The University of Connecticut’s Storrs campus can be confusing to navigate, especially for freshmen who are struggling to settle in during their first few weeks of classes. By now, most new students are familiar with the academic buildings where their classes take place or the various buildings that are often frequented by the student body.
One of the latter buildings, located in the center of campus, is the Homer Babbidge Library, the main destination where students study or work in groups. As it can get crowded and disorienting, here’s a guide for what the library is best used for and how students should utilize its resources.
Level A
To reach Level A, students would have to go down the stairs or elevator, so the floor doesn’t receive as much traffic as the other floors. Here there are collections on general works, military science, naval science and bibliographies. Journals from A – Z, along with oversized books, are also stored here. Apart from that and some tables to study at, there aren’t any lounges or areas for students to hang out.
Level B
Immediately upon entering the library through the entrance across from Rowe, students enter Level B. This first area doesn’t seem very important as the stairs lead up to the first floor, but there are still resources for students here.
To the right of the entrance is a printer for those who are in a rush. Printers are typically found on each floor, but students who can’t waste any time should try to use the one here. In the center of the level are tables with outlets. Students usually sit and charge their electronics before their next class.
Sometimes, the tables in the front are used by clubs hosting fundraisers. Some clubs sell food, items or are actively recruiting in this area. Because the stairs and elevators are by the entrance, traffic can become hectic when entering the library.
After passing the stairs and elevators, students can find the UConn Police Community Outreach Unit, Maker Studio, Lactation Room and a Wellness and Meditation Space. This floor is also used to store federal and state documents. As a congressionally designated depository for U.S. government documents, public access is provided by law.
Plaza
In the middle of the Plaza is the iDesk, a service the library provides where students can check out books, borrow laptops and get help from staff. To the left of the iDesk is a study area for students seeking silence. The library is sprinkled with study areas like this on each floor.
The main attraction of the plaza is the Bookworms Cafe. Students can use their flex passes, points or money to purchase snacks or beverages here. Bookworms is a good spot to grab a quick bite before your next class, but be mindful of how busy it can get. During the peak hours of 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., the cafe may be overwhelmed with customers or students sitting at the tables. Students should know that there is also a printer located by Bookworms — the WEPA app connects to your UConn NetID and allows you to print documents from your phone.
The area also offers a few desks for students to sit and work on computers. These computers are equipped with various programs students might need, such as Adobe products like Audition or Premiere.
First Floor
The first floor of the library holds many instruction rooms or group study rooms. It’s set aside specifically for students who have to work together on projects and need to collaborate. These rooms are usually equipped with whiteboards so students can show their work to everyone. This is especially useful for students in math or science courses who need to write out their equations.
Also on the first floor is the Greenhouse Studios, a “trans-disciplinary research incubator that draws on the talents of the School of Fine Arts, the Library and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences” according to the library’s website.
One of the most useful aspects of this floor is the Technology Support Center, which students may find they are visiting often due to UConn’s lackluster technology. Students should visit or request support from this center if they’re experiencing issues with their UConn email, computers or any of the services they provide on the website.
Second Floor
The second floor is likely to be louder than the others, as it has an “open space” concept to allow collaboration among students. The main aspects of the second floor are the computers and the Writing Center, also known as the W Center.
Technology is not UConn’s strong suit, as evidenced by the temperamental Wi-Fi, HuskyCT constantly being down and student complaints on Yik Yak. Unfortunately, campus computers aren’t exempt from this phenomenon. Students should be aware that not all Adobe products are available on every computer. In my experience, I’ve found that Adobe programs like Audition or Premiere are only on Macs, not Dell computers. This can make it extremely annoying when trying to find a proper computer available, so plan accordingly.
The W Center is a resource meant to help students with their writing skills. Those struggling with “W” courses can make an appointment with a tutor at the W Center to help them through their assignments. Their website also offers an asynchronous system of written feedback, where students can submit their written work to a tutor and receive feedback on it through comments or suggestions.
Third Floor
Moving on from the written work area, the third floor has a specific study space designed for groups of students, and the Q Center, or the Quantitative Learning Center.
The collaborative space has tables and seats to accommodate groups who need to complete projects together, so the area is loud. But lining the wall are individual study rooms that can be reserved through the library’s website. Individual study rooms are only on the third floor, but group study rooms are on every level.
The Q Center is similar to the W Center except it covers topics in math, chemistry, physics and statistics. But it doesn’t require any appointment, as students can just walk into the Q Center, sign in and be paired with a tutor. Each tutor can be versed in one or many specialties, so students will usually find someone capable of helping them.
Fourth Floor
The last floor doesn’t hold specialized areas like the second or third floors. Instead, it’s mostly set aside as a quiet study area.
Students who can’t seem to escape the noise from the first three floors should escape to the fourth, as it’s likely to be the quietest. Also, the UConn Humanities Institute is held on the fourth floor to the right of the elevators. UCHI supports students and staff studying the humanities. They host annual fellowships to encourage their students to conduct research and create a final project by the end of their fellowship.
Fellows’ talks range in topics, but essentially students pursue subjects that speak to them. Professors from UConn and other universities collaborate with one another through UCHI to further their research or provide feedback to each other.