We realize that AU's library may not be the best in the nation, but as rankings just released named it the 12th worst in the country, we're forced to wonder where all the money is going and what could be done to improve it in the eyes of students.
While one could argue that AU students have resources like the Library of Congress at their fingertips, we must point out that these resources are often inconvenient to use on a regular-basis and hard to get to. For the cost of our education here at AU, we should have a facility that represents the money we pay and the academic research we're expected to do.
Money has obviously been used in very recent months towards the library's marketing and publicity both on and off campus, but that money should've been allocated elsewhere. As many students complain about the lack of study space, soundproof rooms, and fiction choices, we look towards the University of Texas as an example of where our library should be heading.
UT's library's resources were recently converted to an online format, allowing students to use the building formerly used to store books for study-groups and a quiet area to complete class work. While it is unfortunate that we will eventually look at books as things of the past, it must be considered that the majority of the research AU students do is already done online. If we could some how follow UT's example and slowly make our books available online, we could improve the physical space of the library and make it both more accessible and comfortable for students looking for a quiet space to study. It's exactly what we need and we hope AU officials take this disappointing ranking as a wake-up call that something needs to be done.
