Media Center Harsh Rules

Media+Center+Harsh+Rules

A library is a peaceful place to go to read, do homework, and to study and collaborate with peers on school work.  As a senior at Nashoba, I have experienced much of the change that has occurred over the years with the various study locations and new rules. Recently, rules have gotten out of control. In order to use the media center during a study, students have to go online and sign up the night before in order to get in. In my opinion, that is ridiculous. No other schools or colleges make students have to sign up to use a library; it is open and free to the students at all times.

Here at Nashoba, if not signed up for the media center and desire to get in, students are forced to go to the cafeteria to get a pass which are limited to only 10 students. In the past, study’s were held in the foyer and also the media center. The foyer did not work because kids would be late to class due to it being on the other side of the building. To fix this, last year, locations changed to the cafeteria and the Media Center. In addition, this summer the media center added classrooms to the back area, causing it to have less space.

It has been brought to my attention that the sign-up rules of the media center for study hall bring a range of feelings to students, many negative,  and cause students to become upset, especially seniors. As being the oldest in the school and having much to get done for college, we should have priority access to the media center. When I was a sophomore, I would rarely go to the media center because it was known that most seniors and juniors took up the coveted space. Now seniors are not able to get in because of underclassmen and teachers bringing in their classes, which is seems to be unfair.

The most outrageous piece of this is the fact that there are no good study spaces here at this school and the rules that are place do not make it easy for students to access a place to study. For kids who don’t have work to do or who want to simply fool around, it makes sense that they should stay in the cafeteria. But for students who have work and deadlines that need to be met, individuals should have priority to the library, especially for upperclassman.  Having a study  in one’s schedule is beneficial for students, but it is unfortunate for students who have this time available, but are unable to get work done and are forced to go to the cafeteria due to the sign-up rules. Nashoba has lost prime real estate in the media center due to recent moves in the building; staff and students need to come together and think of a way to improve the study hall and media center process even with the reduced space. By brainstorming for a new solution and space for students to go, students will be benefited. But for now, the system remains frustrating and difficult to manage.