you figure you should probably try to be productive between classes. Second floor is also home to the majority of the study rooms, where you get to see all sorts of people. Yes, people can see you, even when you are making out in there. The phrase “get a room” does not include library study rooms. Study rooms provide a false sense of seclusion that does not exist, which means you tend to run into people like the guy blasting Katy Perry, unaware of how very un-soundproof the study room is. Don’t worry about these distractions though, there is always third floor.

Third Floor

Do you need almost absolute silence to focus? Third floor is your place. The floor is a mandatory quiet zone enforced by librarians. If you have a problem with noise, you can text the hotline to knark on the study group being too loud on second floor. Third floor also has a vast collection of sliced trees, or books, you are welcome to check out and stare at intently for hours on end (quite enjoyable actually). Although, if you are looking for a book, expect it to take some time since they are arranged on rolling stacks. This means you end up having to roll five or six rows out of the way, one at a time by the way, because your section always seems to be the furthest back.

The 24 hour Space

While technically an extension of first floor during library hours, the area becomes its own place after hours, a place for those without homes. It is the sex-iled safe haven, the cruddy roommate retreat and the sock-on-the-doorknob oasis. The 24 hour space is always there for you and that is comforting to know.

Nevertheless, the library is an excellent place to get an assignment done, burn time between classes, or relax with a book and I am grateful our university has such a great one.