Lamont Repairs Disturb Students

Although most people go to Lamont this time of year to work in quiet, noise from construction on the roof has turned the library into a less than ideal study environment since the first week of reading period.

The construction, which began January 6, entails replacing the old roof cover with rubber insulation, according to Facilities Maintenance Manager Corliss Van Horn. Van Horn said that the construction job had originally been scheduled for early December, but was delayed until the end of the month because of poor weather.

"It has taken a little longer than scheduled, but it should be finished by the end of the week, before the classes [in Lamont] start," said Van Horn.

Assistant Librarian Jon A. Lanham said that this is too late for students with exam pressure. "The libraries had no say," said Lanham. "Could it have waited until June and July, I don't know."

Lanham said the noise has prompted one written complaint and about half a dozen informal ones. He said that the library is usually at least three times busier during exam periods than the rest of the year. However, yesterday afternoon, of a row of 18 carrels on the fourth floor, only five were occupied.

"On the fourth floor it is intolerable. Every useable seat downstairs is occupied. We pay so much to use these facilities without such distraction," said one student who asked not to be identified.

Matthew D. Ginsburg '86 said that he complained about the noise at the reserve desk. "I think it is amazing that the library with all the reserve material must be fixed now. It is very, very difficult to concentrate with the noise of all the saws and hammers," he said.

The noise forced Ginsburg to leave the library along with others, who were looking for quieter study spots. Ginsburg took his reserve reading back with him to his Eliot room. He said, "It will be annoying to have to go back and forth with the books."

Lanham said that the noise was difficult for the librarians to tolerate as well. "After all, we work here although we aren't so panic-stricken as the students."

However, many students seemed to have cultivated an indifference to the banging of the construction because of the pressure of exams. Reem M. Kettaneh '88 said, "It isn't appropriate at this time, but I don't mind it because I am more under pressure. Otherwise I wouldn't be happy."